I've been wanting to try cooking seafood in the Instant Pot for some time. My hubby does most of the seafood cooking in our home. Always on the stovetop or in the oven. These lobster tails are my first stab at cooking seafood in the Instant Pot.
Initial Thoughts & Concerns
I'm a little concerned that the high pressure will overcook the lobster tails but I have seen others have success. So, I'm ready to give it a try.
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Final Round of Testing
Date Tested: July 25, 2018
This recipe has completed testing. For the full printable recipe, click here. You can use the ingredients list and steps I took to test this recipe for yourself. After trying these lobster tails in your Instant Pot, please let me know how they came out for you in the comments below.
TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES
INGREDIENTS
Notes
Testing has completed with this round of successful results.
STEPS & INSTRUCTIONS
Thaw
If frozen, allow the lobster tails to fully thaw before prepping.
Butterfly
Use a pair of heavy-duty kitchen shears to butterfly the lobster tails.
Add Salted Water
Dissolve 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt in one cup of water and add to the Instant Pot.
Add Garlic and Rosemary
Add four cloves of garlic and two sprigs of fresh rosemary to the Instant Pot.
Place Steamer Basket
Place a steamer basket inside the Instant Pot.
Adjust the Steamer Basket
Partially close the steamer basket so that the opening is just wide enough to place the lobster tails standing up inside.
Arrange the Lobster Tails
Arrange the lobster tails so that the they are standing up inside the basket.
Brush with Butter
Brush the lobster tails with melted butter.
Set Cook Time
For this second round, I am cooking the tails for 2 minutes at low pressure to prevent overcooking the lobster's delicate meat.
Open the Pot
Once the cooking time had completed, I performed a quick pressure release before opening the pot.
Allow to Sit
I allowed the tails to sit for a couple of minutes in the pot. The lobster meat will continue to cook during this time.
Serve and Enjoy
Serve the tails warm and enjoy with a garlic butter sauce.
TESTING RESULTS & OBSERVATIONS
I am impressed with how well these lobster tails came out during this round of testing. The tails were cooked through yet not overcooked. I left them sitting in the Instant Pot for a couple of minutes before removing them. The longer you leave the tails sitting, the more they will continue to cook. So, don’t allow them to sit for more than a couple of minutes or they may overcook. I like this method because I can enjoy my lobster warm. The meat was so wonderful.
The alternative is to pressure cook them for longer (3 minutes) and plunge them into an ice bath after removing them from the pot to stop the cooking. However, this will give you cold lobster meat. I like my lobster warm, so I’m very happy with this 2-minute cook and 2-minute sit method.
This time I got the butterflying right! Check out my first round of testing below to see how I goofed on the butterflying
Adding both the rosemary and garlic infused the lobster with an amazing, delicate aroma – it also made my kitchen smell great.
I also added salt to the water. I wanted to match the salinity of seawater so I added 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt to the 1 cup of water. I made sure that the salt was fully dissolved in the water before adding to the pot.
The other thing I did differently in this round was brushing the lobster tails with salted butter before cooking them. This really complements and helps enhance the sweet flavor of the lobster meat.
You probably also noticed how I arranged the lobster tails in the steamer basket. This really was an ideal setup. It made brushing the tails with butter so much easier.
Again, I’m very happy with the way the lobster tails turned out and I have to conclude that this round of testing was a success and that this recipe is ready to be published on the blog.
TESTING FOR THIS RECIPE IS COMPLETE
With this second and final round of testing, I am satisfied with the results and this recipe is completed and ready for publishing on the blog. Please try following the steps I took in this final round of testing to make your own lobster tails and let me know how they came out in the comments below.
First Round of Testing
Date Tested: July 23, 2018
Round one of testing has been completed. Read below to see the full list of ingredients used for this test, the steps that were taken, mishaps and conclusions. If you have any insight to offer, please do so in the comments below.
TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES
Ingredients
Notes
This test came out very close to perfect. Just a few minor adjustments and we should have lobster perfection!
STEPS & INSTRUCTIONS
Thaw
Allow the lobster tails to fully thaw.
Butterfly
Using a pair of kitchen shears, butterfly the lobster tails.
Add Water
Add one cup of water to the Instant Pot.
Add Garlic
Add the four cloves of garlic to the Instant Pot.
Place Steamer Basket
Place a steamer basket inside the pot.
Place Lobster Tails
Place the lobster on the steamer basket. I laid them flat on their back.
Set Cook Time
For this first round, I will try cooking the tails for 3 minutes at low pressure to prevent overcooking the lobster’s delicate meat.
Open Pot
Following the Instant Pot company’s guidelines, I performed a quick pressure release before opening the pot.
TESTING RESULTS & OBSERVATIONS
I was really happy with how these lobster tails turned out. They were fully cooked. Maybe even slightly overcooked, making them just a smidge tough but barely noticeable. I’m interested in trying to cook them for less time to see how they come out.
The Instant Pot company suggests 2-3 minutes at high pressure for fresh, fully thawed lobster tails. I’m a little worried that the high-pressure setting will be too hard on the delicate lobster meat. Plus considering the good results that I got from cooking on low pressure this time, I will try 2 minutes and remain at low pressure for the next test. I believe that may give me the perfect tender result but we shall see.
I am also interested in testing it at high pressure as well, just to see how it turns out.
My big fail for this round was butterflying the lobster incorrectly. After I opened the pot, it dawned on me that something didn’t look right. I butterflied the lobster on the wrong side of the shell
The garlic cloves added a nice, delicate aroma to the tails. While I want to keep the ingredients simple so that nothing overpowers the delicately sweet flavor of the lobster meat, I’d like to try adding just one other aromatic herb that will complement the flavor of the lobster.
For my second fail, I didn’t use salted water. In the next round, I will be salting the water.
CHANGES FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF TESTING
Valerie, I have made this for the 2nd time in the last 2 months. First time was for a birthday dinner for Hubby with 2 very close friends. Followed to the T and both times came out excellent! I was nervous but turned out great. Thank you
Hi Jeannie! I’m so happy you enjoyed the lobster tails and they came out perfect! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting with your results.
I think it would have been nice to explain how you cut the lobster tail and then cut/filet the meat, you show scissors cutting the shell and that’s it?????
Glad your husband does the seafood cooking, as you say, maybe you could have him explain what he did.
Not trying to sound negative ( I know it sounds that way), but you could have gone into a bit more detail on the prep of the tails.
You even say you butterflied it on the wrong side????? But don’t say which side is the wrong way.
Until then, not going to waste $$$$ trying to test this out.
Hi Nic! Thanks for your comment. After this test post, an actual recipe post was published. It shows you pictures of exactly where the butterflies tails should look like. It also explains how to cut them in the recipe card. You can find the post here. Thanks for stopping by!
I have an instant pot Lux what would be the setting I put this on I would love to make this tonight
Hi Helen! I think people have successfully made it in the LUX with high pressure. Make sure you take them out immediately when done. Enjoy!
First time cooking lobster. I am thawing whole frozen lobster. I have never butterfly lobster. I am cooking in a Ninja Ulta. I don’t have a steamer basket, but I have a crisper basket and racks. Which would be better for steaming? THIA Kathy
Hi Kathy! My recipe is for lobster tails so it will be completely different if you’re using a whole lobster. The crisper basket or the racks should work just fine in place of a steamer basket. Sorry I couldn’t help more! Happy Valentine’s day!
Hi Valerie,
I need to cook 6 tails. Can I? If so how do I modify the recipe?
Hi Linda! No need to modify anything, just make sure they fit properly. Enjoy!
Hi Valerie, I enjoyed your blog on the lobster. I have one question. What size are these lobster? This would certainly make a difference in how long they are cooked.
Thank you Paula! Yes, it makes a difference. My tails are 4-6 ounces each. Please go to the final recipe for lobster tails to see the printable recipe where this is specified. Here is the link: https://www.onehappyhousewife.com/instant-pot-lobster-tails/ Thank you so much for stopping by the blog!
I made this tonight…it turned out fabulous! Thank you for great instructions💜
Hi Sharon! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your results!
hi, when you say let the tails sit in the pot after you open it. Do you leave it open or do you close it and let the tails sit for 2 minutes. And should I turn the instant pot off or leave it on warm (L 0:00).
Hi Chad! Yes, you open the pot and leave it open and leave the tails in there for a bit before removing them. You do cancel and turn the pot off. Hope this helps! Thanks for stopping by!
Would the time be the same for a 6 quart?
Hi! Yes, it would be the same time. Thanks for stopping by!
Sucesss- I followed the recipe exactly. My 15 year old son posted a pic on Snapchat- ultimate compliment😀. Thank you
Haha! That is definitely the ultimate compliment from a 15-year old! I’m so glad the lobster tails were enjoyed by all! Thanks for stopping by the blog Dee!
So youre cooking 2 minutes low – is that set to Manual then low option and for 2 minutes?
Hi Jack! Yes, you are cooking for 2 minutes on low pressure. If you have a lux, low pressure isn’t an option. You will use the Manual or Pressure Cook setting (depending on model) and you’ll turn pressure to low. Hope this helps!
Why is there no printable recipe?
Hi Larry! This was done as a test recipe, as you can see from the content. Now that it’s finalized, we will be moving it over to a traditional recipe format and it will have a printable recipe card. We’re working on a few recipes so I expect it may be ready next week. Thanks for stopping by!
Can you please clarify what side is the correct side to butterfly the lobster tails? I have always cut the shell side
Hi Barbara! There is a large picture under where I say “This time I got the butterflying right”, that shows me cutting the correct side. Hope this helps!
How about live Lobster, some what difficult getting balance correct every time. Boil, salt, time, etc.
Ohhh I couldn’t bring myself to cook a live lobster in any fashion. I have heard people comment on it though, and all say you shouldn’t do it in the Instant Pot. Best to do it on the stove. Hope this helps!
I got a new 8 qt IP for Christmas and was so excited to try this. The only problem is my pot doesn’t allow you to adjust the pressure on manual. So other than that I followed the recipe exactly. However it took 9 minutes for the pot to come to pressure and the timer to start. The tails were definitely over cooked â˜¹ï¸ My pot has a steam function that allows you to adjust pressure and I think that may have been a better option. I will try again – but leaving this here in case anyone else is wondering about high pressure.
I wish she would have answered you. I want to try tomorrow, I’m thinking it takes time for it to actually start cooking too, plus I only have two tails, same amount of time?
Hi Mary, I’m not sure how this comment slipped by me. To answer the question, yes, setting the Instant Pot to cook on Steam at Low Pressure for 2 minutes should yield the same result as cooking on Manual at Low Pressure for 2 minutes. Also, I’d like to point you to the final recipe post with the printable recipe card for Instant Pot Lobster Tails. And, yes, the time would remain the same for 2 tails that are 4 to 6 ounces each.
Can you cook lobster tails in the instant pot without the steamer part cause I don’t have one yet?
Hi Cheryl! You’ll need to set them on something, a trivet perhaps. Don’t set them straight in the water. Happy New Year!
What was the weight of these tails? I would assume the cook time may differ depending on their weight.
They were between 4 and 6 ounces. I apologize this comment fell through the cracks! Happy New Year!
Did you cook the lobster on manual low pressure or steam low pressure?
Hi Janice! I used Manual Low Pressure. Thanks for stopping by!