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I’d never considered making lobster at home until a few years ago. Like many people, I thought it was strictly “fancy restaurant food” that would be too complicated for my kitchen. When my husband ordered it at our anniversary dinner, I watched the waiter bring out this perfect looking tail and thought “there’s no way I could make that.”
Turns out, I was wrong about lobster being difficult to prepare. With sous vide cooking, you get consistently good results every time – no guessing about doneness, no worrying about tough meat. The butter poaching part might sound fancy, but it’s really just letting the lobster cook slowly in melted butter, which is way easier than it sounds.
Why You’ll Love This Butter Poached Lobster
- Restaurant-quality results – Sous vide cooking ensures perfectly cooked lobster every time – no more guessing or overcooking these precious tails.
- Foolproof method – The precise temperature control of sous vide takes away all the stress of cooking expensive seafood, making this fancy dish surprisingly easy to master at home.
- Incredibly tender texture – The gentle cooking process and butter poaching method result in the most tender, succulent lobster meat you’ve ever tasted.
- Simple ingredients – With just lobster, butter, garlic, and lemon, this recipe lets the natural sweetness of the lobster shine through without any complicated ingredients.
What Kind of Lobster Tails Should I Use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to look for cold-water lobster tails, which typically come from Maine or Canada and have sweeter, more tender meat than their warm-water cousins. Cold-water tails have slightly whiter meat when raw and will turn a pearly, opaque white when cooked. While you can use warm-water lobster tails (often from Florida, the Caribbean, or Latin America), they tend to be more stringy and less flavorful. When shopping, look for tails that are frozen or previously frozen – this is totally normal since most lobster tails are frozen right after catching to preserve freshness. Just make sure they’re thawed completely before cooking, and avoid any tails with discoloration or a strong ammonia smell.
Options for Substitutions
While some ingredients in this recipe are essential, there are a few substitutions you can make:
- Lobster tails: This is the star of the show and really shouldn’t be substituted. However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, large shrimp or scallops can work using the same method, but reduce the cooking time by half.
- Butter: For the best results, stick with real butter. While you could use ghee, other substitutes like margarine or oil won’t create the same rich, poaching effect. If using ghee, use the same amount as butter.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but in a pinch, you can use garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon for every 2 cloves) or pre-minced garlic (1 teaspoon per clove).
- Lemon juice: If fresh lemons aren’t available, you can use bottled lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) or white wine vinegar (start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste).
- Parsley: Feel free to swap parsley with fresh chives, dill, or tarragon. If using dried herbs instead of fresh, use just 1/3 of the amount as they’re more concentrated.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest challenge when cooking lobster tails is timing – even a few minutes too long can turn your luxurious seafood into tough, rubbery disappointment, which is why maintaining a precise temperature of 140°F in your sous vide water bath is crucial. A common mistake is not properly removing the lobster meat from the shell before cooking – make sure to carefully cut through the top of the shell and gently lift the meat, leaving it attached at the tail end for presentation. When preparing the butter sauce, avoid rushing the process by adding cold butter all at once, instead slowly incorporate room temperature butter piece by piece to achieve a smooth, emulsified sauce that won’t separate. For the best flavor development, don’t skip the 15-minute resting period after cooking, as this allows the lobster to fully absorb the buttery goodness while staying perfectly tender.
What to Serve With Lobster Tails?
When you’re serving butter poached lobster tails, you’ll want sides that complement but don’t overshadow that sweet, tender meat. A simple risotto or angel hair pasta tossed with olive oil and herbs makes a perfect base for soaking up all that amazing butter sauce. For vegetables, roasted asparagus or steamed green beans keep things light and fresh, while a crusty piece of French bread is perfect for catching every drop of sauce. If you’re going all out for a special dinner, start with a light mixed green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to set the stage for your main course.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: Cooked lobster tails are best enjoyed right away, but if you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. The butter sauce can be stored separately in another container – this helps maintain the lobster’s texture better.
Prep Ahead: You can prep the garlic-lemon butter sauce up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. Just warm it up gently when you’re ready to cook your lobster. The parsley can also be chopped ahead and kept in a damp paper towel in the fridge.
Gentle Reheating: To enjoy leftover lobster, warm it up slowly to avoid making it tough. The best way is to place it in a sealed bag and dip it in warm (not hot) water for about 5-7 minutes. You can also warm the butter sauce separately in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 45 minutes |
| Total Time | 60-65 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 800-1000
- Protein: 60-80 g
- Fat: 70-90 g
- Carbohydrates: 5-10 g
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 lobster tails
- Kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons butter, split in half
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Juice from 1/2 lemon (for sauce)
- Chopped parsley (for topping)
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)
Step 1: Prepare the Water Bath
Preheat a water bath to your desired temperature using an immersion circulator.
For reference, 135 degrees F is a preferred choice for lobster.
Ensure that the water reaches the correct temperature before proceeding to the next step.
Step 2: Prepare the Lobster Tail
Use kitchen shears to cut down the middle of the soft underside of the lobster tail.
Cut along the sides where the soft shell meets the hard shell, then peel off the underside.
Slide your fingers between the meat and the hard shell to loosen and gently lift the meat out.
Lightly season the lobster meat with kosher salt.
Step 3: Bag and Seal the Lobster
Place the seasoned lobster meat into a bag.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter per lobster tail, distributing it evenly within the bag.
Use a handheld vacuum seal bag for gentle sealing or a zipper top bag with the water displacement method to remove air.
Seal the bag securely.
Step 4: Cook the Lobster in the Water Bath
Add the sealed bag to the preheated water bath, ensuring that the zipper part of the bag stays above water.
A chip clip can help to clip it to the side of the container.
Allow the lobster to cook in the water bath for 45 minutes.
Step 5: Prepare the Garlic Butter Sauce
While the lobster is cooking, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.
Add minced garlic to the melted butter and cook until just browned and fragrant.
Remove the sauce from heat and squeeze the juice from half a lemon into it.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley to finish the sauce.
Step 6: Serve the Lobster with Sauce
Once the lobster is done cooking, remove it from the bag and prepare to serve.
Drizzle or serve alongside the garlic butter sauce.
Garnish with additional parsley as desired and provide lemon wedges for squeezing over the lobster before enjoying.