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Lobster is one of those things that can be finnicky to cook using traditional cooking methods. Because of this I think it can be intimidating to many people. This is where the Sous Vide rises to the occasion. In todays recipe we are going to show you how to make a Sous Vide Garlic Butter Lobster Tail.
Even better, Sous Vide Lobster is amazingly simple as there is no need to sear it with a torch or skillet after cooking. All you need to do is just place some lobster tails and butter in a sous vide bag and seal with a vacuum sealer. You can also just use a Ziploc and use the water immersion method. Then cook it for under an hour and its ready to serve.
It tastes better than broiled, boiled, steamed or roasted lobster tail. It has the best tender, buttery and sweet flavor. Cooking lobster tail sous vide is the most error proof of all cooking methods and it allows lobster meat to pack in some extra flavor.
Sous Vide Lobster Tail Cooking Times and Temperature
Lobster tail or seafood in general cooked over high-heat results in it being rubbery. However, when cooked with the sous vide cooking method, you are able to slow cook seafood over controlled and précised low-heat. This will make your lobster tail tender and silky. Personally, I prefer around the 135 – 140 temperature zone for my lobster.
- Translucent, soft – 120ºF / 45 mins
- Tender – 130ºF / 45 mins
- Firm – 160ºF / 45 mins
Best Sous Vide Lobster Tail Recipe
Before cooking lobster tail Sous Vide, you need to detach the shell from the meat. The shells have sharp parts that may tear the plastic bags. The bags should not have any holes as even the smallest of holes can gum up the immersion circulator with the protein of the thickened protein or the butter. Once raw, lobster meat is delicate and soft.
I recommend taking a pair of kitchen scissors and cutting along the shell above the meat. Then, carefully using your hands you can peel the shell away from the lobster tail meat itself.
Equipment
- Sous Vide Machine – our favorite right now is the Anova or the Joule.
- Container – not necessary, but nice to have for bigger cuts of meat. We recommend the Lipavi as it is large and sturdy. You can also use a pot.
- Vacuum sealer and bags, or a freezer Ziploc bag. You can find our favorite vacuum sealers here – 5 Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers (Reviews Updated 2021)

Sous Vide Garlic Butter Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 2 Lobster Tails, De-shelled
- 6 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1 tbsp Chopped Chives For garnishing
- 1 tspn Salt
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
Instructions
- Pre-heat sous vide machine based on what you want to achieve with the lobster tail. I recommend 135 Degrees.
- Detach lobster meat from the shell by using a kitchen shear to cut through the middle of the shell. Firmly and slowly pull out the shell making sure not to mangle the meat. You can also parboil the lobster tail to easily detach the meat from the shell.
- Toss in the lobster tails, 6 tablespoon butter and fresh garlic inside a sous vide bag.
- Cook Sous Vide Lobster Tails for 45 Minutes.
- Serve hot or cold with Butter Lemon Sauce. (Melt 8 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Squeeze some lemon into the butter.)
Lemon Butter Sauce
- Butter, ½ stick or 113 g, melted
- Lemon, 1 piece, cut into wedges
Lobster tail can be served straight from the sous vide bag and there is no need for searing. The butter that was cooked sous vide together with the lobster tail sticks to the lobster tail until eaten.
Be sure to also check out our sous vide machine buying guide.
Sir:
What would be the time and temperature (Sous Vide) for a 6 pound beef filet mignon, medium rare?
cheers,
Arnie