Description
Easy Garlic Butter Poached Lobster Tails
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 medium lobster tails (5–6 oz each), cold-water preferred
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 8–10 cloves garlic, minced
- ½–1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- ¼–½ teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- Fresh lemon + chopped parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the Lobster Tails: Flip each lobster tail onto its back. Crack the ribs gently, then cut down the full length of the underside until you reach the tail fin. Remove the meat in one piece and rinse.
- Season: Season lobster meat on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Make Garlic Butter: In a skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook + Baste: Add lobster tails to the skillet. Cook, basting continuously, 4–6 minutes per side until fully opaque and internal temp reaches 135–140°F (57–60°C).
- Serve: Remove immediately. Squeeze fresh lemon over the lobster, garnish with parsley, and serve with extra garlic butter for dipping.
Notes
- Best lobster: Cold-water lobster is sweeter and more tender.
- Thawing frozen tails: Thaw overnight in the fridge or quick-thaw in ice water for 1 hour.
- Butter matters: High-quality butter makes a difference.
- Salt caution: Start with less salt and adjust after cooking.
- Don’t overcook: Pull at 135–140°F.
- Cooking in the shell: Cut tails in half lengthwise and cook the same way.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooked lobster in an airtight container 2–3 days (out of shell) or 1–2 days (in shell).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lobster tail
- Calories: 515
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 1124mg
- Fat: 47g
- Saturated Fat: 30g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Keywords: garlic butter lobster tails, poached lobster, seafood recipe