Broiled Buttery Lobster Tails Recipe

Once thought of as food for the poor, these days eating lobster is seen as the height of culinary luxury. So why not treat yourself by indulging in this seafood delicacy from the comfort of your own home?

For some of us, lobster can feel like an intimidating ingredient to handle in the kitchen. The great news is that cooking with lobster tails takes out a lot of the fuss involved in handling a whole, live lobster, while still allowing you to enjoy the bulk of the delicious lobster meat. Recipe developer Jennine Rye shows us just how easy it is to prepare and cook lobster tails that are both decadent and utterly delicious.

Great for a weekend treat, a date night meal, or even the main event at a dinner party; this recipe is sure to impress your guests. We recommend serving these broiled lobster tails with a simple side or two. Salad or steamed vegetables add some freshness to the plate, and you'll definitely want something absorbent to soak up all the delicious buttery juices. Whichever sides you choose, we guarantee that these perfectly prepared lobster tails will be unforgettable.

Gather the ingredients for buttery lobster tails

To make these broiled buttery lobster tails, first you will need to gather your ingredients. You will need melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and of course, lobster tails.

Lobster can be quite an expense, so to make the most of this treat you will want to make sure you get your hands on the best quality lobster meat you can find. When buying lobster tails, we recommend buying them frozen rather than defrosted. It doesn't take too long to defrost them at home, and, as it is likely that the lobster was frozen immediately after being caught, the resulting meat will be much more fresh and flavorful.

Make the butter mixture

To heighten the decadence of these broiled lobster tails, they will be coated in a delicious, melted butter mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter along with the garlic, the lemon juice, the parsley, Dijon mustard, and cayenne pepper. Then, set this to one side, preheat the broiler, and get ready to prepare the lobster tails.

Prepare the the lobster tails

The most elegant way to prepare lobster tails is to present the meat on top of the lobster shell. To do this, all you need is a sharp pair of kitchen scissors and your hands. Using the scissors, cut a straight line down the top of the lobster shell, all the way down to the tail. Holding the tail firmly, gently crack the shell open just enough that you can reach in and access the meat. Take the meat and pull it up and out of the shell, then rest the meat on top of the now empty shell.

Brush the lobster meat with butter

Once all of your lobster tails have been prepared, place them in a baking tray, and, using a silicone pastry brush, liberally brush them with the melted butter mixture. Reserve any unused butter to serve with the finished lobster tails. Then, place the lobster tails under the preheated broiler and let them cook for 5-10 minutes. We recommend using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat; it will be ready when the thermometer reads 140 F. Serve the lobster tails hot and fresh, and drizzled with more melted butter.

While we are sure that all of the lobster tails will be eaten straight away, if you do have any leftovers they do not need to be discarded. It is possible to carefully reheat lobster tails in the oven or the microwave.

Broiled Buttery Lobster Tails Recipe
4.9 from 25 ratings
Believe it or not, it's quite easy to make buttery, perfectly-cooked lobster tails right in your own kitchen.
Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
5
minutes
Servings
4
Servings
butterflied lobster tails on plate
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 large clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus extra to serve
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • pinch of cayenne powder
  • 4 raw lobster tails
Optional Ingredients
  • lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
  1. Preheat the broiler to 500 F.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, the crushed garlic clove, the lemon juice, the chopped parsley, the Dijon mustard, and the cayenne powder.
  3. To prepare the lobster tails, use sharp kitchen scissors to cut down the middle of the top of the shell, stopping when you reach the tail. Then, grasping the lobster tail firmly, crack each side of the shell open just enough that you can reach in and get hold of the lobster meat. Gently pull the lobster meat up and out of the shell, then rest the meat on top of the empty shell. Repeat this process with all of the lobster tails, placing them in a shallow oven tray once prepared.
  4. Using a pastry brush, liberally brush the butter mixture onto the lobster meat, not forgetting to gently lift the meat and coat the under side as well.
  5. Once all of the lobster meat is coated in butter, place the oven tray under the broiler for 5-10 minutes. The lobster tails are cooked when the internal temperature reads 140 F; the exact cooking times will vary slightly depending how thick the lobster meat is.
  6. Serve the lobster tails fresh and hot, adding another layer of the melted butter mixture to the meat, and sprinkling with more fresh parsley.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 324
Total Fat 24.2 g
Saturated Fat 14.9 g
Trans Fat 0.9 g
Cholesterol 251.5 mg
Total Carbohydrates 1.2 g
Dietary Fiber 0.2 g
Total Sugars 0.3 g
Sodium 652.8 mg
Protein 25.2 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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