Ah, Miso Lobster Tails. This recipe provides you with three important culinary profiles: sweet, salty, and savory. You can’t miss the way the finished lobster gushes with umami. 

If you cannot afford Lobster, this method is great for Cod, too. Get skin-on filets and grill them for 20 minutes after marinating. 

What is Miso?

Miso is a fermented soybean paste mixed with koji (a type of mold). It has been made with rice or barley too. It’s earthy, but pungent. When you buy Miso, remember that the darker the product, the more powerful the flavor. 

There are a lot of creative ways to use Miso. Blend it with basil and garlic, and use it like pesto. Mix some into your pizza sauce or mayonnaise. Melt it with butter for surprisingly vibrant corn on the cob. 

Shopping for Lobster

If you’re on a tight budget, watch for cold-water lobster tails to go on sale. Overall they will be less expensive than making steak for your guests.

A soft-shell lobster, as the name implies, has thinner shells, so it’s easier to crack it open. These shells leave room for growth so you won’t see as much meat as in hard-shell lobster tails. Hard-shell lobsters are a better bet for dinner, as soft-shell ones don’t handle shipping very well.

In picking out a lobster, size does matter. Sure, that 3-4 pound bad boy looks impressive on the dinner table, smaller ones cook more evenly. They’re also easier on your pocketbook and save you time at the grill. 4-5 oz lobster tails are done in 10 minutes, whereas 10 oz ones require 25 minutes. 

Miso Lobster Tails – Ingredients

• Lobster Tails (4-6 oz size per person; 8 oz if you are making Cod)
• ¼ cup Sake
• ¼ cup Mirin
• ¼ cup Miso paste
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Melted Butter
• ½ Fresh lemon

Miso Lobster Tails – Instructions

1. Cut open the back shell of the lobster using kitchen scissors, starting at the head and going to the tail joint.
2. Lift the meat gently out of the shell so it lays on top.
3. Simmer Saki, Mirin, Miso, and sugar (the marinade) for 10 minutes.
4. Let it cool.
5. Brush the blend onto the lobster tails. 
6. Marinate for 2 days, covered in the refrigerator.
7. Preheat the grill to 375
8. Place the lobster tails with the meat side down for 5 minutes (this gives them grill marks)
9. Flip the tails over, shell side down, and continue grilling for about 3 minutes until the lobster is opal-white (internal temperature 135F)
10. Use this time to brush the tails with butter
11. Rest the tails for 5 minutes.
12. Take the remaining butter and squeeze ½ fresh lemon into it. Serve this as a finishing sauce or on the side for dipping.

Tips:  

• Lobster tails require approximately 1.5 minutes per ounce to cook fully

• Consider adding garlic, ginger, and/or parsley to the finishing butter. 

PitMaster’s Memo

An underdone or overdone lobster tail can ruin the whole meal. But how do you know when the tails are ready to eat?

1. Color: The meat in the lobster tail should be white and opaque. The shell should be bright red. 
2. Internal Temparature. Use a meat thermometer to ensure accuracy. When the thickest part of the tail reaches 135, they’re ready. 
3. Texture: A fully-cooked lobster tail is firm, but pay attention to the color of the meat so you don’t overcook it (chewy, yuck!).

Sides

Asparagus with hollandaise

Pickled vegetables

Sauteed mushrooms

Sticky rice

Wasabi mashed potatoes

Wonton chips

From the Bar

Dry cider

Green Tea

Japanese Beer

Sake

Sweet Riesling