How to Broil Lobster Tails

Lobster tails are a savory, delectable dish, and are fairly easy to prepare when broiled. The tails are commonly prepared with a stuffing or butter sauce, but you usually opt for one or the other rather than both. Keep reading to learn more about how to do it.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

Lobster Tails

2 whole lobster tails
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) paprika
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper

Stuffing (Optional)

1/2 cup (125 ml) fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup (60 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh minced parsley
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted

Butter Sauce (Optional)

1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted
2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) garlic powder

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing the Lobster Tails

1
Remove the tails if using whole lobsters. If working with whole fresh lobsters, you will need to briefly parboil the lobsters in salted water before removing the tails.
- Salt a large stockpot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Add the lobsters and cook for 2 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut off the tails.
- Return the bodies and claws to the boiling water for another 10 to 13 minutes to finish cooking them.
2
Thaw and rinse frozen lobster tails. If working with frozen lobster tails, thaw them overnight in your refrigerator and rinse them well in cool running water.
- Rinse the lobster tails under running water and pat dry with clean paper towels.
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3
Make two lengthwise cuts through the top of the tail shells. Use a sharp knife or sharp kitchen scissors to cut out a section of the lobster shell.^{[1]
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- Begin cutting along the length of the tail just right of center. Cut from the open end all the way down to the base of the tail.
- Move the knife of scissors roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) to the left and make an identical cut on the left side.
- Make a final horizontal cut at the base of the tail, connecting the two lengthwise cuts.
- As you cut, make sure to keep the blade close to the top underside of the shell. You can cut into the meat slightly, but you do not want to cut through it completely, nor do you want to slice into the bottom of the shell.
- Remove the cut piece by peeling it away.
4
Rinse the tails again. Lightly rinse the cut lobster tails under cool, running water to remove any bits of lobster shell that may have stuck to the meat.
- Pat dry with clean paper towels when done.
5
Remove the digestive tract. The digestive tract is the dark line that runs from one end of the tail to the other, across the entire length.
- To remove the digestive tract, slide the tip of your blade directly under one end of the dark line, cutting it free while keeping it attached to the rest of the tract.
- Grip the digestive tract between your index finger and thumb and gently peel it up and back. Trim it off at the end with your blade.
- Note that this is only optional. You can leave the digestive tract in place, if desired, and it should not affect the taste of the lobster tail. Removing it is mostly done for aesthetic purposes.
6
Loosen the meat and lift it up. Use your fingers to sever the lobster meat from the bottom and sides of the shell. Lift it up and rest it on top of the shell.
- Slide your fingers along the side of the meat and underneath it, starting from the wide end of the tail.
- Loosen all of the meat except for a small portion at the small end of the tail.
- Lift the meat, intact, through the opening in the shell. Let it rest gently on top of the remaining shell.
- By keeping the meat above the shell, you allow the heat to circulate through all sides of the meat more evenly.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Preparing the Stuffing (Optional)

1
Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the butter and heat it over medium-high until completely melted.
- Once the butter melts, proceed to the next step. Do not wait for the milk solids to separate from the butter. In other words, if the butter begins to smoke or if white foam appears on the surface, you have left it on the heat for too long.
2
Add the garlic. Stir the garlic continuously for 1 minute, or until it becomes lightly toasted and fragrant.
- Watch the garlic as it cooks. It can burn quickly, and if it does burn, you will need to toss out the contents of the pan and start over to avoid contaminating the flavor.
3
Stir in the bread crumbs. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the bread crumbs in, coating them completely with butter and garlic.
- Keep stirring until the bread crumbs are thoroughly moistened. The butter should be completely absorbed when done.
4
Add the cheese and parsley. Stir well until thoroughly combined.
- Keep stirring until the cheese is slightly melted and the parsley seems evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
5
Keep warm until ready to use. Set the stuffing aside and prepare to broil the lobster.
- Note that you should not prepare a butter sauce if you plan on using stuffing, and vice versa.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Making Butter Sauce (Optional)

1
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Place the butter in a saucepan and heat over medium until it becomes foamy.
- Once the butter melts and takes on a white, foamy appearance, the solids have begun to separate from the liquid portion of the butter.
- Skim and discard the foam on the top of the butter. You are, essentially, creating clarified butter.
2
Stir in the garlic powder and lemon juice. Mix well until completely combined.
- The garlic powder should be dissolved and the lemon juice must be well incorporated into the butter. Mix the garlic and juice into the butter while the saucepan is still on the heat, stirring it with a mixing spoon for another 1 minute or so.
3
Keep warm until ready to use. Set the butter sauce aside and prepare to broil the lobster.
- Note that you should not prepare stuffing if you plan on using butter sauce, and vice versa.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Broiling the Lobster

1
Preheat the boiler. Meanwhile, arrange the lobster tails on unheated broiler pan rack.
- The broiler will need to preheat for 5 to 10 minutes in order to get adequately hot. Most broilers only have an “on” setting, but if you have a broiler with “high” and “low” settings, set it to “high.”
- If you do not have a broiler function on your oven, set the bake temperature to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius). Give it 15 to 20 minutes to preheat completely.
- Keep the tails in a single layer. Do not stack them together.
2
Season the exposed meat. Sprinkle the meat evenly with paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- The paprika, salt, and pepper, can be used even if you are using a butter sauce or a stuffing, or they can be used without either option.
3
Drizzle with butter sauce, if desired. If you prepared a butter sauce, brush it evenly over the exposed meat of the tail using a pastry brush.
- Rub the butter sauce over all sides of the meat, including the bottom. Lather a large amount on the top, however, so that the top of the meat browns better in the broiler.
4
Broil until lightly browned. The meat should turn opaque, as well. This will usually take about 10 to 11 minutes.
- Precise broiling times vary depending on the weight of the lobster. It takes roughly 1 minute to cook every 1 oz (30 g) of lobster tail.
- The lobster tails should be placed roughly 4 to 9 inches (10 to 23 cm) away from the upper broiler coils of the oven.
- Watch the lobster tails carefully as they broil. When they overcook, they take on a rubbery texture.
- Once finished, the lobster meat should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius). This can be checked with an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Note, however, that if you plan on stuffing the lobster tails, you will need to remove them from the broiler roughly 1 minute before they are done.
5
Stuff the lobster tails and continue broiling, if desired. If you made stuffing for the lobster tails, spoon it in equal amounts into the space between the flesh and the shell. Continue broiling for 30 to 60 seconds, or until the stuffing turns light brown.
- Shove the stuffing into the slits of the shell and beneath the meat. It should be fairly well packed.
6
Serve immediately. The lobster tails should be removed from the oven and transferred to individual serving plates while still hot.
- You can also serve the lobster tails with wedges of lemon on the side for a pretty display.

Community Q&A

Question

What should the internal temperature be for fully-cooked lobster tails?

Michele

Top Answerer

135 - 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Less and it may be undercooked, more and you might be chewing rubber.
Question

When I broil the lobsters, do I leave them in the shell after butter basting until they're done?

Community Answer

Yes, you leave the shell on. It gives the meat more flavor and holds it together.
Question

What should the preheated oven temp be if using the broiler?

Community Answer

In most cases, a broiler cannot be adjusted for temperature. If yours has a two-way option, use the "high" setting.