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broiled lobster tails in a serving dish with butter.
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5 from 2 votes

Broiled Lobster Tails

These quick and easy broiled lobster tails are butterflied and then cooked under high heat until sweet and tender. Perfect for date night!
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 70kcal

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.
    Cutting the Soft Shell of the Lobster.
  • Hold the lobster tail cut-side up with your hands on the sides. Push the lobster shell open farther to crack the outer shell.
    Hands Cracking Lobster Tail 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.
    lobster tails in a pan with butter.
  • Top each lobster tail with a slice or two of lemon, reserving any extra slices.
    lobster tails in a pan, topped with lemon.
  • 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.
    broiled lobster tails in a pan.
  • 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.
    broiled lobster tails in a serving dish with butter.

Notes

Nutrition information assumes that two 4-ounce lobster tails were used, and does not include the optional butter for serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.2mg