The Best Broiled Lobster Tail Recipe is tender, juicy and buttery in lemon garlic herb butter broiled for only a few minutes.
This delicious broiled lobster tail is quick and easy and takes about 5 to 6 minutes to cook.
If you are intimated to prepare lobster tail at home, you will be surprise how easy it is.
Family and friends will be impress that this lobster tail recipe is like restaurant style.
Do you have a whole lobster instead of lobster tail, you can try my steamed lobster recipe with a side of melted butter.
Lemon garlic butter herb adds a depth of flavor to any seafood. If you love seafood and this seasoning, try my other seafood recipes: Garlic Butter Shrimp, Garlic Butter Dungeness Crab or Pan-Seared Garlic Scallops.
This is one of the best way to cook lobster tail for special occasions – it is quick, easy and delicious! You can pair it with easy sides and spend less time in the kitchen.
Note: This post is quite long so I can answer most of the questions a beginner cook might asked, especially those intimidated to cook lobster at home.
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How many lobster tail servings per person
Plan to serve an 8 to 10 oz lobster tail per person. Of course, you can have a lobster feast if your budget allows.
The smallest lobster tail sold in the market is about 3 to 5 oz, serve 2 lobster per person of this size.
A large lobster tail can can weigh between 8 to 10 oz, a jumbo between 10 to 12 oz or a giant one can weigh 16 to 20 oz. Any of this size is enough for one person.
A delicious 8 to 10 oz lobster tail dinner with a side of vegetables and biscuit is a very satisfying meal.
Thawing lobster
Place lobster tail on a tray and thaw overnight in the lower bin of refrigerator. I don’t suggest thawing lobster in room temperature for food safety.
If you plan to thaw and cook on the same day, place frozen lobster in a sealed zip lock bag and submerge in cold water. Change the water every 15 to 30 minutes until fully thawed.
Note: Don’t thaw in the microwave or in hot water.
How to butterfly lobster tail
Wash the exterior of lobster with cold water.
To butterfly, it is much easier to use scissors or kitchen shears. A kitchen knife will work too.
Cut along the middle top of lobster and stop before the fin. Use both hands, gently pull and open the shell, insert your finger between the shell and meat to dislodge meat.
Lift the meat up with the tail attached to the base, then push the sides of shell closer to each other and place lobster meat on top of lobster shell. Make a shallow cut or slit in the middle top of lobster to have two even halves. Remove vein (black in color) that runs across the tail.
How to broil lobster and how long
Place lobster tail on an oven safe tray.
Prepare the lemon garlic butter herb sauce. Place butter in a small container, cover with saran wrap with a tiny opening. Melt butter in the microwave in 10 second increments until melted.
Brush butter mixture on top and sides of lobster. Save some sauce to baste lobster halfway while broiling or baste it as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Note: You can make more sauce if you like.
These are small lobsters and require less time to cook. Adjust time accordingly for bigger lobster.
Set the oven to broil and preheat at high (500 degrees F). Place tray 4 to 6 inches away from the heating element, broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through. It is finish cooking when the meat is opaque.
Do not cover tray with foil.
Note: I have a bigger toaster oven that I used. It was set to BROIL at 450 degrees F for 8 minutes then I added 2 more minutes of cooking time.
Leftover lobster
I doubt you’ll have leftovers. I suggest cooking enough lobster you can consume as they can get rubbery when warmed.
In case you have leftover, wrap it in foil, refrigerate and consume the following day. To heat - place on a tray with top covered with foil. Preheat oven at 300 degress F and BAKE for 2 to 3 minutes.
Again, it can get rubbery if overcooked.
What dishes to pair with lobster
Lobster pairs well with vegetables, bisquit or bread, prime rib or steak.
Sauteed Mushrooms is a great side dish. Baked Potato is another one. A seafood and meat combo is delicious. Try this simple rib eye roast recipe or this juicy, tender steak.
Try Other Delicious Shellfish Recipes for Lent
Ginger and Scallion Crab
How to Steam a Frozen Cooked Alaskan King Crab Legs
Jamaican Peppered Shrimp
Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Boil Recipe
Breaded Shrimp recipe
Cioppino recipe
Seafood Kare Kare
Seafood Paella
Spanish Seafood Stew
Camaron Rebosado
Recipe
The Best Broiled Lobster Tail Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 5 oz each lobster tail
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lemon sliced
Instructions
- Wash the exterior of lobster. With a pair of scissors or kitchen shears, cut a straight line along the middle top of the lobster shell stopping before the fin.
- Prepare lobster. With both hands, gently open the shell inserting your finger to separate the meat from the shell. Lift the meat up with tail attached to the base, then push the sides of shell closer to each other then place lobster meat on top of shell.
- Using a knife, make a shallow cut or slit along the middle top of lobster to spread it into two even halves.
- Transfer lobster into a baking pan and set aside in fridge while making the sauce.
- Set oven to broil and preheat at high (500 degrees F).
- Make lemon garlic herb sauce. In a small bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Cover bowl with saran wrap leaving a tiny opening and microwave in 10 second increments until melted.
- Combine melted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, fresh parsley, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Note: You can double the recipe if you like.
- Remove lobster from fridge and brush lightly and evenly with garlic herb mixture. Reserve some sauce to baste lobster halfway when broiling or as soon as you take it out of the oven.
- Place pan 4 to 6 inches away from heating element. Broil lobster tail for 5 – 6 minutes or until cooked through. It is finish cooking when meat is opaque. Bigger lobster will require longer time to cook. Don’t overcook to prevent it from being rubbery. Note: I added the lemon wedges around the lobster while broiling. This step is optional.
- Baste lobster with the reserved garlic butter mixture halfway while broiling or as soon as you take it out of the oven.
- Serve immediately with a side of melted butter, lemon and other sides you desire.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Substitute fresh parsley with ½ teaspoon dried parsley. Dried is more potent but you can add more if you like.
- Substitute smoked paprika with regular paprika.
- For more detailed tips, refer to post.
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