Steamed Lobsters with Herbed Browned Butter

Susan Vu
Susan Vu
November 27, 2023
The next time you cook lobsters, skip the huge pot of boiling water and steam them in the Anova Precision Oven instead. The steam function gently cooks the lobster until the tail and claws are just cooked through, while the oven’s temperature probe takes the guesswork out of it. Cracking the shell on the claws before the lobsters go into the oven will help to ensure that they cook evenly alongside the tails. Cooking the lobsters top-side-down on their backs might seem strange, but I found during testing that the tail tends to curl less if cooked this way. Do not be alarmed if your lobsters do not turn the traditional bright red hue even after they are fully cooked. Since steaming cooks the lobster so gently (it’s not so shocking on the crustacean’s system), the shell tends to stay slightly darker with this preparation.
Serves
2
Prep Time
00:15
Cook Time
00:25
Steamed Lobsters with Herbed Browned Butter
5 (1)
167
Ingredients
2
whole lobsters (about 1 ½ lb / 680g each)
8 Tbsp (112g)
salted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large
fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced (about 2 tsp)
1 tsp
fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tsp
finely grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
2 cloves
garlic (6g), finely grated
Kosher salt
Steps

1. Preheat the Oven

Rack
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 149°F
Heat: Rear

2. Prep the Lobsters

Place one of the lobsters on its stomach on a cutting board. Use one hand to hold the body down then place the tip of a sharp chef’s knife right behind the lobster’s eyes. Quickly plunge the knife down through the head. This will instantly kill the lobster, but it might continue to move for several minutes. Use the back of the knife to crack each claw in several spots to allow the steam to better penetrate into the meat. Place the lobster on its back on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the second lobster. Holding the probe horizontally, insert it toward the end of the larger lobster’s tail (the probe should slide fairly easily through the thin shell on the underside of the lobster), then thread it through the meat until the tip of the probe is at the thickest part of the tail.
Prep the Lobsters

3. Cook

Rack
Transfer to the oven and cook until the internal temperature is reached, about 25 minutes.
Cook
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 149°F
Heat: Rear
145°F Probe Target

4. Make the Garlicky Browned Butter

While the lobsters are cooking, melt the salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add several large grinds of black pepper and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until light brown specks start to form and the butter smells nutty, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the sage, thyme, lemon zest, and grated garlic, and cook for 1 minute in the residual heat. Be careful during this step because the mixture will get quite foamy and might sputter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Serve

Divide the browned butter between two ramekins and serve alongside the steamed lobsters and lemon wedges.
Serve
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