Description
Cook impressive, restaurant-style lobster tails at home using this simple recipe for butterflying and topping them with a rich, spicy Cajun garlic butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 (6-8 oz) lobster tails, raw
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven broiler to high or prepare your grill for medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Prepare the lobster tails: Use kitchen shears to cut down the center of the top shell of each tail, stopping just before the tail fan. Do not cut through the bottom shell.
- Gently pull the shell apart slightly. Carefully lift the meat up and lay it on top of the shell, keeping the meat attached at the base. This is butterflying.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, minced garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Brush half of the butter mixture evenly over the exposed lobster meat.
- Place the butterflied tails on the prepared baking sheet. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat source for 5-7 minutes, or grill over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is opaque and cooked through. Cooking time depends on tail size.
- Remove the tails from the heat. Brush the remaining butter mixture over the cooked meat.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- To check doneness, the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat should reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If broiling, watch closely as the meat can cook very quickly and become tough if overdone.
- You can substitute grilling for broiling if you prefer a smoky flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 8 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Broiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tail
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 250