If the thought of cooking lobster intimidates you, this is far and away the recipe to start with. Meet our simple, no-fuss route to perfectly Baked Lobster Tails in just 25 minutes. The meat comes out perfectly cooked, juicy, sweet, and delicate, thanks to our butter garlic sauce that practically makes itself in the oven.
This is hands-down one of my husband's and my favorite items to order on a date night out. Since it's a top-dollar item, we expect top-notch results (and so should you).
We took that same approach with this recipe development for these baked lobster tails to create a foolproof seafood recipe you'll come back to again and again.
I recently served this baked lobster tail with filets and a wedge salad for a friend's birthday dinner, and the crowd went wild. We definitely should have doubled the amount of lobster served, but then again, I don't know that any amount would have been enough. It was so good -- total lobster perfection.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
You won't have to worry about all that shell-intact fuss, and you're welcome. Lobster meat is fancy enough all on its own, even without the bright red shell presentation. So, unless you've come equipped with some serious lobster tail removal skills and you're dying to use them, this recipe will be a breath of fresh air for you!
Like our salmon with dill sauce, this is definitely a dish to impress! Whether it's date night, a gourmet treat for your family, or something special for your next dinner party, you've got everything you need right here, and we have full faith in you!
And if you cook seafood often, be sure to save our seafood seasoning to make and have on hand!
How to Buy Lobster
Cold-water lobster is preferred over warm-water lobster as it has an extra-tender and more buttery texture. Cold-water lobster might be identified at your grocery store as Maine, Atlantic, Canadian, or North American lobster.
For this baked lobster tail recipe, you can use previously frozen or fresh lobster. However, if you are using frozen lobster, you will want to be sure it is fully thawed before cooking.
You can thaw frozen lobster tails by placing them in the refrigerator about 24 hours before it is time to cook or allowing cold water to run over the lobster tails until thawed.
Try this recipe with our easy bearnaise sauce for some extra decadence.
Removing Lobster Tails
The trickiest part about making baked lobster tails is actually getting to the lobster tail! But don't let that stop you. After your first tail is conquered, you'll pretty much be a pro.
- For this task, you will want to have a pair of kitchen shears on hand. Use the kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the top of the shell.
- Once you have cut all the way down to the tip of the tail, grasp each side of the tail with your hands and gently pull outward to crack the outer shell.
- From there, you will gently wiggle to loosen the lobster meat from the shell and remove it completely.
How to Make Baked Lobster Tail
Preheat Oven + Ready Baking Dish | To kick off your baked lobster tail recipe, preheat your oven to 425°F and place the lobster tails in a small, buttered au gratin dish or an 8x8-inch baking dish.
Make Lemon Garlic Butter | For this mix, you will need room-temperature unsalted butter, fresh garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon zest. Combine these ingredients in a small bowl using a fork to mix until everything looks evenly distributed.
Butter Lobster | Drop scant tablespoon-sized mounds of the butter all across the tops of the lobster tails.
Bake | Transfer the lobster tails to bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the lobster is fully cooked, the meat is opaque, and the internal temperature registers at 140°F.
Baste | Baste the lobster tails with the melted butter from the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with a garnish of either fresh parsley or tarragon.
- Tarragon is a traditional flavor that pairs very well with lobster, but if you are not keen on the flavor of licorice, you might find parsley is better suited for your pallet.
Plate Your Lobster | Remove your lobster from the baking dish, transfer it to either a serving platter or plates, and add a squeeze of lemon juice over the top, if desired. Then, place the fine mesh sieve over a small bowl and strain the melted butter and garlic from the baking dish over the sieve.
What to Serve with Baked Lobster Tails
Serve with butter for dipping on the side, lemon wedges for garnish, or top with tarragon or parsley.
Create a surf-and-turf menu for date night at home with any one of these decadent cuts of meat: cowboy ribeye, T-bone, or porterhouse steak alongside stuffed shrimp for another surf option.
Lobster and potatoes are a classic combo, much like crab-stuffed salmon, so baked potatoes or crispy roasted potatoes are a great match for baked lobster.
Veggies like asparagus, green beans, broccoli, roasted tomatoes, or a house salad can green up a weeknight dinner in no time.
And if you're anything like our family, we love some carbs to balance out the protein, so our go-tos are buttery noodles with a parmesan garnish, garlic bread, and pasta salad. And if you're feeling especially fancy and adventurous in the name of carbs, try our lobster ravioli!
5 More Seafood Dinners You'll Love
Baked Lobster Tails
Ingredients
- ½ cup room temperature unsalted butter
- 4 (4-5 ounce) lobster tails (thawed if previously frozen)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Zest of a lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped tarragon or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and have ready a buttered, small au gratin dish or an 8x8" baking dish.
- Using kitchen shears, cut lengthwise through the top of the shell. Delicately pull the shell away from the meat and remove the tail. Transfer the lobster tails to the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- Add the butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest to a small bowl and use a fork to mix well until combined.
- Drop scant tablespoon-sized mounds of the butter across the lobster tails and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the lobster registers 140°F.
- Remove the lobster from the oven and baste the tails with the melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon or parsley over the tops of the tails.
- If you'd like to serve dipping butter alongside your lobster, plate the lobster tails, and place a small sieve over a bowl. Pour the butter from the baking dish over the sieve and discard the sieve contents. Serve the strained butter alongside your lobster tails and enjoy.
Nutrition
Source | Americas Test Kitchen, LobsterAnywhere.com
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