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Garlic Butter Broiled Lobster Tails

Garlic Butter Broiled Lobster Tails

What are broiled lobster tails? Broiled lobster tails are lobster tails that are cooked under the broiler, which is a type of heating element in the oven that browns and cooks food quickly. The lobster tails are typically seasoned and then placed on a baking sheet and placed under the broiler for a few minutes until they are cooked through and the shells are bright red.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 290

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lobster tails (4 oz each)
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 4 wedges of lemon, to serve

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to Broil on high heat with a rack in the center of the oven. Place the rack so the top meaty portion of the lobster tails is about 6 inches away from the top heating element.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, salt, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and parsley. Mix well.
  3. Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top shell of each lobster tail. Gently pull the meat up through the slit, keeping it attached at the base of the tail. Place the meat on top of the shell.
  4. Brush the garlic butter mixture generously over each lobster tail. Season with black pepper.
  5. Place the tails onto a baking sheet, then broil for approximately 5-10 minutes, until the lobsters are fully cooked but not rubbery.
  6. The finished lobster should be white and no longer translucent in the center and register at least 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  7. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and remaining garlic butter for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 30gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 595mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g

Notes

Pro Tips:
Choose tails that feel heavy for their size and have bright, translucent shells - avoid any with dark spots or ammonia smell, because lobster meat deteriorates rapidly and no amount of garlic butter can mask that metallic taste once it starts turning.
Score your cuts about ¼ inch deep in a crosshatch pattern, because this creates pockets for the garlic butter while preventing the tail from curling up under the broiler's intense heat, keeping every bite tender and evenly cooked.
After years of making this dish, I've learned to move my oven rack to the second position from the top rather than the highest - the lobster gets perfectly caramelized without the butter burning and turning bitter in those crucial final minutes.
Mix your softened butter with minced garlic 30 minutes before cooking and let it sit at room temperature, because this allows the garlic oils to infuse the butter completely, creating a more cohesive flavor that penetrates the meat instead of sitting on top.

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