Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (2024)

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (1)

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This is the only Lobster tails recipe you’ll ever need and it’s surprisingly easy! The broiled lobster meat iscrazy tender, juicy and each bite is tantalizingly flavorful, especially after dipping into the warm garlic lemon butter. Dunk it in, take it for a swim, watch the excess drip off your fork and enjoy.

I honestlythink this is the best thing I’ve ever cooked. THIS is the way you should eat lobster.

Make broiled lobster tails at home for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion and you’ll pay less than half of whatyou’d drop in a nice restaurant and GET THIS: it totally tastes gourmet!The garlic and dijon saucewas inspired by my wildly popular baked salmonand everyone who tries it loves it.

P.S. I also included step-by-step photo instructions on how to prepare and butterfly lobster tails so you can make the most impressive posh-looking lobster tails like a boss:).

Watch How to Butterfly and Make Broiled Lobster Tails:


This lobster tails recipe is such a treat. Easy and excellent in flavor and presentation. I hope you fall in love with this recipe as we have.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (2)

Ingredients for Lobster Tails Recipe:

4 lobster tails (5 to 6 oz each)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, very finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (3)

Lobster tails tend to go on sale before holiday’s like Valentines day. I found these 5 oz Lobster tails at Fred Meyer on sale for $6 each. Not bad! You can serve 4 people at $6 each or splurge on 2 people for $12 each which is still amazing for LOBSTER!!

How to Prepare/ButterflyLobster Tails:

1. Use kitchen scissors to cut through the top shell of the lobster tail, stopping at the base of the tail and snipping through the top portion of the meat as you go.

2. Flip the tail over to the back see-through side of the tail and crack the ribs in the center. This will help open the shell.

3. Open the shell using your thumbs and fingers and loosen the meat from the shell(remove vein if present). Work carefully – shells can be sharp!Lift the meat from the shell, keeping it attached at the base. Press the shell together and set the lobster meat over the top. The bulk of the lobster meat should be sitting over the top of the shell.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (4)

How to Make Broiled Lobster Tails:

1.Place rack in center of oven so when you bake, the meaty tops of your lobster tails will be at least 6 inches from the top heating elements. Preheat oven to broil on high heat.

2. In a small bowl, add the marinade ingredients: 1 Tbsp parsley, 2 pressed garlic cloves,1 tsp dijon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (5)

3.Place butterflied Lobster Tailsinto a 9×13 or 8×12 roasting pan. Divide the marinade evenly over the tops of each lobster tail and dot each tail all over with 1/2 Tbsp of butter cut into smaller pieces.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (6)

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (7)

4. Broil lobster tails on high 10-11 minutes (or according to the lobster tail size – see chart below). When done, lobster meat should be opaque and white in the center and register 145˚F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer lobster tails to a serving platterand garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (8)

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (9)

5. To make the Garlic Lemon Butter: drain drippings from the roasting pan into a small saucepan and combine with remaining 2 Tbsp butter, bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Pour over lobster tails or divide intosmall ramekinsand use as dipping sauce.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (10)

Broiling Times for Lobster Tails:

Smaller (3 to 4 oz) lobsters 6 to 8 minutes
Medium (5 to 6 oz) lobsters 10-11 minutes
Larger (7 to 9 oz) lobsters 12-15 minutes (with rack in middle of oven)
Broillobster meat until opaque and white in the center, or 145˚F.

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (11)

⬇️ Print Friendly Lobster Tails Recipe:

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter

4.97 from 129 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (13)

This is the only Lobster tails recipe you'll ever need and it's surprisingly easy! The broiled lobster meat is crazy tender, juicy and each bite is tantalizingly flavorful, especially after dipping into the warm garlic lemon butter.

SavePinReviewPrint

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4 lobster tails

  • 4 lobster tails, 5 to 6 oz each
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, very finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

Instructions

How to Prepare/Butterfly Lobster Tails:

  • Use kitchen scissors to cut through the top shell of the lobster tail, stopping at the base of the tail and snipping through the top portion of the meat as you go.

  • Flip the tail over to the back see-through side and crack the ribs in the center. This will help open the shell.

  • Open the shell carefully using thumbs and fingers and loosen meat from the shell (remove vein if present). Lift the meat from the shell, keeping it attached at the base. Press the shell together and set the lobster meat over the top. Most of the lobster meat should be sitting on top of the shell.

How to Make Broiled Lobster Tails:

  • Place rack in center of oven so the meaty tops of your lobster tails will be at least 6 inches from the top heating element. Preheat oven to broil on high heat.

  • In a small bowl, stir together marinade ingredients: 1 Tbsp parsley, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp dijon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice.

  • Place butterflied Lobster Tails into a 9x13 or 8x12 roasting pan. Divide marinade evenly over the tops of each lobster tail and dot each tail all over with 1/2 Tbsp of butter cut into smaller pieces.

  • Broil lobster tails on high heat 10-11 min (or according to the lobster tail size - see chart). When done, lobster meat should be opaque and white in the center and register 145˚F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer to serving platter and garnish with parsley if desired.

  • To make the Garlic Lemon Butter: drain drippings from the roasting pan into a small saucepan and combine with remaining 2 Tbsp butter, bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Pour over lobster tails or divide into ramekins and use as dipping sauce.

Notes

!Broiling Times for Lobster Tails:
Smaller (3 to 4 oz) lobster tail 6 to 8 minutes
Medium (5 to 6 oz) lobster tail 10-11 minutes
Larger (7 to 9 oz) lobsters tail 12-15 minutes (with rack in middle of oven)
Broil lobster meat until opaque and white in center, or 145˚F.

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lobster Tails

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$$

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Lobster tails pair perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. So good!!

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (14)

Enjoy this incredible lobster tails recipe, my friends and let me know if you try it. I can’t tell you enough how good this is! You’ll just have to find out for yourself! 😉 Thank you so much for pinning and sharing this on Facebook with your lobster loving friends. This recipe is so worth discovering! 🙂

Natasha Kravchuk

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (15)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (2024)

FAQs

What is the most flavorful way to cook lobster tails? ›

Simply place lobster tails into simmering water and poach for about 5-7 minutes until the meat is opaque and firm. This cooking method rewards a very tender and savory lobster tail. We bet you're craving some sweet, succulent lobster right about now.

Is it better to boil or bake lobster tails? ›

Cooking lobster tails is a fairly simple process. When you buy lobster tails, you can steam them, boil them, grill them, bake them, broil them or even smoke them. If you aren't sure which method to use, we strongly recommend boiling your lobster tails because it's your best bet to avoid the tails sticking to the shell.

How long to cook lobster tails in the oven at 350? ›

Lobster tails typically bake in 8 to 30 minutes depending on the size. They should be baked at 350 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.

What brings out the flavor of lobster? ›

If you want to stay simple, stick with a subtle lemon and butter sauce or garlic herb and butter sauce. You might also want to try seasoning your lobster with a subtle blend of classic spices like sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley or complement your meal with a French-inspired tarragon marinade or cream sauce.

Should I season lobster tails before cooking? ›

If you are boiling the lobster tails, you should season the water so that the meat gets salted as it cooks. If you are steaming or baking the lobster tails, you don't need to add salt to the water, as the meat doesn't actually come in contact with the water.

Do I cut lobster tail before boiling? ›

Cut the lobster tails along the top of the shell, from the edge of the tail straight down the middle lengthwise to the bottom of the tail. Carefully place the lobster tails in the boiling water, and boil for 1 minute per ounce of tail. For 4 ounce tails, boil for 4 minutes.

Do you cook lobster tail shell up or down? ›

How to Grill Lobster Tails
  1. First, butterfly the lobsters. ...
  2. Brush the lobster meat with butter and season with salt.
  3. Place the lobster halves shell-side down the grates of a medium-high grill.
  4. Grill until the shells are bright right and the juices that come out of the shell turn white.
Mar 21, 2022

How long do you boil lobster tails on the stove for the perfect? ›

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and keep water at a gentle boil — stronger than a simmer, but weaker than a rolling boil. Add lobster tails, and boil until they are bright red and their meat turns white and tender. Each tail should take about 1 minute per ounce to cook.

How do you not overcook lobster tails? ›

Cover the pot with the lobster tails in boiling water with a lid. Keeping the pot covered is essential, as this will help steam the lobster tails evenly and thoroughly. Let the lobster tails steam for 8-10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Be careful not to overcook them, making them tough and rubbery.

How long do you cook a 4 oz lobster tail? ›

Place lobsters in prepared pan. Brush with butter brush-on sauce. Bake until meat is opaque and lightly browned (145 degrees), allowing 4 to 6 minutes for 4-oz. lobsters and 8 to 10 minutes for 8-oz.

What is the best way to cook frozen lobster tails at home? ›

Spread open; place on broiler pan. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with salt. Broil 4-6" from heat or bake in a preheated 350° oven until meat is firm (10-15 min., depending on size).

How do you cook store bought lobster tails? ›

Pull all of the lobster meat inside the shell up above where the cut ends and lay it gently on top of the shell. Transfer the prepared lobster tails to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with melted butter and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Bake the lobster tails in the oven at 400˚F for 90 seconds per ounce.

Does lobster taste better steamed or boiled? ›

For recipes that call for fully cooked and picked lobster meat, boiling is the best approach. Benefits of Steaming: In contrast, steaming is more gentle, yielding slightly more tender meat. Steaming preserves a little more flavor and it's more forgiving on the timing front.

Is lobster tail better grilled or steamed? ›

Grilled offers a more intense flavor with some smokiness and I find it to be. Little tougher around the outer shell. My favorite by far is steamed lobster. The flavor is pure lobster, more flavor remains over boiling but a purer lobster flavor over grilling with a more tender texture.

What is the most popular way to cook lobster? ›

Steaming is the recommended way to cook a whole lobster, as this method tends to retain more of the lobster's flavor, and unlike boiling, does not run the risk of waterlog. Fill a pot with approximately 3-4 inches of water. You can also add salt, herbs, and lemon to enhance flavor.

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