Southern Deep Fried Lobster

Why is it that when we think of Southern Foods, we think deep-fried. Those Southern people will deep fry anything, right? Well, yes and no. Deep frying isn’t as much a regional thing as it is a poverty thing.

The poor of the south might not have a fancy kitchen, but you can bet they have a skillet, a source of heat and plenty of lard. We can thank the slaves for Southern Fried Chicken. Otherwise, we might be sitting down to a boring, flavorless boiled chicken supper on Sundays. Here in America, we owe a debt of flavor gratitude to the influence slaves had on Southern Cooking. The Scots, Irish and English who settled in the south tended to shy away from the bolder seasonings of Africa. For whatever the reason, the minute we pair “Southern” and “Deep Fried” together it’s more than an acceptable form of cooking, it conjures up visions of deliciousness and gets our mouth to salivating. Deep fried fish. Deep fried chicken. Hush puppies. You get where this is going.

Ingredients :

• 2 cups Cornmeal
• 1/2 cup Flour
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 4 lbs Lobster Tails, cleaned in the shell
• 2 qts Oil for deep-frying

Directions :

Step 1: In a gallon size zip-lock bag, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder. Shake well.

Step 2: Clean lobster tails while keeping tail in the shell. Set aside.

Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large, deep skillet such as a cast iron pan. The oil needs to reach 365 degrees.

Step 4: Place half of the lobster tails in the bag, shake well to coat the tails complete. Remove tails, set on a rack over a tray to catch any drippings and keep the work area clean. Repeat with remaining tails.

Step 5: Deep fry one lobster tail at a time in the oil for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Let fried tails dry on paper towels.

Enjoy!!