This easy lobster butter sauce can be made four different ways. Try it plain, or season with lemon, garlic or cayenne. Serve with lobster!
Where are my lobster fans?
That's a trick question, I know. We all love lobster!
Without a doubt, my favorite lobster is Maine lobster prepared within minutes of being caught. The lobsters we enjoyed at Abel's Lobster and The Travelin' Lobster near Bar Harbor, Maine were absolutely phenomenal.
But we don't get to visit Maine as often as I'd like, so most of the time I just have to prepare my own lobster (usually the tails) at home. At home, we love fixing grilled lobster tails and broiled lobster tails.
Whether you're picking up fresh lobster from a lobster shack or preparing it yourself at home, one thing is sure. You need butter!
Today, I'll show you how to make four versions of lobster butter sauce. All four options are easy and pair perfectly with lobster.
Want even more buttery seafood ideas? Check out our crab butter sauce, as well as this herb butter salmon, butter garlic spot prawns and fish in butter sauce.
Is This Drawn Butter?
Lobster is traditionally served with drawn butter.
Drawn butter is another term for melted butter. Sometimes it refers to clarified melted butter, but not always.
We will be melting butter, but we're also adding seasonings. So you can call this drawn butter if you want, but it's probably more accurately a "butter sauce."
How to Make Lobster Butter Sauce
Start with butter.
You probably already guessed that part!
Place the butter in a butter warmer or a small saucepan, and heat over low heat until the butter melts.
Lobster Butter Sauce: Four Ways
Now it's time to (optionally) add some seasonings.
For plain butter sauce, simply add a little lemon juice, and maybe a tiny pinch of salt. And that's it!
Or you could start playing with the seasonings.
For spicy butter sauce, add red chili flakes and a tiny pinch of cayenne.
Add minced garlic for garlic butter sauce.
And for a lemon butter sauce, stir in some lemon zest.
Make It Ahead of Time
Want to prep your butter ahead of time?
Simply refrigerate or freeze this lobster butter sauce, and then warm it back up when you're ready to serve. (See the Recipe Card Notes below for tips on freezing the butter.)
Other Ways to Use Lobster Butter Sauce
Seasoned, melted butter is delicious on more than just crabs!
We love it served with seared scallops and grilled scallops, and basically any type of shellfish!
Lobster Butter Sauce
Ingredients
Lobster Butter Sauce (Base):
- ¼ cup butter (½ stick)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- small pinch sea salt (optional) Omit if using salted butter or if serving along with heavily seasoned lobster.
Garlic Butter:
- 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
Spicy Butter:
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
Lemon Butter:
- zest from one lemon
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat.Allow the butter to melt but not brown.
- As soon as the butter melts, add any extra seasoning if desired (garlic, red pepper or lemon zest).Continue heating 1-2 minutes, or until the seasonings become fragrant.Stir in the lemon juice. Serve warm along with lobster.
Rebecca says
bonapatiet