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5 from 2 votes

Butter Poached Lobster Tails

Butter poached lobster tails are lightly seasoned and accented with lemon juice. It's a simple recipe that's full of flavor.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 149kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 lobster tails fresh or frozen and defrosted overnight inside your fridge
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups butter cut into 2 tablespoon pieces
  • fresh lemon juice

For Serving

  • fresh lemons, sliced

Instructions

  • Get out and measure your ingredients.
    Overhead photo of all the ingredients needed to make butter poached lobster tails.

Prepare Lobster

  • Using kitchen shears, cut down the middle of the top of each lobster tail to remove the shell. Check out our post on How to Cut a Lobster Tail if you need any assistance.
  • Pry the shell open carefully. It is quite sharp. With your thumbs, work the meat away from the shell on the top and the bottom. Gently detach the meat completely from the shell, keeping it in one piece.
  • Place lobster meat on a cutting board.
    Lobster tails and ingredients placed on a wooden cutting board.
  • Season lobster tails with salt, pepper, and paprika.
    Lobster tails seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Unti covered.
    Lobster tails seasoned well with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Prepare Poaching Liquid

  • Add water to a medium skillet over low/medium heat, somewhere around 3 on my stove. Allow it to heat up for about 1 minute.
  • Begin adding butter, one piece at a time. Whisk until butter is completely melted before adding the next piece. Your goal temperature is between 165 and 175ºF. No higher. Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor your temperature and adjust heat settings accordingly.
    Butter melting in a pan.
  • Continue whisking and adding pieces, one at a time, until all are melted.
    Whisking melted butter inside a pan.
  • Place prepared lobster tails in butter poaching liquid.
    Lobster tails placed in hot melted butter to be poached.
  • Cook on each side for about 2 minutes or until lobster meat turns opaque.
    Lobster tails cooking in butter inside a pan,
  • Continue rotating tails.
    Lobster tails cooking in butter inside a pan. The lobster tails have curled.
  • Until cooked.
    Cooked lobster tails removed from the pan and placed on paper towels.
  • Use thermometer to confirm lobster is 140 degrees F and no more.
    Lobster tails served in a white plate with lemon slices. The lobster is garnished with chopped parsley.
  • Serve with fresh squeezed lemon juice on top and additional wedges, if desired. Enjoy every bite.
    Closeup photo of lobster tails in a white plate. One lobster tails is half eaten.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1211mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 1mg