Easy Broiled Lobster!

Lobster. What more can I say, except that I love it. I rarely order it, at restaurants, because it's a bit of a budget stretch. I've never bought a live lobster to cook at home. I just can't be personally responsible for the demise of these delectable crustaceans. That's not to say that I won't buy them prepped and read to be cooked.

Valentine's Day (and New Year's) is when I find that there are great sales on Lobster.  These were frozen lobster tails, that I thought would be perfect with Filet Mignon.  Top 'N Tail... Surf 'N Turf.  This is such a classic steakhouse menu item, usually at a hefty price. At home, it can be more affordable, and surprisingly easy to make. You can thaw them, overnight, in a refrigerator. In my case, I do a "quick thaw" in cool water-- about an hour.

These aren't East Coast lobster, but Honduran lobster tails.  They're not huge, but a perfect size for a Top 'N Tail dinner.  These can be baked, steamed or grilled.

I decided I wanted to try broiling them, since it's too cold for grilling.  Cut the shells, lengthwise.

Old Bay Seasoning is my favorite way to spice these up. You can use salt, pepper and paprika if you can't find Old Spice. If you can't, you have my deepest sympathy.

Pry the shell open the meat, and season the lobster.

Drizzle a little melted butter on top.

Broil, with the rack at it's highest setting, for about 10-11 minutes. Watch closely, so it doesn't burn.  You can set the rack a little lower, but it will take a bit longer to cook. You want the meat to be opaque, but don't overcook it-- or it'll be tough. The internal temperature should be 140F.

NOTE: Later, I saw a video that suggest lifting the meat up and on top of the shell-- sort of like a natural "rack". I'll try that, next time.

Serve with extra melted butter.

These are not my best photographs, I admit. Winter is such a challenge, because I can't shoot in natural light.  I had to use artificial light, and I was also very hungry!  That means, that food styling was not a priority. Eating was. I hope you, at least, get the general idea that this was the Valentine's Dinner that I prepared for my husband. He loved it. I loved it.

Served with a perfectly cooked medium-rare Filet Mignon, this meal cost far less than the $100.00 we would have spent at a restaurant.  

 Photo source

That's not to say that I don't appreciate fine dining! In fact, this Saturday, my husband and I are headed to Maui.  We plan to enjoy plenty of snorkeling, sight-seeing, exploring and enjoying fresh fish and plenty of Mai-Tai's and Chi-Chi's.  

 I'll be taking a blog vacation for a week.  I'll be sharing photos on my Instagram and on my Facebook Fan Page. 

Aloha!