How to Defrost Frozen Lobster Tails

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Grilled, boiled or baked lobster tails can make a delicious dinner for a special event or for an occasional treat. To cook tender lobster tails, frozen tails must be properly defrosted. Lobster meat can be cooked frozen but this typically results in tougher meat. There are several methods to defrost frozen lobster tails.

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Things You'll Need

  • Sandwich Bags Or Plastic Wrap

  • Microwave (Optional)

  • Refrigerator

  • Large Bowl, Pot Or Container With Lid

  • Water

Thawing overnight in refrigerator

Step 1

Remove any wrapping from the lobster tails. Place them in a container and cover with a lid.

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Step 2

Place the container in the refrigerator. Allow the lobster tails to defrost overnight. The tails may take up to 24 hours to thaw, depending on the size of the tails and temperature of the refrigerator.

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Step 3

Check the tails for softness the morning after you place them in the refrigerator. If the tails are tender, they are ready to be cooked. If the tails are still frozen, place them back in the refrigerator and check their tenderness every two hours.

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Thawing for a few hours in refrigerator

Step 1

Put the lobster tails in a sandwich bag or wrap them with plastic wrap.

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Step 2

Fill a container with cold water. Place the lobster tails in the water and cover the container with a lid.

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Step 3

Place the container in the refrigerator or replace the water every 30 minutes.

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Step 4

Check the underbelly of the tail after one hour. If the meat is soft, it is ready for cooking. If the meat is still hard, place the tail back into cold water. Continue to check the tails in half-hour increments.

Tip

If you need to use the frozen lobster tails immediately, thaw them in your microwave if your microwave has a defrost setting. Only use the lowest defrost setting to avoid cooking the tails in the microwave.

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