Few dishes feel as celebratory or luxurious as perfectly cooked Broiled Lobster Tails. This recipe elevates the classic preparation by crowning the tender lobster meat with a rich, bubbling blanket of Cheesy Garlic Butter Sauce. The result is moist, sweet lobster meat bathed in a luscious, savory sauce that is beautifully caramelized under the broiler, creating that desirable golden-brown crust seen in the photograph. This recipe demystifies cooking lobster at home, proving that you don’t need to go to a high-end steakhouse to enjoy this incredible delicacy. This dish is ideal for anniversaries, holidays, or any time you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen.
📝 Ingredients You’ll Need (The Secret to the Perfect Glaze)
The secret to this recipe’s success lies in high-quality butter and a blend of Parmesan and creamy white cheese for the perfect bubbly topping.
For the Lobster Tails:
- 4-6 Cold Water Lobster Tails (4-5 ounces each).
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil.
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste.
For the Cheesy Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted.
- 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced.
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice (plus extra wedges for serving).
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese.
- 1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella or Gruyère Cheese (for stretch and creaminess).
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley, finely chopped.
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (optional, for color).
Equipment:
- Kitchen shears or sharp knife.
- Small baking dish or roasting pan.
🔪 Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions (Mastering the Broiler)
The main focus here is properly preparing the lobster for even cooking and creating the perfect sauce.
1. Prepare the Lobster Tails (The Butterfly Cut)
- Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut down the center of the top shell of each lobster tail, stopping just before the tail fin. Do not cut through the bottom shell.
- Gently crack the shell open where you cut it. Use your fingers to carefully loosen and lift the raw meat up and out of the shell, leaving the base attached at the tail fin.
- Press the two sides of the shell back together to create a bed. Lay the lobster meat on top of the shell. This “piggyback” method ensures the meat is exposed to the heat and keeps the presentation beautiful (as seen in the image).
- Pat the exposed lobster meat dry with paper towels and brush lightly with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place the prepared tails in a small, oven-safe baking dish or roasting pan.
2. Prepare the Cheesy Garlic Butter Sauce
- In a small bowl, melt the 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Stir in the minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, half of the chopped fresh parsley, and smoked paprika (if using).
- Pour about two-thirds of the garlic butter mixture evenly over the exposed lobster meat. Reserve the remaining third.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the grated Parmesan cheese and the shredded Mozzarella or Gruyère cheese.
3. Broil (The Initial Cook)
- Preheat your broiler on high. Ensure the oven rack is about 6 to 8 inches away from the heating element.
- Place the pan with the lobster tails under the broiler.
- Broil for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the size of the tails. The meat will start to turn opaque and the edges will be just cooked.
4. Add Cheese and Finish Broiling
- Remove the lobster tails from the oven.
- Brush the partially cooked meat with the remaining reserved garlic butter.
- Generously sprinkle the cheese mixture over the top of each lobster tail, ensuring the cheese melts down into the gaps of the meat.
- Return the lobster to the broiler for another 2 to 4 minutes. Watch carefully! The goal is to melt the cheese and get that beautiful, bubbly, golden-brown crust. Do not let the cheese burn.
- The lobster is done when the meat is opaque throughout and the internal temperature reaches 140^\circ\text{F} (60^\circ\text{C}).
5. Serve
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven. The cheesy butter sauce will have melted and pooled beautifully at the bottom of the dish (as pictured).
- Garnish with the remaining fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately, spooning the melted cheesy garlic butter sauce from the pan over the lobster meat just before serving. Include fresh lemon wedges on the side.
⭐ Pro Tips and Recipe Variations (The Chef’s Touch)
- Handling Raw Lobster: Ensure the lobster tails are fully thawed before preparation. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag under cold running water. Using cold tails makes the butterfly cutting process easier.
- Avoiding Toughness: Lobster meat becomes tough if overcooked. Because this preparation involves high heat from the broiler, it’s crucial to watch the timing closely. A 4-5 ounce tail is usually perfect after 8-10 minutes total cooking time.
- Wine Deglaze (Optional): After removing the cooked lobster from the pan, you can scrape up the fond (browned bits) and cheesy drippings with a splash of dry white wine, then stir this back into the remaining sauce to create a deeper, more complex flavor profile.
- Herb Swap: For a different flavor profile, substitute the parsley and thyme with fresh tarragon or basil.
- Serving Presentation: Spooning the accumulated, melted butter mixture from the bottom of the pan over the lobster tails on the serving plate ensures every piece is glistening and flavorful, enhancing the visual appeal of the finished dish.