Lobster Tails Recipe

baked lobster tails topped with fresh parsley and herb butter

5 from 2 votes

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

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 409kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

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

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