This broiled lobster tail recipe makes an amazingly rich and delicious seafood main that is sure to impress family and friends! They cook super quickly in the oven and only take about 15 minutes from start to finish! Follow along to make these fabulous lobster tails that turn out tender, juicy, and perfectly flavored each and every time!
Easy Broiled Lobster Tail
I love fresh, tender lobster seasoned with rich melted butter and succulent lemon juice – so I made this recipe! My lobster tails are perfectly seasoned and then cooked under the broiler, so it’s as easy can be!
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of preparing these lobster tails! It’s so much easier than you might think, and my detailed, thorough instructions and recipe tips make it easy!
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If you are a lobster fanatic like me, check out my full collection of lobster recipes for even more delicious ways to prepare your lobster!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
So Quick! These delightful lobster tails are done in just a few minutes! That means you’ll spend more time enjoying their delicious flavor and much less time cooking!
So Fresh! Whether you’ve used fresh or frozen lobster, the flavor is so amazing and is perfectly accented by the lemon and butter seasoning!
A Show-Stopper! Who isn’t impressed by a perfect lobster tail? Whether you’re having a dinner party or just serving to the family – these lobster rolls are going to wow everyone!
🥘 Broiled Lobster Tail Ingredients
My super easy lobster tails only use five ingredients! If you can’t get your hands on fresh lobster, frozen is perfect!
- Lobster Tails – 4 juicy lobster tails. Buying lobster tails is a much easier and cheaper way to get your lobster craving! (*See notes below on cold vs warm water lobster tails.
- Butter – ¼ cup of butter (or ½ a stick). You’ll want the butter to be melted so you can easily brush it onto the lobster tails.
- Lemon – 1 fresh lemon will perfectly brighten the lobster tails! For this recipe, you’ll juice half and then cut the remaining half into wedges to serve.
- Sea Salt – ½ teaspoon of sea salt effortlessly complements the flavors of the lobster!
- Ground White Pepper – 1 pinch of white pepper. I like white pepper here because it adds a little bite while not leaving black specks on the meat of the lobster!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
📖 Variations
Want a little extra flavor on these amazing lobster tails? Try a delicious lemon-pepper butter or use my Cajun seasoning to make Cajun butter! Simply add your choice of seasoning to the melted butter, then mix and brush onto the lobster tails!
🔪 How To Make Broiled Lobster Tails
This recipe takes just 15 minutes! If you’re familiar with preparing lobster, it’ll probably be even faster! You will need some sharp kitchen shears, a basting brush, and a baking sheet to get started.
This recipe is for 4 lobster tails! You can easily make more, just scale up the butter and seasonings as needed.
Prep The Lobster Tails
- Prep broiler. Start by placing your oven rack within the upper ⅓ of your oven, then turn the broiler to high. If you have a broiler with temperature settings, you should set it to 500°F (260°C).
- Prep lobster tails. Prepare your lobster tails by using sharp kitchen shears to carefully cut through the top half of the lobster shell down to the base. Keep the tail attached, and be sure not to cut deeply into the lobster meat!
- Clean lobster tails. De-vein the tail (remove any black strings, dirt, or grit) if needed. Then, flip the lobster tail over and gently press on the ribs. Flip back over and use your fingers to separate the lobster meat from the shell. *It should still be attached at the base tail, don't pull the meat all the way off!
- Finish preparing lobster. Lift the lobster meat above the shell, then pinch the shell together to hold it in place. Lay the meat over the shell and then set the lobster tail on your baking sheet. Repeat for each lobster tail; then you’re ready to season!
Broil The Lobster Tails
- Season lobster tails. Brush ¼ cup (½ stick) of melted butter evenly over the prepared lobster tails, then squeeze ½ of a lemon evenly over the tails. Then, sprinkle over ½ teaspoon of sea salt and a pinch of white pepper evenly amongst the tails.
- Broil lobster tails. Place the baking sheet with your lobster tails under the broiler and broil for 1 minute per ounce (3 minutes for a 3-ounce tail, 5 minutes for a 5-ounce tail). The lobster meat will be firm and opaque when done. *Lobster should be no more than 140°F (60°C) when done, do not go over 145°F (63°C) as your lobster will be overcooked and tough.
- Serve. Remove from oven when done and serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.
My succulent Broiled Lobster Tails are best when served simply for dinner with lemon wedges, drawn butter, and a green veggie like my fresh sautéed broccolini! Check out my page on what to serve with lobster tails for some more side dish recipes to try! Enjoy!
💭 Tips & Notes
- Unsure of the best lobster to use? You’ll typically have options between cold water and warm water lobster. Cold water lobster is preferable because they have a more tender, white meat that has a cleaner flavor. Warm water lobster is softer and can sometimes have an off flavor.
- You can ask the fishmonger at your grocery store if the lobster they provide is cold water or warm water – you can also tell a warm water lobster by the black spots that cover their shells!
- Lobsters have their digestive tract running through the tail (also called the vein). While it’s not harmful to eat, it doesn’t taste the best, so you might want to remove it! You can also ask your fishmonger to prepare the lobster tails for you if using fresh.
- Never used white pepper? White pepper is simply regular peppercorns with the black shells removed! It has a milder flavor and white color that is great for dishes where you want pepper flavor with no black specks!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
You might not have any leftover lobster tails! If you do, you can refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days in the fridge. If you don’t have an airtight container, you can also use a storage bag or wrap the tails tightly in plastic cling film or aluminum foil.
Freezing Lobster Tails
Did you know you can freeze cooked lobster meat? It’s best here to remove the cooled lobster meat from the shell and place it in a freezer storage bag, removing as much air as you can.
You can then keep the lobster meat in the freezer for 3 to 6 months! This is a great way to have lobster meat on hand for soups, salads, or lobster rolls!
Reheating Lobster Tails
Defrost frozen lobster tails in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can also place the tails in a storage bag under cold (never, ever hot) running water until they’ve thawed if you’re in a pinch!
I recommend the oven for reheating these delicious lobster tails! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place the leftover tails or meat in a baking dish covered in foil.
If you wish, you can place a couple of pats of butter and/or a drizzle of water to keep the tails moist. Bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until the tails reach a temp of 140°F (60°C).
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
❓ FAQ
For this recipe, I use the broiler which cooks the lobster meat super quickly. If you were to keep the shells completely enclosed over the meat, it may not cook properly under the broiler. You can, however, try boiling or steaming the whole tails if you prefer!
The cooking time for broiled lobster tails can vary depending on the size of the tails and the heat of your broiler or oven. At the high temperature you will be using, they cook super quickly (so don't forget about them, I usually just hang around the oven as they cook). Generally, it takes about 3 minutes for a 3-ounce tail, 4 minutes for a 4-ounce tail, and about 5 minutes for a 5-ounce tail.
There are so many options! You can use leftover or prepared-in-advance meat for lobster risotto, lobster bisque, lobster mac and cheese, or even lobster artichoke dip! You can even use the shells in homemade lobster stock! Lobster is so versatile and goes well with so many things!
🦞 More Great Lobster Recipes
- Lobster Risotto - Super creamy lobster risotto is an easy way to enjoy a gourmet dinner at home!
- Boiled Lobster - A whole-boiled lobster is always a show-stopping main course!
- Lobster Mac & Cheese - The rich and creamy flavor of this white cheddar mac and cheese tastes amazing with lobster meat mixed in!
- Lobster Mac & Cheese Burger - There's no burger patty here, just a decadent patty made with macaroni and cheese and lobster meat!
- Homemade Lobster Stock - Save your lobster shells to make this super versatile seafood stock!
- Lobster Artichoke Dip - The ultimate appetizer for lobster lovers. It's creamy, cheesy, and wonderfully delicious!
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📖 Recipe Card
Broiled Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails (fresh or thawed)
- ¼ cup butter (½ stick, melted)
- 1 large lemon (juice of half, serve with wedges from remaining half)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
Instructions
- Place your oven rack in the upper ⅓ of the oven and turn the broiler on to high.
- Prepare your lobster tails by using sharp kitchen shears to gently cut through the top half of the lobster shell, down to the base of the tail. Keep the tail attached at the end and be careful of the lobster meat while cutting!4 lobster tails
- Devein the tail and remove any dirt or grit if needed. Flip the lobster tail over and press on the ribs gently. Then flip back over and use your fingers to separate the lobster meat from the shell, leaving it attached to the tail.
- Lift the meat above the shell then pinch the shell together under the meat to hold it in place. Lay the meat over the shell and set the lobster tail on your baking sheet. Repeat for each lobster tail.
- Brush melted butter over prepared lobster tails then squeeze lemon juice onto each and season with sea salt and ground white pepper.¼ cup butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 pinch ground white pepper, 1 large lemon
- Place baking sheet with lobster tails under the broiler and broil for 1 minute per ounce (3 minutes for a 3-ounce tail, 5 minutes for a 5-ounce tail). The lobster meat will turn opaque when done. *Lobster should be 140°F (60°C) when done, do not go over 145°F (63°C) as your lobster meat will be over-cooked.
- Remove from oven when done and serve immediately.
Notes
- Unsure of the best lobster to use? You’ll typically have options between cold water and warm water lobster. Cold water lobster is preferable because they have a more tender, white meat that has a cleaner flavor. Warm water lobster is softer and can sometimes have an off flavor.
- You can ask the fishmonger at your grocery store if the lobster they provide is cold water or warm water – you can also tell a warm water lobster by the black spots that cover their shells!
- Lobsters have their digestive tract running through the tail (also called the vein). While it’s not harmful to eat, it doesn’t taste the best, so you might want to remove it! You can also ask your fishmonger to prepare the lobster tails for you if using fresh.
- Never used white pepper? White pepper is simply regular peppercorns with the black shells removed! It has a milder flavor and white color that is great for dishes where you want pepper flavor with no black specks!
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
dali says
vraagje
kreeftenstaart , hoeveel graden moet het onder de grill?
ask your
lobster tail, how many degrees should it be under the grill?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
De grillwarmte ligt tussen 200-235C (400-450F). Je kreeft is gaar als het vlees 57-60C (135-140F) is.
Grill heat is between 200-235C (400-450F). Your lobster is done when the meat is 57-60C (135-140F).