Caribbean Lobster Tails

Caught off the coast of Florida, down through the Gulf of Mexico, and into the Caribbean and countries bordering the equator, warmwater lobsters rival their northern Maine lobster or “coldwater lobster” in taste and recipe flexibility. Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, and others wild catch them by either diving into the rocky crevices along the shoreline, or setting pots, quite similar to the crabbing technique. Some of the major differences from coldwater is that they have a smooth spotted greenish-brown shell, rather than a solid olive color. They also don’t have large claws, which is a prized part of the coldwater. Warmwater tails do rival the coldwater, however with a soft texture, and a delicate meat with a sweetness perfect for grilling, boiling, steaming, and baking. Choose the cooking method that fits your skills and add some sauces and you’ll know what the fuss is all about!

Grilling receives popularity for plumping the tails and allowing the excess water to escape them for a more tender meat, void of any “mushiness.” Turn the grill to medium-high and butterfly your tails by cutting them lengthwise over the top shell and pull the meat out of the shell except the part that attaches to the back fin. Then place the tail meat partially back into the shell. Then brush it with garlic herb butter and olive oil. Place it shell down and grill for 10-12 minutes until it turns opaque. Make them even more delicious with some other popular sauces. Classic Thermidor with a lighter butter, white wine, Dijon mustard, parmesan, and paprika can take the tail to a sophisticated level. Keep it simple with clarified butter. Simply cook butter at a low heat and remove the froth on the top. Sometimes, you just want to taste the seafood. If you dare, make it hot and spicy with peppercorns, Tabasco, chili, and a creamy tomato base. Mother Nature did all the work, but with your cooking skills, you’ll simply name it “lobster delicious!”