Oven Baked Lobster Tails

Oven Baked Lobster Tails are an easy and elegant seafood dinner that looks restaurant-worthy but comes together easily in minutes. Butterflied lobster tails are brushed with olive oil, seasoned with paprika, then baked until tender and juicy before being brushed with melted butter and finished under the broiler.

Once you get the hang of butterflying the lobster, you’ll be making this impressive meal right in the comfort of your own kitchen. I have step-by-step instructions for you so you can easily prepare lobster tails that are tender, flavorful, and sure to impress your family and friends. Perfect for date nights, holidays, anniversaries, or any special occasion, this simple lobster tail recipe delivers sweet, succulent lobster every time.

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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.

Can I use frozen lobster tails?

Yes, frozen lobster tails are preferred. Lobster must be cooked or frozen immediately after they’re caught. By purchasing frozen tails, you’ll know they’re fresh and not defrosted in the fishmonger’s case for several days. But they should be completely thawed before cooking. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results.

In a pinch, frozen lobster can be submerged in cool water for about 30 minutes to thaw. This is not my recommended method, because the meat can become waterlogged and less flavorful. But, if you completely forgot to pull them out of the freezer, it is an option.

Why butterfly lobster tails?

Butterflying creates the classic restaurant-style presentation where the lobster meat sits on top of the shell. It also helps the meat cook more evenly and makes seasoning, serving, and eating easier.

How to cook

Baking lobster tail is honestly the easiest and best way to prepare lobster. No big pots of boiling or steaming water. The meat has more flavor because it isn’t submerged in water. It’s cooked more evenly with the gentle heat of the oven, making it better than grilling. Lobster tails come out perfectly tender and not rubbery.

I have tips and tricks here in the post for you. The complete recipe is in the printable recipe card below.

Prepare the lobster tails (butterfly)

For best results, thaw the lobster tails completely before cooking. You can check by gently bending the tail. If the tail fin can easily curl toward the body without resistance, the lobster is fully thawed and ready to prepare for the oven.

Rinse them under cool running water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Try to remove as much water as possible.

Using sharp seafood scissors or kitchen scissors, cut down the center of the top shell of each lobster tail, starting at the open end and stopping just before the tail fin. Avoid cutting into the meat. Seafood shears make cutting through the shell much easier and safer than using a knife.

Turn the lobster tail over and gently press on the underside of the shell to crack the rib-like sections, being careful to avoid any sharp spines on the outside of the shell. This helps loosen the meat from the shell.

Carefully run your thumb or fingers between the meat and shell, releasing the meat while keeping it attached at the tail end.

Gently pull the shell apart and lift the meat through the opening. Leave the end of the meat attached to the tail fin. Squeeze the shell together slightly and rest the lobster meat on top of the shell for a classic butterflied presentation.

Season and bake

Place the lobster tails on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little room in between each tail for air flow. Rub the meat with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil, coating the meat evenly. If you need more olive oil, go ahead and use it.

Sprinkle the top of the lobster tail with sweet paprika to give it a little color. Lobster has natural saltiness, so I prefer to season with salt when the lobster is done cooking.

Bake for approximately 1½ minutes per ounce, or until the lobster meat is opaque white, firm, and reaches an internal temperature of 135° F to 140° F. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tail meat. Remove the lobster from the heat source when it reaches 135° F to 140° F to account for carryover cooking. Lobster continues cooking slightly after it’s removed from the oven. Avoid overcooking, which can make lobster meat tough and rubbery.

• 4-ounce tails: 6 minutes
• 5-ounce tails: 7½ minutes
• 6-ounce tails: 9 minutes

Finish Under the Broiler

Remove the lobster tails from the oven and brush with melted butter. Place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, just until lightly golden. Brushing butter on after baking and before broiling helps prevent the butter from burning during baking.

The broiler adds beautiful color and helps the butter caramelize slightly, but lobster can overcook quickly. Keep a close eye on it.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh parsley or chives if desired.

How to tell when lobster tails are done

Perfectly cooked lobster meat should be opaque white, firm, and slightly springy. The shell will turn bright red, but color alone is not always the best indicator of doneness. For the most accurate results, use an instant-read thermometer and cook until the thickest part of the meat reaches 135° F to 140° F.

Storage & make ahead

Make ahead: The lobster tails can be butterflied up to 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Storage: Lobster is best as soon as it is done cooking. Leftover cooked lobster meat can be removed from the shells and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

I don’t recommend freezing cooked lobster.

How to Reheat: Reheating lobster can make it tough and chewy, so I recommend easting leftovers cold or at room temperature. They make a perfect salad addition. However, if you must reheat it, do so gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a small amount of butter, or warm briefly in a 300° F oven, to help prevent it from becoming rubbery.

Serving suggestions

Lobster and butter are a classic combination. Lobster is a really lean protein, so the butter does a good job of flavoring the meat to make it more succulent. My favorite way to serve them is with some Beurre Monté, a thick rich butter sauce that clings to the seafood. Lobster also takes well to being drizzled with garlic butter.

Lobster is perfect with mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, arugula salad, and Mushroom spinach risotto.

Some bread like classic Parmesan Garlic Biscuits or Gruyere herb buttermilk biscuits will help soak with that butter sauce too.

And serve with lemon wedges.

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