These Butter Poached Lobster Tails are a luxurious, restaurant-quality seafood dish that is surprisingly easy to make at home. Perfect for special occasions or a treat, the lobster is gently poached in a rich garlic butter sauce and garnished with fresh lemon juice and parsley. With just a few ingredients and 30 minutes, you can enjoy tender, juicy lobster without the hefty restaurant price tag.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 medium lobster tails

• 12 tablespoons (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• Fresh lemon juice (for garnish)

• Fresh parsley (for garnish)

Directions

1. Prepare the Lobster: Start by cutting the lobster tails along the underside using kitchen shears. Gently remove the meat from the shells in one piece, being careful not to break it. Clean the lobster meat with a kitchen towel and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook Garlic Butter: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 1 minute). Do not let the butter or garlic burn.

3. Poach the Lobster: Add the lobster meat to the skillet (you may need to work in batches). Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, until the meat is opaque and no longer translucent. The lobster should curl slightly as it cooks.

4. Finish and Serve: Once cooked, remove the lobster from the skillet and set aside. Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the lobster and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately with the garlic butter sauce on the side.

Nutrients (per serving)

• Calories: 379 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 1g

• Protein: 16g

• Fat: 35g

  • Saturated Fat: 22g

  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g

  • Monounsaturated Fat: 9g

• Cholesterol: 211mg

• Sodium: 963mg

• Potassium: 214mg

• Fiber: 0.1g

• Sugar: 0.1g

• Vitamin A: 1054 IU

• Vitamin C: 1mg

• Calcium: 96mg

• Iron: 0.3mg

The Star Ingredient: Lobster Tails

Lobster tails are the star of this dish, and for good reason. Lobster is often considered a luxurious seafood option because of its sweet, tender meat and delicate flavor. When poached in butter, the lobster absorbs the rich flavors while staying perfectly moist and juicy.

To prepare the lobster tails, they are first carefully cut along the underside of the shell, and the meat is gently removed. This allows the meat to cook evenly in the butter while retaining its succulent texture. The lobster should be fresh or thawed if frozen, and it’s important to pat it dry before cooking to prevent excess moisture from interfering with the butter sauce.

The Garlic Butter Sauce: Rich and Flavorful

The garlic butter sauce is the key to the rich, indulgent flavor of this dish. Made from unsalted butter, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper, the sauce is simple yet incredibly flavorful. The garlic is cooked in the butter until fragrant, creating a base that enhances the sweetness of the lobster without overpowering it.

The butter provides a luxurious, velvety texture that coats the lobster meat beautifully. It also acts as the perfect vessel to carry the flavors of the garlic and seasonings. The beauty of this sauce is its simplicity—no complex ingredients are needed to achieve a truly decadent flavor.

Cooking the Lobster: Poaching for Perfection

Poaching the lobster in butter is the perfect method for ensuring that the meat remains tender and juicy. Unlike boiling or grilling, poaching the lobster tail in butter gently cooks it without drying out the meat. The process takes just 2-4 minutes per side, allowing the lobster to curl slightly as it cooks, which is a sign that it’s done.

It’s important to cook the lobster in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your skillet, to ensure each piece gets evenly coated in the butter and garlic sauce. The result is perfectly cooked lobster—tender, flavorful, and juicy. You’ll know the lobster is ready when the meat turns opaque and no longer appears translucent.

Finishing Touches: Lemon and Parsley

Once the lobster is cooked, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice brings brightness and acidity, cutting through the richness of the butter and balancing the flavors. The addition of freshly chopped parsley adds a burst of color and a fresh, herbaceous note that complements the sweet lobster.

Serving the lobster with the garlic butter sauce on the side allows everyone to enjoy the dish at their own pace and dip the lobster meat into the flavorful sauce, adding a personalized touch to the dining experience.

Serving Suggestions

Butter Poached Lobster Tails are an elegant dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of sides. For a classic pairing, serve the lobster with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, or green beans. The lightness of the vegetables complements the richness of the lobster and garlic butter.

For a more substantial meal, you can serve the lobster with a side of risotto, mashed potatoes, or garlic bread to soak up the delicious butter sauce. A simple salad with a tangy vinaigrette can also balance the richness of the lobster, providing a refreshing contrast.

To drink, a crisp, refreshing white wine such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Champagne would be an excellent choice. The acidity and freshness of these wines pair beautifully with the buttery lobster and garlic sauce.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of Butter Poached Lobster Tails contains around 379 calories, making it a rich and indulgent dish that’s perfect for special occasions. The dish is high in protein (16g) thanks to the lobster, making it a satisfying and filling meal. The fat content (35g) is primarily from the butter, which provides a rich, luxurious texture.

While the dish is relatively high in saturated fat (13g), it’s important to note that butter is the primary source, and consuming this dish occasionally is a part of enjoying a balanced diet. The lobster is naturally low in carbohydrates (1g), making it a great option for those following low-carb or ketogenic diets.

The dish also provides a modest amount of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A (1054 IU), calcium (96mg), and iron (0.3mg). The parsley garnish adds a small amount of vitamin C (1mg) to the dish.

Customizing the Recipe

While this Butter Poached Lobster Tails recipe is simple and decadent on its own, there are a few ways you can customize it to your liking. If you prefer a bit more heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter sauce for a spicy kick. Alternatively, adding a few sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary while poaching the lobster can infuse the dish with aromatic herbal notes.

For a different twist, consider adding a splash of white wine or lemon zest to the butter sauce for added depth of flavor. You could also experiment with using clarified butter (ghee) for a slightly different flavor profile.

If you want to make a larger batch, simply increase the ingredients proportionally, but be sure to cook the lobster in batches to ensure even poaching.

Conclusion

Butter Poached Lobster Tails are the ultimate seafood indulgence. With their tender, juicy meat, rich garlic butter sauce, and fresh lemon garnish, they make for an elegant and luxurious dish that’s surprisingly easy to prepare at home. Perfect for special occasions, romantic dinners, or as a treat to yourself, this dish combines the sweetness of lobster with the richness of butter in a way that’s guaranteed to impress. With just a few ingredients and a little attention to detail, you can enjoy a restaurant-quality meal right in the comfort of your own home.