Y’all, let me tell you—today’s dinner? It hits. I made baby Cajun stuffed lobster tails, and I’m still dreaming about that buttery, spicy goodness. Let me walk you through how I did it because this right here? It’s comfort food meets coastal flavor in the best way.
So, we’re starting with one pound of fresh shrimp—cleaned, peeled, and bathed to perfection. I gave them a nice rough chop—not too fine, just enough to fold into our stuffing. Trust the process, you’ll see how it all comes together.
Next up, the stars of the show: three small lobster tails, about five ounces in total. I removed the legs, split them right down the middle lengthwise, and carefully sliced through the bottom shell too—just enough to open them up like a cradle for all that glorious stuffing. Gave ‘em a good rinse and laid them gently into my buttered baking dish.
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In a hot pan, I dropped in half a stick of butter—because flavor—and let that melt before adding my holy trinity: finely chopped onion, one stalk of celery, half a green bell pepper, and two cloves of garlic. Cooked that down until the aroma took over the kitchen—about three minutes.
Then in goes the chopped shrimp. You’ll notice it starts to release a lot of liquid, and that’s totally fine. That juice? Flavor gold. Once the shrimp starts turning pink, I seasoned everything up with Cajun seasoning (gotta have that heat!), a little smoked paprika, garlic powder, a pinch of Italian herbs, and of course, some Old Bay—because I’m from Maryland, and it’s the law. Just a large pinch of salt here—remember that, it matters later.
Now here’s the twist: I added about 8 ounces of lump crab meat—sweet, delicate, and pure heaven. For the filler, instead of breadcrumbs or Panko, I crushed up about a stack and a half of buttery stacked crackers. Not only do they soak up that seafood flavor, but they also give the stuffing that melt-in-your-mouth, slightly crisp texture.
Before stuffing the lobster tails, I gave them a light brush of avocado oil and another sprinkle of Old Bay, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Then I filled each tail generously with the seafood stuffing, packing it right into that shell.
Baked it all at 400°F for 5 minutes, then finished it off with a broil on high until the tops turned beautifully golden brown. And listen—I had leftover stuffing, so I browned that up too because why not?
The moment of truth? That first bite of lobster was buttery, tender, and full of life. Still sweet, still juicy—just right.
And the stuffing? Whew. It’s rich without being too heavy, flavorful without overpowering the delicate crab and shrimp. Only critique? Don’t add extra salt. With all the seasoning, especially the crackers and Cajun spice, it’s balanced just right. Mine leaned savory, but didn’t go overboard—and that’s the sweet spot.
You know I don’t lie to y’all. This one’s a keeper. A date-night dish. A “show-out-for-the-family” meal. A bless-your-own-soul dinner.
Try it. Then thank yourself later.
