Name: How to Cook Lobster Tail
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces lobster tails (thawed (four 4-ounce tails)); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley; Ghee or clarified butter (for serving); Lemon wedges (for serving)

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Tender lobster tails in a rich, buttery garlic sauce! This is the easiest and best recipe for How to Cook Lobster Tail perfectly every time!

No waiting. No reservations. No breaking the bank. No complicated menu! Just an EASY, mouthwatering recipe for How to Cook Lobster Tails! All you need for this elegant, indulgent entree are four lobster tails plus a mouthwatering sauce of butter, garlic, parsley & lemon. Prepare to be amazed!

broiled lobster tails on a platter with recipe name at the bottom

Valentine’s Dinner Made Easy!

Valentine’s Day candy can’t hold a candle to sweet, decadent lobster tails dipped in warm, melted butter!

But don’t be intimidated by the idea of a high-end fancy seafood dinner – cooking lobster tails is about as simple as it gets! With only 5-10 minutes of prep time to cut the shells and blend the melted butter sauce, the lobster tails will be ready to broil and serve with a gorgeous side dish like Lemon Parmesan Spinach Risotto.

Other Recipes to Serve with Broiled Lobster Tails

A crisp green salad or this Lemon Butter Broccolini make fantastic sides for this lobster tail recipe. Add some cheddar biscuits or a twice-baked potato, and you’ll wish this dinner could last forever!
A decadent, romantic dinner deserves an equally indulgent dessert like this Easy Chocolate Lava Cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of homemade whipped cream!

Ingredients

Lobster: This broiled lobster recipe uses four lobster tails. Any fresh or frozen lobster will make for a dreamy dinner!

Sauce: A half stick of butter, two cloves of garlic, lemon juice, and parsley combine for a warm, rich sauce to compliment the seafood.

How to Make Lobster Tail

STEP ONE: Make sure one oven rack is about 6 inches from the top element for optimum broiling distance, then turn the oven to broil and preheat to 500 degrees F. With kitchen shears, cut down the center of the upper side of the lobster tail from the opening to where the flippers start. Gently pry open the shell, loosen the lobster flesh – leaving it slightly attached near the flippers – and lift it out to rest on top of it. Place the lobster tails on the baking sheet and set aside.

lobster tails on a baking sheet after being cut open and the meat placed to rest on top of the shells

STEP TWO: Add 4 ounces of butter to a small pan and melt over low heat. Mix well with crushed garlic, lemon juice, and parsley flakes.

melted butter with crushed garlic, lemon juice, and dried parsley in a small saucepan

STEP THREE: Brush the melted sauce over the lobster tails. Broil the lobster for about 4 minutes until the meat reaches 135-140 degrees F internal temperature. (The optimal time is 1 minute per ounce). Be careful not to overcook.

lobster tails on a baking sheet with garlic butter brushed onto two of the tails

STEP FOUR: Remove from the oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges and melted ghee or clarified butter.

broiled lobster tails on a platter with parsley and lemon wedges

Tips for Success

Look for cold water lobster free from sodium tripolyphosphate (which can leave a nasty ammonia aftertaste).
Make sure lobster tails look fresh or fresh-frozen. No gray or discolored places on the meat, as it will turn out mushy (like a bruised apple).
Prepare your lobster the day you plan to eat it. Prepping too early will negatively affect the texture of the lobster meat.
Use a meat thermometer for the best outcome. A temperature of 135-140 degrees F is ideal. Overdone seafood can become tough and rubbery.
Brushing the garlic butter over the meat before cooking gives the finished product beautiful golden brown peaks and edges and adds extra flavor.

garlic butter being drizzled over a cooked lobster tail on a platter

What is the Best Method for Cooking Lobster Tails?

Broiling is my favorite method, but if you start with quality fresh or fresh-frozen (and thawed) lobster, the tails can be broiled, baked, grilled, or boiled. Each method has its pros. So long as you don’t overcook the meat, any technique will be successful!

Broiled is hot and quick! Plus, it will consistently be tender and juicy, and the outer layer browns slightly, giving a rich depth of flavor.
Baked lobster tail is very similar to broiled, but instead of hot and quick, the temperature is lower and the cooking time a bit longer, resulting in slightly softer meat.
Grilled lobster tail adds a hint of that smoky grill taste to your lobster meat! Make sure the grill is hot, then add your lobster tails to the grill. You can also wrap them in foil with lemon slices wedged around each tail. Easy!
Boiled lobster is the traditional way to cook lobster. It’s probably the easiest method because the meat releases from the shells easiest, though it doesn’t have the depth-of-flavor you get from broiling.

angled view of lobster tails on a platter with parsley and lemon wedges

How Do You Cook Frozen Lobster Tails?

Frozen lobster tails need to be thawed overnight in the refrigerator before preparing. If you don’t have overnight thawing time, place the frozen lobster in a bowl of cold water (only cold) for 30 minutes, draining and changing the water every half hour until the meat is bendable and not icy.

Once thawed, use sharp kitchen scissors or shears and cut the TOP side of the lobster shell from the opening to the tail (don’t cut the tail). Open the shell and gently lift out the meat, leaving it slightly attached at the tail end.

Now follow any of the above mentioned methods to cook and enjoy a luscious lobster dinner!

bite of lobster tail meat on a fork after being dipped in melted butter

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