Butter Poached Lobster

Butter Poached Lobster is a luxurious lobster recipe that’s restaurant quality, succulent, gourmet and so easy to make at home. In fact, you’ll realize that it’s the easiest and tastiest way to cook lobster and you’ll never go back! Heres a video and step by step tutorial on cooking succulent lobster tails.

Today’s lobster recipe has to be one of our all time favorite recipes as a whole. And if you’re new or trying to eat more seafood, I can’t urge you enough to make this butter poached lobster. While we also have a full tutorial on How To Cook Lobster Tail and which we use for our Lobster Pasta or Lobster Roll, there’s nothing like a rich butter lobster infusion in life! 

Why Butter Poached Lobster

• This technique creates guaranteed succulent lobster, like you can never dry it up! So it’s 100% fool proof.
• The taste and flavor of lobster shines so well and it’s beautifully enhanced with the butter. 
• You get a taste of butter with every bite. 
• The recipe is done in 20 minutes. 
• You can save the excess butter and use it for any seafood recipe–it’s liquid gold 🙂
• Any leftover of the lobster can be used endlessly (more on that below). 
• This simple dish requires only some good bread to mop up the butter and you’re good to go!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Lobster. For today’s recipe, you’re going to need the lobster tail. And the best news is you can save the shells to make some Lobster Stock. Full tutorial on shelling the lobster and separating the meat below, and also watch the video.

• Lobster. The lobster meat from the lobster tails above.
• Butter. We use unsalted butter so we can season it however we want.
• Herbs. Any whole fresh herbs on the stalk work well here, we used a combo of fresh rosemary and thyme.
• Garlic. Simply crush your whole garlic cloves, no need to mince them because they could burn.
• Seasoning. Salt and pepper primarily, but we have found a yuzu citrus salt which is phenomenal!
• Lemon. Slices and zest.

How to Butter Poach Lobster

Prepare the Lobster

1. Similar to our Lobster Stock, we need to prepare the lobster first by removing the meat form the shells. 
   
2. To do that, start by wearing gloves to avoid being scratched by any sharp bits of the shell. 
3. Use a sharp scissors and cut along the inside of the tail (where the shell is thinnest). 
   
4. Use your hands to gently pull away the meat from the shells and separate them. 
   
5. Then again, use your hands to gently pull away the meat out of the shell entirely. 
   
6. You should be left with whole lobster tail meat, and plenty of shells.

Cook in the Butter Bath

1. You’re going to start the butter bath by adding in your unsalted butter to a sauce pan over medium heat.
   
2. Once the butter begins to melt, you’re going to remove the foam on the top. And then you’ll begin to flavor the butter by adding the herbs and garlic. Drop the heat to medium low and swirl the pan to infuse the butter. 
   
3. Now add the lobster tail meat, and season them with salt, pepper, citrus salt. 
   
4. Take a spoon and spoon the flavored melted butter right over the tails while swirling the pan. This will help the lobster cook all the way through. 
   
5. Flip the lobster, swirl the pan and keep basting the tops with the melted butter until the lobster has cooked. 

Finish and Serve Butter Lobster

1. It’s crucial before serving to strain the melted butter. First you’re going to remove the cooked lobster out of the sauce pan.
2. Over a medium bowl, place a sieve and then pour the butter sauce over the sieve. 
   
3. You’re going to be left with this liquid gold. Utterly delicious, luscious, rich and flavorful melted butter sauce that you’re going to LOVE!
   
4. Now on a plate, place the cooked lobster and drench in that butter sauce. 
5. Garnish with lemon slices, chopped chives, chilli flakes, lemon zest and extra salt or pepper if needed. 
6. Serve this luscious succulent butter poached lobster by spooning more and more of the butter sauce on top. SO GOOD! 

This 5 start restaurant worthy lobster recipe is all yours to make now and you’ll be making it more than you think! So give it a try and let us know how you enjoy it!

Butter Poached Lobster Tail Tips

1. Use Lobster tails for this recipe as they have the most meat, and save the shells to make Lobster Stock.
2. Watch the tutorial above to remove the meat from the shells carefully, and always use gloves.
3. To control the saltiness of your recipe, we recommend using unsalted butter.
4. Make sure to drop the heat once the butter has melted to avoid browning or burning. 
5. We prefer crushing the garlic rather than mincing or slicing it, tis is also to prevent burnt garlic in the sauce. 
6. Keep basting the lobster in the butter as you cook it to make sure it cooks well. 
7. Straining the sauce makes for a luscious, silky finish to the dish.
8. Keep any excess lobster meat or butter sauce in the fridge and use them endlessly! 
9. It’s best to serve the dish right away while the butter is still warm. 

What to Serve with This dish?

• Ultimate Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

• Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
• Panzanella Salad
• Scalloped Potatoes

How to Use Leftover Lobster Meat, Shells and Butter?

• Make our flavorful Lobster Stock using the shells.
• Try our Lobster Pasta with leftover meat and butter.
• Lobster Roll is so good with the leftover meat.
• Make Lobster Bisque, tacos (use our Mahi Mahi Tacos as a guide).

Can I make this dish in advance?

You can make the recipe in advance, and store the meat and butter separately in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm up the butter with the lobster in a sauce pan, covered over medium low heat until warm. 

What is the difference between warm and cold water lobster tails?

Depending on where the fish is sourced from, so warm water lobster will be sourced from coastlines of California, Florida and warmer coasts. They’re usually more affordable and smaller in size compared to cold water ones. 

The cold water lobsters, sourced from colder coastlines like Maine and Canada have claws, bigger size, more meat and more expensive to buy. 

When it comes to taste, the cold water is far more superior with a sweeter, cleaner taste and delicate meat. Feel free to experiment with both and decide based on your taste and the price point.

5 from 6 votes

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Butter Poached Lobster

Butter Poached Lobster is a luxurious lobster recipe that's restaurant quality, succulent, gourmet and so easy to make at home. In fact, you'll realize that it's the easiest and tastiest way to cook lobster and you'll never go back! Heres a video and step by step tutorial on cooking succulent lobster tails.

Course main, Main Course, Main Dish, Seafood

Cuisine American, French

Keyword butter poached lobster, butter poaching, how to cook lobster, how to cook lobster tail, lobster, lobster recipe, lobster recipes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 318 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

Lobster

• 4 lobster tails shells removed as below.

Butter Poaching

• 10-12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
• 6 cloves garlic crush or sliced into half
• 3-4 sprigs Rosemary fresh
• 4-5 sprigs thyme fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon salt sea salt or citrus salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Garnish

• 1 lemon slices and zest
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons chives minced or fresh herbs

Instructions

1. Similar to our Lobster Stock, we need to prepare the lobster first by removing the meat form the shells.
   
2. To do that, start by wearing gloves to avoid being scratched by any sharp bits of the shell.
3. Use a sharp scissors and cut along the inside of the tail (where the shell is thinnest).
   
4. Use your hands to gently pull away the meat from the shells and separate them.
5. Then again, use your hands to gently pull away the meat out of the shell entirely.
   
6. You should be left with whole lobster tail meat, and plenty of shells.
7. You're going to start the butter bath by adding in your unsalted butter to a sauce pan over medium heat.
   
8. Once the butter begins to melt, you're going to remove the foam on the top. And then you'll begin to flavor the butter by adding the herbs and garlic. Drop the heat to medium low and swirl the pan to infuse the butter.
   
9. Now add the lobster tail meat, and season them with salt, pepper, citrus salt.
   
10. Take a spoon and spoon the flavored melted butter right over the tails while swirling the pan. This will help the lobster cook all the way through.
    
11. Flip the lobster, swirl the pan and keep basting the tops with the melted butter until the lobster has cooked.
12. It's crucial before serving to strain the melted butter. First you're going to remove the cooked lobster out of the sauce pan.
    
13. Over a medium bowl, place a sieve and then pour the butter sauce over the sieve.
14. You're going to be left with this liquid gold. Utterly delicious, luscious, rich and flavorful melted butter sauce that you're going to LOVE!
    
15. Now on a plate, place the cooked lobster and drench in that butter sauce.
16. Garnish with lemon slices, chopped chives, chilli flakes, lemon zest and extra salt or pepper if needed.
    
17. Serve this luscious succulent butter poached lobster by spooning more and more of the butter sauce on top. SO GOOD!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Butter Poached Lobster Tail Tips

1. Use Lobster tails for this recipe as they have the most meat, and save the shells to make Lobster Stock.
2. Watch the tutorial above to remove the meat from the shells carefully, and always use gloves.
3. To control the saltiness of your recipe, we recommend using unsalted butter.
4. Make sure to drop the heat once the butter has melted to avoid browning or burning. 
5. We prefer crushing the garlic rather than mincing or slicing it, tis is also to prevent burnt garlic in the sauce. 
6. Keep basting the lobster in the butter as you cook it to make sure it cooks well. 
7. Straining the sauce makes for a luscious, silky finish to the dish.
8. Keep any excess lobster meat or butter sauce in the fridge and use them endlessly! 
9. It's best to serve the dish right away while the butter is still warm. 

What to Serve with This dish?

• Ultimate Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

• Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
• Panzanella Salad
• Scalloped Potatoes

How to Use Leftover Lobster Meat, Shells and Butter?

• Make our flavorful Lobster Stock using the shells.
• Try our Lobster Pasta with leftover meat and butter.
• Lobster Roll is so good with the leftover meat.
• Make Lobster Bisque, tacos (use our Mahi Mahi Tacos as a guide).

Can I make this dish in advance?

You can make the recipe in advance, and store the meat and butter separately in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply warm up the butter with the lobster in a sauce pan, covered over medium low heat until warm. 

What is the difference between warm and cold water lobster tails?

Depending on where the fish is sourced from, so warm water lobster will be sourced from coastlines of California, Florida and warmer coasts. They're usually more affordable and smaller in size compared to cold water ones. 

The cold water lobsters, sourced from colder coastlines like Maine and Canada have claws, bigger size, more meat and more expensive to buy. 

When it comes to taste, the cold water is far more superior with a sweeter, cleaner taste and delicate meat. Feel free to experiment with both and decide based on your taste and the price point.

Nutrition Facts

Butter Poached Lobster

Amount Per Serving

Calories 318 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 18g113%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 156mg52%

Sodium 568mg25%

Potassium 213mg6%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 1076IU22%

Vitamin C 18mg22%

Calcium 86mg9%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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