How To Broil Lobster Tails In 10 Minutes!

Enjoying Broiled Lobster Tails is not something that needs to be reserved solely for restaurants and dining out. It’s actually one of the easiest ways to cook lobster at home!

If you’re able to buy butterflied lobster tails either at your local grocery store or from a fish market, you’ve already reduced the prep time significantly.

Why do we love this recipe so much?

• Quick cook time! This is a 20 minute or less recipe. Make a quick garlic butter sauce, brush it on raw lobster tails, then broil on high. Easy, easy, easy!
• Flavor! Lobster meat is naturally sweet. The combination of sweet lobster and the super garlicky butter sauce is totally delicious. Garlic lovers rejoice!
• Easy luxury! I love a good steamed lobster, but broiling lobster tails is 100x easier. When you sit down to eat, you get all the benefits of perfectly cooked lobster without having to fight with the lobster shell.

If you’re a lobster lover like me, you are going to adore this recipe!

How To Select Lobster Tails

You’ll want 1 (6-8oz) lobster tail per person, or more if you’re using a smaller size tail.

Here’s the thing about lobster tails: they come in a variety of sizes. First things first, they cannot be frozen. That doesn’t mean you can’t use frozen lobster tails, they just need to be thawed overnight before cooking.

Next, consider the size of the lobster tails. They range from about 4.5 ounces all the way up to 20 ounces (dang!). You can use any size you like, but note that the cook time will vary based on the size of the lobster tails you’re cooking. You can increase cook time as needed.

How to select lobster tails: should not be slimy, have an off-putting smell, or be discolored. If they have any of the above qualities, they are not fresh and should not be used.

Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce

In addition to lobster tails, you’ll need a few simple ingredients to make the garlic butter sauce at home:

• Unsalted butter: Because lobster and melted butter are a match made in heaven! This essential ingredient is non-negotiable.
• Garlic: Add a few cloves of chopped garlic to the melted butter.
• Fresh lemon juice: This adds a bright, citrusy flavor that pairs well with lobster. Additional lemon wedges are served alongside.
• Paprika: To season the garlic butter sauce.

We recommend garnishing the finished dish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, but this is of course optional.

No salt or pepper required for this one, but you can of course add a pinch of Kosher salt to the sauce if you like.

How To Butterfly Lobster Tails

If you can’t find butterflied lobster tails, here’s how to do it at home:

1. Cut through the top of the shell. Place the lobster tails shell side up with the tail facing away from you. Use kitchen shears to cut a line down the center of the tail and through the top of the meat. Do not cut through the wide end of the tail fins. 
2. Gently separate the lobster meat from the tail. Before attempting to lift the meat up, carefully run your fingers between the meat and the interior of the lobster shell to help separate. Be careful, the shells can be really sharp!
3. Tip: if you’re having a hard time getting the shell open, you can carefully flip the tail over and use your hands to crack and invert the shell, helping you in the process to open the cut side like a book. 
4. Lift the meat on top of the shell. Gently spread each side of the lobster shell apart, as if opening a book, and carefully lift the meat up over the shell, being careful to keep it attached at the base of the tail.

If all this sounds like too much work, you may want to try these other methods for cooking lobster, such as Sous Vide Lobster Tail or Grilled Lobster Tails.

How To Cook Lobster Tails

1. Preheat a broiler to high, including an oven rack that is about 4-5 inches away from the heating unit.
2. Make the garlic butter sauce. This is so simple — all you need to do is melt some butter in a small saucepan, then add the remaining ingredients: chopped garlic, fresh lemon juice, and sweet paprika. Stir well.
3. Brush the butter on the lobster tails. Place the butterflied tails on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a silicone pastry brush to slather that delicious melted garlic butter sauce onto each tail. Really lay it on thick!
4. Broil. A ~7oz lobster tail will broil in about 7-10 minutes. Larger tails may take an additional few minutes. The best way to check for doneness? Use an instant-read thermometer! Lobster is fully cooked when it is opaque and an internal temperature of 135-140F is reached. Once cooked, serve with chopped parsley, fresh lemon wedges, and clarified butter if you want more!

We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!

Expert Tips

• Be sure to check the lobster tails as they cook to avoid overcooking — or worse! — burning! Lobster tails require about 1-1½ minutes cook time per ounce (when broiled on high), depending on the size of the tails and the strength of the broiler.
• Not a fan of paprika? Use Old Bay seasoning instead! We love the taste of Old Bay with seafood!
• Overcooking will lead to tough, chewy meat. Try to make only what you’re going to eat that day. Leftovers can be reheated, but it will never be as good as the day it is cooked.
• Leftovers and storage: Store leftover broiled lobster tails in an airtight container in a fridge for 2 days. When you’re ready to reheat them, simply place the lobster tails in a steamer basket or colander over a pot of boiling water and steam for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
• Can you freeze leftover lobster tails? We do not recommend freezing cooked lobster. The texture will change.