Garlic Butter Lobster Tails (Printable View)
Broiled lobster tails glazed with garlic butter and lemon for a rich, elegant main course.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 4 lobster tails (5–6 oz each), thawed if frozen
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
02 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ To Serve
10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Additional chopped parsley (optional)
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat your oven broiler to high and place a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
02 - Using kitchen scissors, cut lengthwise through the top shell of each lobster tail, stopping before the tail fin. Gently pry shell apart and lift the meat to rest on top while still attached at the base.
03 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until blended.
04 - Place the prepared lobster tails on the baking sheet and brush generously with the garlic butter mixture, reserving some for basting during cooking and serving.
05 - Broil the lobster tails for 8 to 12 minutes, until meat is opaque and lightly browned. Halfway through cooking, baste again with the reserved garlic butter.
06 - Remove from oven, garnish with extra chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Twenty minutes from start to finish means you can pull off a restaurant-quality dinner on a random Tuesday.
- The garlic butter is honestly worth making on its own—you'll find yourself spooning it over vegetables and bread long after the lobster is gone.
- It's naturally gluten-free and makes you feel celebratory without requiring any fancy technique.
02 -
- Broiler heat is unforgiving—watch carefully after 8 minutes because the difference between perfectly cooked and overdone is about 2 minutes.
- Reserve some butter for basting halfway through; this single step keeps the meat tender and prevents that dry, rubbery texture that ruins expensive lobster.
- Fresh lemon juice makes an enormous difference; bottled tastes sharp and chemical by comparison, so don't skip it.
03 -
- If your lobster tails came frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight—never use hot water because it cooks the outer edges unevenly and ruins texture.
- Pat the meat dry after cutting the shell; any moisture on the surface turns to steam and prevents browning, so this small step makes a visible difference.