Description
Succulent butter poached lobster tails deliver an elegant seafood experience from coastal kitchens. Rich butter and delicate lobster meat create a luxurious dish perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lobster tails (56 oz / 1.59 kg each)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsps water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 tsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped
- Extra lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preparation: Use sharp kitchen shears to butterfly lobster tails by cutting through top shell while keeping base intact. Gently lift meat, maintaining partial attachment, and season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
- Butter Poaching: Generate a luxurious poaching liquid by warming water and whisking in butter cubes until silky smooth. Introduce minced garlic, lemon zest, and thyme, allowing flavors to harmonize and develop rich undertones.
- Cooking Process: Stabilize butter sauce temperature between 160-180F, avoiding aggressive boiling. Immerse seasoned lobster tails into warm liquid, periodically basting meat with flavored butter. Watch for meat to transition to opaque white and achieve delicate firmness, which signals perfect doneness.
- Serving: Carefully remove lobster tails from butter bath. Garnish with freshly chopped chives or parsley. Plate alongside complementary sides like mashed potatoes or grilled asparagus. Drizzle remaining aromatic butter sauce over lobster for an indulgent finishing touch.
Notes
- Precise Shell Preparation: Butterfly lobster tails carefully to maintain meat integrity, ensuring clean cuts without tearing delicate flesh.
- Temperature Control Mastery: Keep butter poaching liquid between 160-180°F to prevent overcooking and preserve lobster’s tender texture, using a reliable kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
- Flavor Infusion Technique: Whisk butter continuously while adding aromatics like garlic, thyme, and lemon zest to create a deeply flavored poaching liquid that enhances the lobster’s natural sweetness.
- Doneness Indicator: Watch for opaque, slightly firm meat as the key sign of perfect cooking, which typically takes 5-6 minutes depending on tail size – avoid overcooking to maintain succulent texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 800
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 90 g
- Saturated Fat: 56 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 230 mg