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These quick and easy broiled lobster tails are butterflied and then cooked under high heat until sweet and tender. Perfect for date night!
Want to enjoy lobster at home, but don’t want to deal with a WHOLE LOBSTER?
Only caps lock can convey how overwhelming a whole lobster can seem at first!
Lobster tails are an easy alternative option to a whole lobster, and you get quite a bit of lobster meat without much effort! I’m a fan.
In the past, I’ve typically grilled lobster tails, but more recently I’ve been using the broiler. Because it’s just so easy!
These broiled lobster tails are sweet and buttery, simple to prepare, and ready within minutes.
Where Can I Buy Lobster Tails?
Look for lobster tails in the freezer section at your local grocery store. I find lobster tails fairly regularly at our local Aldi.
Keep in mind that the New England lobster harvest is somewhat seasonal, with most lobsters being caught between June and December. Frozen lobster tails might be more difficult to find in the spring and early summer.
Butterflying Technique
Before cooking, make sure to thaw the tails. When you’re ready to prepare them, start by butterflying the lobster tails.
Use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise up the soft side (the bottom) of the lobster tail.
Then, take a paring knife and cut the meat inside in half. Don’t cut through the outer shell.
Next, hold the tail from both sides, cut-side up, and pull the sides backwards to crack the outer shell.
How to Make Broiled Lobster Tails
Place the butterflied lobster tails cut-side up in an oven-safe pan. I like to use this Lodge 12″ carbon steel skillet.
Nestle two knobs of butter down inside the cut lobster flesh.
Top the butter with lemon slices.
I used one lemon per lobster tail in the photos, but if your lobster tails are larger than mine were, you might want to use two lemon slices.
Next, slide the pan under your oven’s broiler and cook until the meat is opaque and white.
The shells might start to darken in some areas while under the broiler, and that’s not a problem at all.
Serve the broiled lobster tails right away along with more lemon slices and some lobster butter sauce.
Broiled Lobster Tails
Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails (~4 to 8 ounces each) Thawed, if purchased frozen
- 1 tablespoon butter, divided
- ½ lemon, sliced
- butter sauce or drawn butter to serve
Instructions
Butterfly the Lobster Tails:
- Use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the soft shell on the underside of the lobster.Use a paring knife to cut the meat in half. Take care not to cut through the outer shell.
- Hold the lobster tail cut-side up with your hands on the sides. Push the lobster shell open farther to crack the outer shell.
- Place the lobster tails flesh-side up on an oven-safe pan or baking sheet.Cut the butter into two equal pieces (~½ tablespoon each) and nestle a knob of butter inside the cut side of the tail between the halved meat.
- Top each lobster tail with a slice or two of lemon, reserving any extra slices.
- Move an oven rack to about 4" away from the broiler. Preheat the broiler to high.Broil the lobster tails for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the tails. (4-ounce tails will take about 5 minutes, 8-ounce tails may take about 10 minutes.)Cook until the meat is white and no longer transparent, or until the internal temperature is 135 to 140° Fahrenheit.As the lobster broils, the shell closest to the broiler may darken, and that is perfectly all right.
- Remove the lobster from the oven, and serve immediately along with drawn (melted) butter and any remaining lemon slices.Alternatively, remove the lobster from the shell and use the meat in another recipe. If reserving meat for another recipe, serve the lobster meat within 24 hours.
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