Name: Lobster Tails Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 lobster tails; 6 tbsp unsalted butter (softened); 2 tbsp minced chives; 2 tbsp minced parsley; 1 lemon - zest only; 3-4 garlic cloves (pressed); salt

This is my favorite way to cook lobster tails! It comes out perfect every time, so flavorful and juicy. I’ve included a demo video, tips, and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare them.

baked lobster tails topped with fresh parsley and herb butter

Nothing says romantic meal like a gorgeous display of freshly cooked seafood, especially lobster. Lobster is a great choice for a special dinner because it’s known is one of the most luxurious dishes.

That is also why lobster has such a high price at the restaurants and at the store.
Despite the high pricing on fine dining menus, it can actually be quite affordable to make right at home.
Lobster is really easy too cook at home, as long as you follow a few rules of the recipe.
When cooked properly, lobster is succulent, slightly sweet in flavor with juicy and plump texture.
You also have some price-cutting options like using lobster tails, which tent to be WAY cheaper than a whole lobster or fresh lobster meat. And, you can even find them frozen, which will also save some money.

overhead image of a lobster tail on white plate with lemon slices and fresh parsley

Using Fresh vs Frozen

What you use will depend largely on where you live and the size of your budget. Those of you who are far from coastal areas will likely need to opt for frozen lobster.

If you’ll be using frozen shellfish, be sure the thaw it completely before preparing.

Best way to thaw frozen seafood: Transfer them from the freezer into the refrigerator the night before and let it slow-thaw overnight. It’s a good idea to check them an hour or so before cooking just to be sure they are thawed completely.
Need them ready quickly? This is not a method that I use often because it does hinder the quality of meat texture but in a pinch, it works. Place frozen seafood in a large zip-lock bag and submerge in cold water inside a large bowl. Refresh the water every 10-15 minutes until they are ready to use. Depending on the size, this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

Guide to Buying Lobster Tails

Cold Water Lobster: come from cold waters of Maine, Canada (as well as New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.) They are much tastier than the ones caught in warm waters because they grow slower due to cold water and that translates into a much more delicate, sweeter, and overall more authentic tasting meat.
Warm Water Lobster: caught from warm waters of Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin American countries. These lobsters are not as sweet or flavorful but the biggest difference would be in the texture. This meat doesn’t firm up as well as cold water lobsters, so the meat can be mushy even after it’s completely cooked.
PRO TIP: Whichever lobster you get, just avoid buying lobster meat that has been soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate solution. It’s a chemical that’s used to preserve the meat longer and often used on lobster meat that wasn’t fresh in a first place.

labeled ingredients to make lobster tails on the sheet tray.

How To Butterfly Lobster Tails

collage of two images of cutting through the lobster tail shell and opening it.

Pick up the lobster tail and use kitchen shears to cut the hard top of the shell down the middle until you reach the base.
Next, separate the two halves enough to access the flesh without actually breaking the bottom of the shell apart. This takes some effort since you will need to break the ribs on the underside, and you may want to wear gloves to protect your hands.
Gently pull the meat away from the sides and lift it up and out of the shell, leaving it attached just at the base.
Pinch the shell closed a little if necessary before resting the seafood on top. This will act as a natural broiling rack. Then, repeat until all of them are ready for the oven.
PRO TIP: I find that the meat cooks more evenly when it rests on top. Plus, the presentation is far more stunning this way – like you got them from a fine dining restaurant!

collage of two images of pulling out the lobster meat and several lobster tails with meat on top.

How To Broil Lobster Tails

4 raw lobster tails topped with compound butter, ready for baking

Make sure the broiler is preheated on high and top with herbed butter.
Pat the tops dry with a paper towel and season with a little salt. Then, spread the butter mixture evenly across each piece, pressing lightly to help it adhere better.
Broil: Make sure the rack is in the middle of the oven, about 6 inches away from the broiler element. Place the sheet pan into the oven and cook until the shells are bright red and the flesh is white and opaque.
The amount of time needed will depend on the size of the shellfish, so you may want to use a digital thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part, and it should read 145°F. (You can average about 1 to 1.5 minutes per ounce when calculating approximate time.)

freshly baked lobster meat covered with herb butter sit on a sheet pan

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!

Lobster Tails Recipe

Easy broiled lobster tails topped with garlic, lemon, and herb butter mixture. These tender and juicy lobster tails are brushed with some more melted flavored butter mixture for more flavor.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Video Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 409kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

How to prepare the butter mixture:

Pull butter out of the refrigerator, cut off the right amount, and place it in a small bowl. Leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes to let it soften. (Or soften in the microwave if you have that setting. Don't melt!)
Add lemon zest, chives, parsley, pressed garlic, and salt. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated into butter. Set aside.

How to butterfly a lobster tail:

Pick up the lobster tail and cut the hard, outer shell down the middle all the way down to where the shell meets the tail.
To pull the shell apart, you will need to use some muscle and crack the ribs on the softer underside with your hands. But be careful not to actually crack the shell apart in two. (You can use gloves because the lobster may have spikes on their underbelly.)
Pull the shell open but don't break in half.
Use your fingers to gently and carefully pull the meat away from the shell walls and gently lift the meat out above the shell. (Make sure not to take the meat off the shell completely, it should still be attached to the end of the tail.)
Place the meat over the shell and repeat with remaining lobster tails. Place them on a baking sheet.

How to broil lobster tails:

Preheat the oven broiler on high setting and move the rack to the middle of the oven. There should be about 6 inches between the top of the lobster meat and the broiler.
Pat the lobster meat with a paper towel to soak up excess moisture and season the meat with a little salt all around. (Not too much because there is some salt in the butter mixture.)
Spread 2/3 of the butter mixture among the four lobster tails and leave remaining butter to finish them off when baked.
Place the baking sheet with lobster tails unto the over, centering it under the broiler. Cook until the meat is white and opaque. Depending on the size of the lobster, it will take 10-12 minutes. (Smaller lobster tails would take less time (6-8 minutes) and larger lobster tails will take a couple minutes longer (12-14 minutes).)
To make sure that your lobster meat is cooked, best way is to use a digital read meat thermometer. Lobster meat should be cooked to 145°F internal temperature. Make sure to take the reading of the thickest part of the meat and not touching the shell.

Finishing lobster:

Once cooked, melt remaining butter mixture and brush each lobster tail with the flavorful melted butter.
Serve right away.

Video

Notes

When buying lobster tails: remember to avoid buying lobster meat that has been soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate solution. It’s a chemical that’s used to preserve the meat longer and often used on lobster meat that wasn’t fresh in a first place.
Prep Ahead: While these should be cooked just before serving, you can butterfly the tails (don’t pull the meat out) and make the butter mixture the day before. Cover air-tight and keep in the refrigerator. Transfer to the counter about 30 minutes before baking.
How Many Per Person: Unless you can get your hands on jumbo-sized tails like 14-20 oz., I would plan on two per person. Most common sizes of lobster tails range from 5-12 oz. and you’ll want to have 2 per person.
How Long To Cook Lobster Tails: You can average about 1 to 1.5 minutes per ounce when calculating approximate time. Check and make sure the meat is completely opaque and the shell is turned bright red. Of course, temperature is your best indicator, and lobster meat should be at 145°F at the thickest part.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!

More Lobster Recipes To Try

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in February 2021.

Categories:

30 Minute Meals, Dinner, Father's Day, Gluten Free, Mother's Day, Popular Posts, Seafood, Valentine's Day,

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.