Crab-Stuffed Lobster Tails with Dirty Rice Recipe
- by Chef David Rose
- Last updated Jul 18, 2024
Whether you’re a seafood fanatic or dipping your toe into the water for the first time, this crab-stuffed lobster tails with dirty rice recipe will prove sea-worthy every single time. With an unbelievably short combination of prep and cook time and few steps, this is the kind of feast you can prepare any night of the week with minimal effort for maximum taste. But don’t let the convenience fool you, this luxurious dish will impress even the most cultured guest. Have a case of seafood intimidation? Our Beginner’s Guide to Seafood is the cure!
Why We Love This Cold Water Lobster Tail Recipe
If you savor the flavor of sweet, melt-in-your-mouth tender lobster, this one’s for you! This nautical delicacy is stuffed to perfection with briny – yet subtly sweet – crab meat, which is enhanced to perfection with the distinctive flavoring of Old Bay® seasoning and complemented with a side of earthy and spicy dirty rice. Ready to dive in, and take your taste buds on a road trip to New Orleans? Let’s get started!
Tools You’ll Need Before You Start
- 1 Large Sauce Pot
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Basting Brush
- 1 Aluminum Foil-Lined Sheet Pan
How to Cook Crab-Stuffed Lobster Tails with Dirty Rice
No matter how well you prepare your crab stuffing and rice, this recipe can only reach peak perfection with the right lobster as a base. And luckily for you, we’re using Omaha Steaks Cold Water Lobster Tails! These succulent delicacies are sustainably caught straight from the icy waters of Maine and then prepped and frozen the same day to lock in an ocean-fresh flavor and exquisite texture you simply can’t get anywhere else. But don’t forget about your side dish! Preparing your dirty rice with Omaha Steaks Ultra-Premium Ground Beef made from real Omaha Steak trimmings truly brings the experience to a whole new level.
1. Elevate a Basic Rice Side Dish to An Extraordinary One
While the stuffed lobster is the main attraction of this meal, it’s only enhanced by the accompaniment of dirty rice, a Southern staple that starts with a base of nutty jasmine rice and levels up the flavor with a variety of seasonings and additions to create a wonderfully unique taste. First thing’s first: rinse your jasmine rice with water until the water runoff is clear, then drain it. Next, add vegetable oil to a large sauce pot and bring it to medium-high heat.
Once your pot has come to temperature, add your Omaha Steaks Ultra-Premium Ground Beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika and sauté for five minutes, until it’s nicely browned. Using a slotted spoon, then remove the browned beef and set it aside for later. Next, add butter and then your red bell pepper and green and yellow onions and sauté for two minutes until it is lightly caramelized.
Now it’s time to add your jasmine rice and tomato-based sofrito, which you’ll sauté for one minute before adding the cooked ground beef back in with your chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes before turning off the heat and leaving the pot to sit – with its lid still on – for another five minutes. And finally, you’ll fluff the rice with a fork and season with salt and pepper for the ideal dirty rice experience.
2. Stuff Extra Flavor into Your Crab Stuffing
While your dirty rice is cooking, this is a great time to prepare your crab stuffing. As easy to make as it is to enjoy, this can be done in two simple steps. First, whisk together mayonnaise, Old Bay® seasoning, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice in a medium bowl until they’re well incorporated. Then gently fold in the crushed butter crackers and your crab meat until it is all well incorporated and set aside. It’s really that simple!
3. Fill Your Lobster – and Your Plate
Now it’s time to bring it all together and prepare your halved Omaha Steaks Cold Water Lobster Tails. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, and while it’s coming to temperature, stir the melted butter, salt, and lemon juice together. Next, brush your lobster tail meat with the mixture, making sure you cover every tiny crevice with the gloriously savory blend. Then divide the crab stuffing we prepared earlier into eight equal portions and stuff each lobster tail half with it, pressing the stuffing into the lobster securely enough that it won’t fall out during baking. Place your crab-stuffed lobster tails on the aluminum foil-lined sheet pan and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Serve with your dirty rice and settle in for a meal that’s a real catch!
Crab-Stuffed Lobster Tails with Dirty Rice
Ingredients
Dirty Rice
- 1 lb. Omaha Steaks Ultra-Premium Ground Beef
- 2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium red bell pepper, small dice
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato-based sofrito
- 1 cup yellow onion, small dice
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Crab Stuffing
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of half a lemon
- 20 butter crackers, finely crushed
Crab-Stuffed Lobster
- 4 5 oz. Omaha Steaks Cold Water Lobster Tails, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Instructions
Instructions
Dirty Rice
- Rinse jasmine rice with water until water is clear. Drain.
- In a large sauce pot add vegetable oil and bring to medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper to pot and sauté for 5 minutes, until nicely browned.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove browned beef and set aside.
- Add butter to pot, then add vegetables. Sauté for 2 minutes until lightly caramelized.
- Add sofrito and jasmine rice to pot and sauté for 1 minute. Add cooked ground beef and chicken stock to pot and bring to a boil. Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave lid on pot for 5 more minutes. Fluff rice with fork and season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
Crab Stuffing
- In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, Old Bay® seasoning, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice until well incorporated.
- Gently fold in crushed butter crackers and crab meat until well incorporated. Set aside.
Crab-Stuffed Lobster
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Stir together melted butter, salt, and lemon juice. Brush lobster tail meat with butter mixture.
- Divide crab stuffing into 8 portions. Stuff each lobster tail half with crab stuffing, pressing stuffing into lobster. Place stuffed lobster tails on aluminum foil-lined-sheet pan and place in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden-brown. Serve with hot dirty rice.
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