Baked Lobster Tail Recipe
Lobster Tail sounds like a fancy meal you can only eat at a restaurant made by a professional chef. However, if you follow the easy steps below, you will be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to make Baked Lobster Tail in the comfort of your own kitchen.
This recipe for Baked Lobster Tail is a fun way to make something fancy at home f dinner without dedicating a lot of time to prepare and/or clean up. You will be amazed at how simple it is to make and it tastes incredible.
There are several ways to make Lobster Tail, however my favorite is baking it in the oven. I have found that this way, you get a nice smokey flavor from some of the seasonings, has a better texture, and it will not have the fishy smell.
How to pick out the best Lobster Tails:
It is much better to buy fresh over frozen however frozen Lobster Tails can be just as good. If buying frozen, make sure that your Lobster Tails are not soaked in sodium tripoyphosphate. Look out of any discoloration on the meat or the shell and avoid those if you can.
To thaw Lobster Tail that has previously been frozen, leave the frozen Lobster Tail in the refrigerator overnight. For quicker thawing, place Lobster Tails in a sealed bag and place in hot water for about 30 minutes or until the Lobster is no longer frozen.
Preparing the Lobster Tails:
Lobster Tails are sold in the shell. In order to make the cooking process easier, remove the lobster meat from the shell. To do so, cut the shell in the center using a sharp knife or sharp scissors. I found that it was easier to use scissors.
Using your fingers, remove the Lobster Tail from the shell. The easiest way to do this is to gently glide your index fingers along the Lobster Tail and you will feel that it detaches from its shell. You can leave the Lobster Tail inside the shell and just spread open the shell or you can lift the Lobster Tail from the tail and rest it on top of the shell, having the back end still attached to the shell.
How to Make the Topping:
You don’t need anything fancy to season your Baked Lobster Tail. All you need is butter, salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley flakes. Whip the butter and seasonings in a small bowl and spread it evenly along the two Lobster Tails. While some recipes call for garlic on the Lobster Tail, I prefer the garlic in the dipping garlic butter for better flavor.
Baking the Lobster Tail:
If you’re still in shock at how easy the recipe for Baked Lobster Tails is so far, I won’t disappoint you here. Baking is just as simple and it doesn’t take a lot of time either. Place your prepared Lobster Tails on a baking sheet. Before you place Lobster Tails in the oven, make sure that your oven is preheated to 450F and bake for about 15 minutes. The baking time will vary on the size of your Lobster Tail.
You will know when your Lobster Tail is cooked when the meat turns white or pink, becomes firmer, and the shell turns bright red. If the lobster still has gray spots, it needs to cook longer. The general rule of thumb if using a food thermometer is that Lobster should have internal temperature of about 135F-140F when cooked.
Do not overcook Lobster Tails because you will be left with a tougher and gummier texture.
How to serve Baked Lobster Tail:
Lobster Tail is served immediately after it has been baked to perfection. It is commonly dipped in a Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce and served with potatoes, veggies, or a salad.
Baked Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 2 Lobster ails
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
Garlic Dipping Butter
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- With a sharp knife or scissors, cut the top of the lobster tails all the way to the tip of the tail, avoiding the meat.
- Carefully pull the meat away from the shell and pull the meat up so it sits on top of the shell. The end of the tail should still be attached to the shell.
- In a small bowl, whip butter and spices together and divide it in half. Place each half of seasoned butter on top of each lobster tail.
- Place lobster tails in oven and cook for about 15 minutes or unitl meat is white.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Garlic Dipping Butter
- In a suacepan over low heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and garlic. Cook garlic in butter for 1 minute until it just begins to brown.
- Add the remaining butter, lemon juice, and black pepper and let it seep on low heat for about 4-5 minutes mixing constantly.
- Strain before serving.
