Description
This Garlic Butter Lobster Tails recipe features succulent lobster meat brushed with a flavorful garlic butter sauce, enhanced with lemon zest and paprika, then cooked to perfection by grilling or baking. Perfect for an elegant yet simple seafood dinner, the recipe highlights fresh ingredients and quick cooking techniques to deliver a luxurious meal for four servings.
Ingredients
Scale
Lobster Tails
- 4 lobster tails (frozen or fresh)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (or fresh if preferred)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- Prepare the lobster tails: If using frozen lobster tails, thaw them in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to ensure even cooking. Using kitchen shears, carefully cut down the center of the lobster shell lengthwise, stopping just before the tail end. Gently pull the lobster meat out of the shell, leaving the base attached to keep the tail intact.
- Preheat your cooking appliance: For oven cooking, preheat to 425°F (220°C). Alternatively, prepare a grill for medium-high heat for a delicious smoky flavor.
- Make the garlic butter sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly until well combined to create a rich and aromatic sauce.
- Brush the lobster tails: Place the prepared lobster tails on a baking sheet or in a baking dish if baking, or directly on the grill grate if grilling. Generously brush the garlic butter sauce over the lobster meat, ensuring it is well coated for maximum flavor.
- Cook the lobster tails: For grilling: Grill the lobster tails for 6-8 minutes per side over medium-high heat, continuously brushing with additional garlic butter sauce during cooking to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
For baking: Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F for about 10-12 minutes or until the lobster meat is opaque and cooked through. - Finish and serve: Once cooked, remove the lobster tails from the oven or grill and drizzle with any remaining garlic butter sauce. Serve immediately, accompanied by lemon wedges and extra garlic butter sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Ensure lobster tails are fully thawed before cooking for even heat distribution.
- Adjust the amount of garlic according to your taste preference for a milder or stronger garlic flavor.
- If unable to grill or bake, lobster tails can also be cooked on the stovetop in a skillet with olive oil and garlic butter.
- Use fresh parsley if available for brighter flavor, but dried parsley works well too.
- Monitor cooking times closely to avoid overcooking, which can make the lobster tough.
