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Tender and juicy lobster tails poached gently in a rich garlic butter sauce, delivering restaurant-quality seafood at home in about 30 minutes.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

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, for serving
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Instructions

  1. If frozen, thaw lobster tails overnight in the fridge or quick-thaw in ice-cold water for about 1 hour, refreshing the water every 20 minutes.
  2. Flip each lobster tail belly-up, crack the ribs along the underside, then cut the shell along its full length to the tail fin with kitchen shears.
  3. Pry the shell open and carefully lift the lobster meat out in one piece.
  4. Check for the digestive tract; if present, make a shallow slit and remove it with fingers, tweezers, or a skewer.
  5. Rinse the lobster meat gently under cold water to remove any shell bits, then pat dry thoroughly.
  6. Season both sides of the lobster tails with kosher salt and black pepper.
  7. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter, add the minced garlic, and stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant and just starting to turn golden.
  8. Nestle the lobster tails into the skillet (work in batches if needed) and continuously baste them with the garlicky butter.
  9. Cook 4–6 minutes per side (8–12 minutes total), basting constantly, until the meat is fully opaque and an instant-read thermometer reads 135–140°F in the thickest part.
  10. Remove the lobster tails immediately from the heat to prevent overcooking.
  11. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the lobster, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and spoon reserved garlic butter over or alongside for dipping.

Notes

Cold-water lobster tails are sweeter and more tender; usually frozen, thaw before cooking., Use high-quality unsalted butter, European-style preferred, for richer sauce., Salt amounts may need adjusting depending on lobster tail sodium content; start low and adjust after cooking., Avoid overcooking; remove at 135-140°F to keep lobster tender., Optionally, cook lobster tails in the shell halves for presentation elegance., Store cooked lobster meat in airtight containers for 2-3 days without shells, or 1-2 days with shells in the fridge., Reheat gently with butter in skillet, oven at 275°F, or microwave on low power in short bursts.

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 lobster tail per serving
  • Calories: 515 kcal per serving
  • Fat: 47 g per serving
  • Carbohydrates: 2 g per serving
  • Protein: 22 g per serving