The Affordable Shellfish That's A Perfect Dupe For Lobster Tails

Lobster is so known for its seafood finery that there seems to be a whole cottage industry dedicated to approximating the expensive shellfish for less. The otherwise underrated monkfish is such a canny dupe — at least once it's butchered from its own distinctive form — that it's also known as the poor man's lobster. But langostino tails can actually look and passably taste the part while still ringing up at a relative savings. An eight-ounce bag of frozen langostino tail meat might run around $15, depending on your local shop. A similar portion of Maine lobster tails can cost upwards of $20, sometimes very far upwards.

Langostinos are so convincing, in fact, that they're sometimes even labeled as "langostino lobster." This is, unfortunately, misleading, as langostinos are actually more closely related to certain crabs. They also lack a true lobster's substantial claws, they're generally smaller overall (maybe just the length of your hand), and their meat is also typically on the daintier, flakier side. Some restaurants have even been sued for trying to pass off langostino as lobster. Now, nobody should do that, but it does make a pretty strong case for how persuasive these babies can be when compared with lobster proper. Langostinos can and should never replace lobsters, either, but they are a terrific alternative when you want the essence of a fancy protein while spending less cash.

In their whole form, langostinos and lobsters are aesthetic cousins, not twins. Some clever, shell-on preparations may make langostinos look more like lobster than others at a glance, but a lot of folks will find more of a resemblance to prawns. That changes once the once langoustine tail meat is shelled and the comparison is close enough that, you know, some businesses might think they can get away with swapping 'em. Although, again, we're sure you aren't aiming to deceive — you'll want to work with the shelled (and easier sourced) meat, too, for the most lobster-like finish.

Langostino rolls are an obvious choice for something reminiscent of real lobster. You can make them very much in the same way you'd make a great lobster roll, coating the seafood morsels in the buttery or mayo-based dressing of your choice and stuffing it into a toasty bun. Langostino meat is also easily tossed into pasta or stirred into a seafood salad. You can use langostinos more or less any way you'd otherwise use lobster. Just don't try to call them that.