Classic Garlic Butter Lobster Tail with Lemon
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Last updated
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 minutes
- Total
- 45 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
Main Courselobster tailgarlic buttersteakhousespecial occasion
Ingredients
- 2 lobster tails, 6 to 8 oz each, that meet the recommendation conditions
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or chives
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp dry white wine or dry vermouth
- Flaky salt and lemon wedges, for serving
Method
Prepare
- Use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the top of each shell, stopping before the tail fins. Gently loosen the meat while keeping it attached at the base.
- Season the lobster with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Place each tail in its own food-safe pouch with 1 tablespoon of butter, one-quarter of the garlic, and 1 tablespoon of wine. Seal without crushing the shell or meat.
Cook
- Set the water bath to 135°–140°F.
- Cook for 25 minutes for immediate service after the thermometer check.
- Mix the remaining softened butter with the remaining garlic, parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest.
- Heat the broiler and line a small sheet pan with foil.
Check before finishing
- At the end of the bath, open the pouch and transfer each piece intact to a clean surface with clean utensils. Discard the pouch liquid and any sauce that touched raw food.
- Use a clean food thermometer. Check the thickest portion or center of every lobster piece. Enter tail and claw meat from the side so the whole sensing area reaches the center, and check tail and claw sections independently. Check several places in every large or irregular piece.
- Every spot you check must reach 145°F for at least 15 seconds. If any reading is lower, keep cooking with a method hot enough to reach this temperature and check each cooler spot again. Complete this check before finishing.
- Only when an individual piece cannot be reliably probed with an appropriately sized food thermometer, cook that piece until firm, pearly, and opaque. This is not a measured temperature check or a pasteurization method.
Finish
- After completing the check, pat every tail completely dry.
- Set the tails meat-side up on the prepared pan, spread with the garlic-herb butter, and broil just until the butter bubbles and the surface picks up light golden spots.
- Move the pan away from the heat.
Serve
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the finished tails and finish with flaky salt.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and any clean, unused garlic-herb butter.
Want another texture or thickness?
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