Treat yourself to a lobster feast! Lobster dinners are seen as quite a delicacy, but you may not realize just how easy it is to cook. You can make the perfect dinner with lobster in your own kitchen with ease! The lobster tail is the best part of the lobster because it is the meatiest part. I see lobster tails at Costco frequently but especially around the holidays. There are a variety of ways to cook lobster and lots of opinions about the best way to cook it. Personally, I don’t mind which cooking process is used, so long as it is cooked through, still moist, and seasoned well. You can serve a lobster tail dinner for a special occasion, but it’s also easy enough to make for a weeknight meal too! This complete guide will show you how to cook lobster in 4 different ways – oven, air fryer, Instant Pot, and grill – each using very easy steps! If you love lobster and all things seafood, you’ll love these Marine Lobster Rolls, my Grilled Alaskan King Crabs Legs, these Baja Fish Tacos, and my Juicy Maryland Crab Cakes.
Why We Love This Recipe
Customize the flavor simply by adding some different herbs or spices. Lobster tail should be easy to find in your local grocery store, and you’ll already have everything else you need! Cooking lobster is quick and easy, any cooking method you use will take less than 20 minutes!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Lobster – We’ll use lobster tails, about 3-4 ounces each. Oil – Olive oil will give a great flavor, use another neutral-flavored oil if you prefer. Butter – Salted butter will slightly season the lobster, giving it a great flavor but if you use unsalted butter, add extra salt. Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch. Garlic – Freshly minced garlic will add a great depth of savory flavor but you can use garlic powder if you need to. Salt and Pepper – Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are best for enhancing the flavors. Garnish – Use fresh parsley or fresh thyme depending on your preference.
How to Make the Perfect Lobster Tail
Prepare lobster. Make butterflied lobster tails by using sharp kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut down the center of the tail top shell. Make sure to only cut the shell, not the meat! Carefully crack the shell open, lift out the meat, and place it on top of the shell. The meat should lift easily from out of the shell but remain connected at the end of the tail so it doesn’t fall off! Season lobster. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, butter, lemon juice, and garlic. Brush the garlic butter over the lobster tails. Season each lobster tail with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Oven
Bake in the Oven. Place the lobster tails on a rimmed baking sheet, on parchment paper or on a silicone mat. Bake them at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the lobster meat is firm and opaque (and the shells are bright red).
Air Fryer
Cook in Air Fryer. Place the lobster tails in your air fryer basket and cook at 350°F for 7 minutes, or until the lobster meat is opaque and firm.
Instant Pot
Add water. Place the trivet insert in the bottom of your Instant Pot and pour in ½ cup of water. Put lobster on the trivet. Place the lobster tails on the trivet and attach the lid. Cook. Set the Instant Pot to ‘Pressure Cook Manual’ for 2 minutes (it will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to pressurize). Release pressure. Then release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the “venting” position. The lobster meat should be opaque and firm but if it is not, attach the lid and allow the lobster tails to sit in the Instant Pot for an additional 5 minutes on the “Keep Warm” setting.
Grill
Preheat. Preheat a gas, charcoal, or pellet grill to high heat (around 400°F). Add lobster. Place the lobster tails on the grill with the meat side down for 5-6 minutes until you have nice grill marks. Flip. Turn the tails over with tongs and grill another 2-4 minutes, or until the lobster meat turns opaque and firm. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t get overcooked.
Tips for Success
Use a digital meat thermometer (affiliate link) in the thickest part of the tail to know exactly when your lobster is ready. The combination of olive oil and butter adds delicious flavor and helps the lobster tail meat brown slightly but if you don’t have both, either one will work well on its own! Lemon juice adds a bit of acidity and freshness to the lobster. Freshly squeezed lemon juice really makes a difference! Using fresh lobster tails will give you the best flavor.
More Seafood Recipes
Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta Grilled Whole Fish Mahi-Mahi Crusted with Macadamia Nuts Garam Masala Salmon Steaks San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew Shrimp Sheet Pan Fajitas
More Favorites from House of Nash Eats
Authentic San Francisco Cioppino Seafood Stew (Italian Seafood Stew)
Angel Hair Shrimp Pasta with Tomato and Basil
The BEST Smoked Salmon Chowder with Bacon
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