Sous Vide Lobster Tails

Omar Sultan

So, I have been working through Modern Cooking at Home with mostly good results. Today, I tried the Lobster Rolls. The recipe called for cooking the tails in a 122F bath for ~15 min to a core temp of 120F, which I did (confirmed core temp with my handy-dandy thermocouple). The problem is the lobster seemed underdone--not the color or texture I normally associate with lobster, but I have never tried sous vide lobster so I was not sure what to expect. Interestingly, under the variations for the recipe, for a whole lobster tail served as an entree, they recommend a 131F bath with a 129F core temp, which seems like a better target temp to me.

Two questions:
1) Anyone have any idea why the different water temp/target temps--I would expect the two variations to use the same cooking method?

2) Anyone have any preparation recommendations on lobster tails?

Thanks,

Omar

Trevor Teich

I like 122F. You just (not trying to start a war) be used to tails that are a little over.

Trevor Teich

but I do like a raw tail now and then as well so...

Omar Sultan

@Trevor

LOL. No war--I understand I need to re-set expectations with sous vide preparation. Its just that lobster tails are a bit more expensive to experiment with than eggs, so the insight and personal preferences are helpful.

Regards,

Omar

Mason Perry

I do 125F for about 30 min max, longer and they get mushy but at 30 min these melt in your mouth, no rubbery texture at all, are you adding butter? Oh I don't blanch the tails I removed the meat raw with kitchen shears. So no jump start on cooking like Keller does.

Trevor Teich

This is how I do it.

1 Lobster
7.5 liters of water
110g vinegar

Heat water and vinegar to in bath 65.5 Cº (150 Fº). Meanwhile kill the lobsters by cutting through their heads. Add lobster (whole) into the water bath for 7 minutes. Remove the tail from the lobster and transfer them to an ice bath. Return the knuckles and claws to the water and cook for 7 more minutes. Repeat with remaining lobsters. Remove flesh from shell. Then cook as you like.

Omar Sultan

@Trevor is the vinegar for taste or does it serve some other culinary purpose?

Trevor Teich

Another thing is that, if you are going to cook anything in a butter sauce and don't want to mess up or clean your circulator, take a sous vide bag and turn an inch of the top down. Use large bider clips to hook it to the side of the vessel to are using to to circulate the water. Fill the bag with the sauce and let it come to temp of the bath. Cook food in this.

Trevor Teich

The vinegar inparts a great aroma to the shellfish.