Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (2024)

Lobster Tails Recipe with Garlic Lemon Butter (1)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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

How do you cook lobster tails without them getting tough? ›

**Steaming**: Steaming lobster meat is one of the best methods to keep it moist and tender. Simply place the lobster tails or whole lobsters in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 8-10 minutes per pound until the meat is opaque and firm but still juicy.

Should you soak lobster tails before cooking? ›

Your tails are defrosting so they will leak fluid. If your tails are frozen and you are planning on cooking them today, that is not a problem. Put your lobster tails in a sealed bag and soak them in cold water for at least 30-60 minutes.

What do you add to the water when boiling lobster tails? ›

We also recommend adding some Maine sea salt to the water before boiling so you can add more of that signature lobster flavor you love. This will actually reproduce the same consistency as ocean water!

How to make the most tender lobster tail? ›

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.

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 a 4 oz lobster tail? ›

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 cook frozen lobster tails without thawing them? ›

Boil the tails for 5 minutes per 1 lb (16 oz). Variation: If you have no time to defrost the tails, simply drop the frozen tails into a pot of boiling water. Simmer the tails for 15 minutes or until they turn bright red.

What is the best way to cook 4 oz lobster tails? ›

Cooking Method #1: Boiling

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil uncovered until opaque all the way through and the internal temperature registers 135 to 140ºF, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, remove the tails from the water.

What is the most common preparation method for lobster? ›

Steaming and boiling are the two most common ways to cook lobsters. In the winter, lobsters have a harder shell and therefore require more time to cook. In the summer, the lobsters have a softer shell and require less time. It's always best to under cook your lobster than to overcook.

Is it better to boil or steam lobster tails? ›

Boiling is a little quicker and easier to time precisely, and the meat comes out of the shell more readily than when steamed. 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.

What to season lobster water with? ›

Add 1/4 cup of sea salt for each gallon of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time and start timing right away.

Is it better to cook lobster in the oven or boiling? ›

If you have a crowd of people, boiling is the way to go, as it's the best method for cooking four or more lobsters at one time. LobsterAnywhere.com cites the main advantage here is the high, intense heat from the boiling water. It cooks the lobster meat quickly, which makes it easier to remove from the shell.

Do you season the water when boiling lobster? ›

Bring the water to a boil and season with sea salt or kosher salt. Allow the salt to fully dissolve. Carefully place the lobsters one at a time headfirst into the boiling water, keeping their legs pointed away from you. Once you have added all of your lobster cover them pot and begin timing.

Is it better to grill or steam lobster tails? ›

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.

Should I cut lobster tails before steaming? ›

Use a sharp knife to cut each tail in half lengthwise. Rinse tails briefly under cold water to remove any grit or shell fragments. Bring 1 inch water to a boil in a large pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Place a steamer basket over water.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6560

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dean Jakubowski Ret

Birthday: 1996-05-10

Address: Apt. 425 4346 Santiago Islands, Shariside, AK 38830-1874

Phone: +96313309894162

Job: Legacy Sales Designer

Hobby: Baseball, Wood carving, Candle making, Jigsaw puzzles, Lacemaking, Parkour, Drawing

Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.