Skip to main content

Lemon-Butter Boiled Lobster Tails Recipe

Liliana Knigin
  |   May 29, 2015   |  
Planning a special lobster dinner? If you're looking for an easy and delicious way of how to cook lobster tails, our lemon-butter boiled lobster tail recipe will assure success.

Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Yield: 4 lobsters

Lemon-Butter Boiled Lobster Tails Recipe

Ingredients
  • 4 lobster tails (7-8 oz)
  • 1 lb salted butter (4 sticks) for boiling
  • 1/4 lb salted butter (1 stick) for clarified butter
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions for preparing and cooking the lobster tails
  1. If the lobster tails are frozen, you must first defrost them completely in your refrigerator. Typically it takes about 1 day, depending on your refrigerator settings.
  2. Remove the lobster tails from refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature on the counter.
  3. Using a chef's scissor, cut the top of the shell down the middle starting from the open meat end until you reach the tail but do not cut into the tail. Be careful to not cut deep into meat of the lobster tail.
  4. Pull the cut shell apart to then lift out the tail meat, but don't cut the meat off the shell.
  5. Look at the top center of the lobster tail meat for a dark vein running down the tail. If you find one, carefully remove it with a pairing knife.
  6. Find the smallest pot you have that will fit the lobster tails. Add enough water, the 4 sticks of butter, and the lemon juice such that it will just cover the lobster tails, but don't put the lobster tails in the water yet. First bring the water to a boil.
  7. After the water is boiling, add the lobster tails. Continue boiling for 6 minutes and then remove the lobster tails, set on a paper towel to remove excess water and then plate. Do not over cook the lobster tails as they will get hard and rubbery.

Directions for making clarified butter
  1. On a low heat, slowly melt the 1 stick of butter in a small sautee pan.
  2. Once the butter melts, carefully remove all of the white foam/fat on top with a spoon.
  3. Place into a serving dish.

This recipe is found in:
Recipes by Ingredient: Seafood Recipes
Recipes by Course or Meal: Breakfast and Brunch Recipes, Main Courses
Recipes by Occasion: Labor Day and 4th of July Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Valentine's Day Recipes
Recipes by Season: Fall Recipes

Recipe Reviews

10/3/2018
So tasty
Jon from Boca Raton, FL
9/15/2018
My husband and I loved the lobster tails I made using this recipe.
Sofia from
8/4/2018
Delicious lobster recipe
Gabriel from
7/18/2018
My lobster tails turned out great. Thanks!
Daniela from
7/7/2018
I never thought to boil lobsters in butter. This turned out great and the lobsters were super sweet and tender.
Mary from

Author

Liliana Knigin

A foodie with a knack for creating elegant recipes, Liliana has been crafting some of our most delicious recipes for over 20 years.

Read More

Questions and Answers

Q:Do you cover the tails while cooking?
A:Yes, you can cover the tails while they are in the pot of boiling water.
Q: Are you supposed to remove the meat entirely from the shell and then boil without the shell? Or just lift it from the shell keeping it still attached and boil the Shell with the water
A:The meat is not supposed to be entirely removed from the shell. The shell needs to be cut vertically and then opened up a bit to boil. Thus the meat will be boiled still attached to the shell.
visit our family of brands
Steaks And Game
For steak and meat lovers.
Gourmet Food World
The chef's ingredient marketplace.