Crab-Stuffed Lobster Tail
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Oven roasted lobster tails topped with a lightly seasoned crab mixture. Mayo, parsley, lemon juice blend with Old Bay and a touch of Worcestershire, all holding together with breadcrumbs and egg white. Melted butter brushed on top before baking until opaque lobster meat and golden crown on crab. Serve with lemon wedges or tangy dip. Adjust bake time as lobsters vary, watch for texture and color shifts. A simple switch to panko crumbs and swap Worcestershire for a mild fish sauce adds umami twist. Great for impressing without fuss.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
14 min
Total:
26 min
Servings:
2 servings
#seafood
#lobster
#crab
#baking
#American cuisine
Oven-crisped lobster tails loaded with a crab blend that sings. I’ve tossed mayo and parsley with lemon juice, added Old Bay for punch. A small swap of fish sauce over Worcestershire gives a subtle depth I didn’t expect—changed the game. Baking lobster can be tricky; you want opaque, firm meat but no rubber bands for tails. Quick melt butter on top brings gloss and golden edges that crackle when you bite. The crab stuffing? Holds together thanks to the beaten egg white and panko, but gotta fold gently to keep those big flakes of crab intact. A juicy squeeze of lemon finishes every forkful. Watch that bake time closely; ovens vary, and lobster is unforgiving if overcooked. I usually eyeball texture and color over timer strictly. Some batches I handwritten notes on scent changes – the buttery aroma mingled with citrus and shellfish hits about right at 14 minutes. Simple ingredients but precise technique makes it pop.
Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails split lengthwise
- 4 ounces lump crab meat
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce substitute Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- Lemon wedges for serving
About the ingredients
If no fresh lobster tails, frozen can do—but fully thaw and pat dry. Don’t skip drying; moisture kills caramelization on shells and muddies crab mixture. Lump crab meat varies by brand, avoid canned shredded crab. Look for big juicy pieces, often in refrigerated seafood sections. Mayonnaise binds and adds creaminess but too much makes mixture soggy. Egg white helps firmness—don’t use yolk here or it gets too rich/fat-heavy. Worcestershire replaced by fish sauce if you want umami blur. Old Bay is classic—seasoning savior for seafood but can swap with Cajun or Creole mix for heat. Breadcrumbs—panko preferred; flakes hold texture better than ground ones that soak liquid and turn gummy. Parsley fresh, not dried, for brightness and little stems add crunch unexpectedly. Butter brushing on lobster meat gives crust and richness; olive oil is substitute if dairy avoided but lacks that roast-nutty aroma. Lemon wedges, more than decorative, balance richness when squeezed fresh onto hot dish. Avoid premade tartar sauce here; unbalanced flavors drown lobster’s sweet subtlety.
Method
- Heat oven to 430°F, give it some time to stabilize.
- In bowl, whisk mayo, parsley, lemon juice, fish sauce, breadcrumbs, egg white, Old Bay till combined but not pasty.
- Fold crab meat gently with fork, keep chunks intact. Don’t mash it.
- Open lobster shells carefully. Lift tail meat so it sits slightly above shell edges. Arrange on baking tray.
- Brush meat with melted butter. Press crab topping evenly on tails, avoid overstuffing or it falls off during bake.
- Slide into oven. Listen for bubbling butter. Bake until lobster meat turns opaque, crab turns golden—about 14 minutes, but watch closely.
- Remove. Let rest briefly so juices settle. Serve with lemon wedges and sauce if you like.
Cooking tips
Preheating oven fully critical. Lobster shells insulate meat; underheated oven means uneven cook—cold spots result in rubbery or tough tail tips. Lift meat carefully; don’t tear shell or tail meat will sink and steam, ruining texture. Use a small offset spatula or spoon edge for lifting. Melt butter fresh, too hot risks cooking crab topping before oven. Brush sparingly but cover all exposed meat. Crab mixture sticks better when patted evenly, gentle pressing key—not too tight or crab breaks down, too loose falls during baking. Bake around 14 minutes but trust your eyes—lobster flesh changes from translucent to opaque, crab topping should turn golden brown, with edges slightly crisp. Listen to kitchen sounds; gentle sizzling means proper roasting, silence can mean cold oven or undercooked shellfish. Rest lobster tails 3-5 minutes after out of oven, juices redistribute and crab topping firms up. Serve immediately after resting to keep textures distinct. Leftovers okay but best eaten same day to avoid mushiness. Avoid overbaking; lobster tails toughen quickly once over 16 minutes in a hot oven. If unsure, pull at 12 minutes and check doneness by piercing thickest part of meat with fork—should feel firm, not rubbery or mushy. Timing in seafood flexible by weight; larger tails need more but less than 10 minutes risks raw center, especially with shells on.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Prep lobster tails fully thawed and patted dry—moisture kills shell caramelization. Lift tail meat carefully with offset spatula; avoid tearing shell or meat will sink and steam instead of roast. Melt butter fresh; don’t scorch or crab topping starts cooking before oven. Brush sparingly but complete coverage to get glossy crust and golden edges. Crab flap holds together with egg white beaten just right; yolk adds fat that makes mixture soggy.
- 💡 Oven heat must stabilize at 430°F. Cold or uneven heat yields rubbery tail edges. Shells insulate; under-heated oven means long bake, uneven cook. Bake time varies slightly, watch lobster meat turn from translucent to opaque. Crab topping color is guide—edges crisp and golden mean near ready. Listen close: bubbling butter sizzling means heat right; silence signals cold oven or undercooked.
- 💡 Folding crab with sauce: gentle motions keep big lumps intact, don’t mash or crab breaks down and loses texture. Breadcrumb choice matters—panko flakes hold crunch and stop soggy mix unlike ground breadcrumbs. If swapping fish sauce for Worcestershire, add little, too much kills freshness; subtle umami blur only. Parsley fresh and chopped small adds brightness and slight crunch, stems included.
- 💡 Timing tight: start checking at 12 mins by piercing thickest meat with fork; should feel firm not rubbery. Over 16 mins means tough dry tails—common trap. Let lobster rest 3-5 mins after baking; juices redistribute, crab topping firms. Serve immediately. Leftovers lose texture; best eaten same day. If frozen lobsters used, thaw fully overnight; partial heat yields uneven cook.
- 💡 Butter brushing crucial—olive oil works if dairy avoided but lacks that rich nutty aroma and crisp roast finish. Don’t skip lemon wedges; fresh juice balances fatty richness and brightens flavor bottom line. Crab blend texture can shift by brand lump size; avoid canned crab and shredded types. Dry workspace helps; moist crab mix drops off during baking and ruins presentation.
Common questions
How to tell when lobster is done?
Look at meat; opaque not translucent. Press fork in thickest spot feels firm no mush. Crab topping edges gold. Listen for butter sizzling sound. No sizzle means cold oven or undercooked. Don’t rely strictly on timer—ovens differ lots. Watch closely after 12 mins.
Can Worcestershire sauce be replaced?
Yes, fish sauce works well for umami but add sparingly. Too much fish sauce overwhelms freshness. Some use soy or tamari but change profile. I experimented—fish sauce gave subtle depth not punchy. Choose mild substitute, mix well with mayo and lemon.
What if crab stuffing falls off during bake?
Often too wet or pressed too loosely. Egg white binds; don’t use yolk or mix oversaturated. Use panko not fine crumbs. Press topping evenly but not tight or crab breaks. Let butter brushing cover exposed meat well to help hold mix when baking.
How to store leftovers?
Use airtight container. Best eaten same day for crab texture. Refrigerate up to 2 days but expect softer crab topping and tougher lobster meat. Reheat gently in oven under foil to preserve moisture. Avoid microwave; gets rubbery fast.
