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Costco Lobster Tails vs Whole/Live Ones

GoooDawgs
GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
in EggHead Forum
Have a Christmas party coming up where I'll be making beef wellington, and I think I may add lobster to the menu. 

I've always wanted to cook a whole lobster, but I'm not sure if the yield is worth it.  For about $20 a pound for a live lobster, and only getting 20% yield of meat, I might just go for the tails.  BUT, it does seem like more fun to start with a live one. 

What are the pros/cons of tails vs live?  I've always been a little skeptical when I see just the tails because I know lobsters are prone to bacteria if not cooked immediately, but I guess if Costco is selling them they're OK. 

FWIW, I would boil them and maybe just let them go on the egg for a minute for a little flavor, but primarily boil if I go the whole route. 

Thanks guys
Milton, GA 
XL BGE & FB300
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Comments

  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,549
    If you are just taking it to a party I would just get tails---IF cooking AT the Party AND the guests are not Squeamish I'd Go Live
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Acn
    Acn Posts: 4,490
    The advantage of live is that the claw is immeasurably better than the tail.

    LBGE

    Pikesville, MD

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  • GoooDawgs
    GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
    The party is at my house, so I have free reign to scare the guests.
    Milton, GA 
    XL BGE & FB300
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,549
    GoooDawgs said:
    The party is at my house, so I have free reign to scare the guests.
    Name him Larry and let the Show Go On
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,597
    never bought a frozen maine lobster tail but i would not buy a tanked costco lobster in georgia. the frozen tails will be better. the tail needs to be atleast 8 ounces from what ii see, 10 is better (2.5 to 3 pound lobster).  and steam them, forget the egg
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,605
    Having whole lobsters is a lot of fun, but in the setting and depending on kids etc they require a lot of work, are very messy, and honestly are best served steamed and in my opinion as a “feed”—like crawdads. Forget all the potatoes, clams and other Lobster bake stuff. Just lobsters and butter. That is not for Christmas Day. Much better outside, summertime, elbow room, turkey burner for steaming, cold beverages. 

    For this, I would do tails—if you think you need/want them. They are easier for people to manage. As Fish said, get big ones and steam them.
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    $20/pound?!! Holy Moly! I saw them for $8-$10 the other day. 

    If you decide to buy live, don't do what a friend here did. She bought live lobster and brought them home in paper bags. After a while, she couldn't stand the noise they were making, scratching around in the bags, plus she felt bad for them. So, she filled up the sink with water, FRESH water, and dumped them in! They died.

    You aren't supposed to cook and eat lobster that was already dead. She called the fish monger who told her if she cooked them soon enough, they'd be fine. And they were (I was one of their dinner guests).

    Anyway, don't do that.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • poster
    poster Posts: 1,348
    I bought live once, swore I wouldn't do it again because the extra work for extremely little yield. I did a few tails butter poached in the sous vide and that was money
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    poster said:
    I bought live once, swore I wouldn't do it again because the extra work for extremely little yield. 
    We were campin' in Maine once upon a time, Damariscotta or maybe Pemaquid, been too long, can't remembah. The campground store had seriously fresh lobstah and they would boil it for you. Melted buttah too. We took it back to the campsite and enjoyed maybe the best we'd evah had. Ayuh...

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    GoooDawgs said:
    The party is at my house, so I have free reign to scare the guests.
    I like how you roll!
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,376
    edited December 2018
    If you've never cooked a lobster before, and you're cooking for a crowd, at a Christmas party, I'd opt for the tails.  As someone above said, whole lobsters are pretty much the whole celebration when they're cooked, and you're already doing a Beef Wellington which ain't no picnic either.  Tails can be pre-pulled out of their shells; giving the guests a whole lobster and crackers, picks, and a mallet, is going to ruin a few ugly Christmas sweaters.   =)
    Bobby Flay cooks the bugs by par-boiling them halfway, then kissing them with smoke on the grill, and I'd go that route with either whole or tails, as you are.  
    Oh, and the best option:  buy a couple lobsters for you and the spousal unit, before the party, and try cooking them whole; you'll get a good feel for whether you want to tackle it for a crowd.  I'd just read this afternoon that lobster prices were actually quite low right now, so what the heck?  
     
    Finally, uhh, erm, uh, how does one get on your Xmas party Invite list?   :)

    "Dumplings are just noodles that have already eaten"   - Jon Kung

    Ogden, UT, USA


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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    You win either way. Either get good quality tails from Maine or good quality animals from Maine/New England. The overnight product from NE is worth it. Fishless’s advice worthy. 
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
    edited December 2018
    I’m your lobster guy because I’m married to a lobster girl. BIL was a lobster buyer. Avoid tanked lobster anywhere that isn’t close to the coast and doesn’t sell a large volume. Anyone can cook a lobster well as the only trick is to salt your water heavily and don’t over cook. I prefer boiled to steamed but that’s another story. The issue you will have is cleaning them. It’s a messy job. I would go with frozen tails until you’ve done a few live ones. Costco has quality products so I wouldn’t be afraid of their tails. Shellfish freezes extremely well. Check out grilled lobster tails on the interwebs. Lots of good ways to prepare. Again do not overcook. Have fun. One of my nieces and I clean a batch like this every summer for a garage party. 
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  • GoooDawgs
    GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
    @bgebrent I saw some older post of yours - looks like you had some good tail over the years  ;)

    Did you ever get them locally in Ga?
    Milton, GA 
    XL BGE & FB300
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    GoooDawgs said:
    @bgebrent I saw some older post of yours - looks like you had some good tail over the years  ;)

    Did you ever get them locally in Ga?
    Yup. At Costco. They were good. They don’t compare to fresh Maine fare. Doesn’t mean there aren’t good local options. Love me some good tail😉
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    Overnight them in. Big difference, worth the cost. Costco is ok, but can't compete with live Maine's.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,800
    Is the sign-up list for the tail party still open  =)  For that I will travel quite a distance.  ;)
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • bucky925
    bucky925 Posts: 2,053
    I really don't have much to add to this, except when we went to visit friends in Portland Maine.  We rode down to the coast and bought 5 fresh out of the traps lobsters.  It cost close to $20.  Threw them in the trunk and drove home.  Best dayum lobster I've ever had!

    The best things in life are not things.  

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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    All good advice above, I think I would go for tails since its the first time cooking them.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • littlerascal56
    littlerascal56 Posts: 2,110
    Just got my order on the porch from Maine Lobsters now.  2-24 oz giant tails frozen, and 2 live 16 oz lobsters. We got tied up with a project today, so I had to “dispatch” both live lobsters, remove the tails and claws, and freeze in ziplocks with water. Should be good when I get time to cook them.  The live 16 oz were $19.95 each, vs the 24 oz frozen giant tails at $50 each. Those monster tails are impressive coming out of the boil pot!!!!
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  • JohnEggGio
    JohnEggGio Posts: 1,430
    Tails, butter-poached - delicious and tender.
    Maryland, 1 LBGE
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,597
    just to change it up, bisque or bouillabaise or cioppino would be a great option

    286fa7cajpg

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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