Broiled Jumbo Lobster Tail
Chapter 4: Beyond the Steak
The classic American steakhouse does not deal in restraint. When the tableside spoon-basting of the dry-aged porterhouse concludes, the arrival of a massive, ruby-red, butter-drenched lobster tail serves as the ultimate flex. This decadent staple relies entirely on proper sourcing and ruthless technique: dense cold-water Maine lobster, the iconic piggyback presentation, and an unapologetic bath of clarified butter. The home cook must abandon guesswork—probe the meat and pull it from the heat at exactly 135°F.
Before you start
Clarify the butter.
Melt the unsalted butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat without stirring. Skim the white milk solids off the top, then carefully pour the clear golden butterfat into a warm bowl, leaving the remaining solids behind.
Split the lobster shells.
Place the tails shell-side up on a cutting board and cut straight down the center of the hard upper shell with heavy-duty kitchen shears, stopping one inch before the tail fan.
Release the meat.
Flip the tail over and make shallow slits in the thin underside membrane. Flip back over, pry the shell halves apart with your thumbs, and slide your fingers beneath the meat to detach it, leaving it connected only at the base of the fan.
Piggyback the tails.
Pull the meat up and through the split shell, squeeze the empty shell halves slightly together, and rest the meat directly on top. Score the center to remove the digestive tract, and prop the meat up by sliding a lemon wedge between the flesh and the shell.
Ingredients
- cold-water Maine lobster tails2 large
- unsalted butter1 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- sweet paprika1/2 tsp
- lemon wedges2 small
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the broiler.
Position an oven rack five to six inches below the broiler element and preheat the oven to high.
- 02
Season and baste.
Place the prepared piggyback tails on a heavy-duty aluminum baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet. Generously baste the exposed lobster meat with the warm drawn butter, then sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and sweet paprika.
- 03
Broil to temperature.
Place under the broiler for approximately one minute per ounce of tail. At the six-minute mark, insert a digital instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
- 04
Pull at exactly 135°F.
Once the internal temperature reaches 135°F to 140°F and the meat turns opaque white, immediately remove it from the oven to prevent the flesh from becoming tough and rubbery.
- 05
Finish and serve.
Baste the meat with another spoonful of drawn butter and serve immediately alongside your steak, accompanied by extra lemon wedges and individual ramekins of the remaining drawn butter.
Notes
Source cold-water lobster exclusively.
Warm-water or spiny lobsters lack the dense, sweet resilience required for high-heat broiling and will turn mushy under the intense heat.
Do not skip clarifying the butter.
Standard whole butter contains milk solids and water that will instantly burn and smoke under the intense, direct heat of the broiler.