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These Easy Broiled Lobster Tails are the best, restaurant quality lobster tails made at home! You can make Lobster Tails for a date night at home in just 20 minutes!

Cooked lobster tail on a white plate

If you have ever thought that cooking lobster at home was too complicated, never fear! I’m going to share the easiest way to prepare lobster tails at home. I have always been intimidated by lobster, so I was shocked when I realized it is actually very simple and easy to make lobster tails at home. First I will show you how to butterfly lobster tails, which makes them very easy to then cook and eat.

What is butterflying a Lobster Tails

To butterfly a lobster tail means to cut the shell and partly cut the meat, then lay the meat on top of the shell. This helps the meat cook more evenly, and makes eating the lobster easier. It also makes for a beautiful presentation.

How to butterfly a lobster tail

  1. Use kitchen shears to cut through the shell, from the end and stopping just before the tail.
  2. Use your fingers to spread the shell apart and pull the meat up out of the shell, leaving it attached at the tail. You can use your fingers or a spoon to gently separate the meat from the shell.
  3. If you are having trouble getting the meat out of the shell, flip the lobster tail over and gently press on the ribs, then try again
  4. The meat might be partly sliced down the center. Remove the digestive tract if there is one. I do this under running water.
  5. Press the shell together, then lay the lobster meat on top of the shell.

How to cook and thaw frozen lobster tails

Frozen lobster tails can be cooked normally after thawing. To thaw frozen lobster tails, the best method is to allow to thaw overnight in the fridge – this may take up to 24 hours so be sure you give yourself enough time.

If you are short on time, you can also place frozen lobster tails in a sealed zip top bag and submerge in cold water. Make sure the lobster tails are not getting wet, they should be protected from the water inside the plastic bag. Change the water every 15 minutes for 1 to 1 and a half hours until they are thawed, then prepare as normal.

Brushing butter onto a raw lobster tail

How Long to Broil Lobster Tails?

Because broiling is a high heat method, it cooks the lobster very quickly. The general rule of thumb is to broil a lobster tail 1 minute per ounce. My lobster tails were about 4 ounces each, so I broiled them for 4 minutes.

How to broil lobster tails

After butterflying the lobster (see above), arrange on a baking sheet. Place oven rack in the top 1/3 of the oven and turn on the broiler.

Melt butter with garlic, lemon juice and herbs, brush all over lobster meat.

Place lobster tails in oven under the broiler. Broil for 1 minute per ounce – so if your lobster tails are 5 ounces, broil for 5 minutes.

four cooked lobster tails on a baking sheet

How to tell when Lobster Tails are Done

The best way to be sure your lobster is cooked is to check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature of lobster should be 135-140 degrees when cooked.

Lobster meat will turn white and no longer be translucent when it is cooked through.

Cooked lobster on a white plate next to a lemon wedge

What to serve with lobster tails

You can never go wrong with a classic surf and turf dinner – Lobster and steak! For side dishes, try my Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, roasted asparagus, and crispy smashed potatoes.

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Broiled Lobster Tail Recipe

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 5 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients 

  • 4 Lobster tails
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter plus more butter for serving
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsps lemon juice plus lemon wedges for serving
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped

Instructions 

  • Move oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven and turn on the broiler.
  • To prepare lobster tails, use kitchen shears to cut through the top of the shell, stopping at the tail. Gently lift the lobster meat out of the shell, keeping the tail attached at the end. You can use your fingers or a spoon to gently separate the meat from the shell. If you are having trouble separating the meat from the shell, flip the lobster tail over and gently press on the ribs. Then flip back and try again.
  • Lift the meat above the shell, then pinch the shell together ant lie the meat on top of the shell. Arrange prepared tails on a baking sheet.
  • Melt butter and stir in salt, lemon juice, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Brush all of the butter mixture over the lobster meat.
  • Place lobster tails under the broiler, broil for about 1 minute per ounce. So for a 5 ounce lobster tail, broil for 5 minutes. Lobster is done when meat measures 135-140 degrees with an internal thermometer. Meat will turn from translucent to white.
  • Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges and more melted butter on the side for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tail | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 560mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Did you like this recipe?Please comment, rate and share! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @foxandbriar AND #foxandbriar so I can see what you made!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase the items I recommend through the links I provide, I get a small commission. For more info, please see my disclosure policy. Thanks for supporting Fox and Briar!

Hello! I’m Meghan.

I am so glad that you are here! I am the recipe developer, photographer, and writer here at my blog Fox and Briar. I am a passionate, self-taught home cook and believe that most things are better homemade and that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.

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2 Comments

  1. This turned out perfectly! Loved the spoon trick for getting the lobster out of the shell. 1 minute per ounce was spot on…. Bonus, the smashed potatoes were perfect too (even thought I didn’t have baby potatoes)