Butter Poached Lobster Tail – Foodie and Wine

By Editor On Dec 8, 2024

Butter poached lobster is the epitome of luxury. This technique infuses the lobster meat with rich butter and aromatics like garlic and herbs, elevating the lobster’s natural sweetness.

There are a few dishes I refuse to order at a restaurant and lobster tail is one of them. With a few simple ingredients, you can master making butter poached lobster tail at home for any special occasion; think date night, Valentine’s day, or Christmas Dinner. Skip the expensive restaurants.

Serve it with a side of garlic butter sauce or even cajun sauce for dipping.

Lobster Tails Poached In Butter

Lobster is naturally sweet and delicate, and poaching it in butter takes it to another level of richness. Unlike boiling or steaming, where the lobster can lose some flavor to the cooking water, butter poaching locks in every ounce of the lobster’s essence. It’s also ridiculously easy and doesn’t require a steaming basket. That’s a win-win.

Butter has a relatively low cooking temperature, which ensures that the lobster cooks gently, maintaining its tender texture without becoming rubbery or tough. The cooking style is very similar to making Sous Vide Lobster Tail.

You can also use butter poached lobster meat to add it to other recipes, such as Lobster Ravioli, Truffles with Pasta or even Truffle Mashed Potatoes.

Lobster tails, butter and lemon on a baking sheet.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make butter-poached lobster tails, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients:

Fresh Lobster Tails – Lobster tails are the best cut for butter poaching because they are easy to handle and yield a good amount of meat. Any size will work.
Unsalted Butter – Use high-quality butter to poach your lobster. Unsalted butter gives you more control over the seasoning and allows you to flavor the butter to your liking.
Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor, but garlic powder can be used in a pinch if necessary.
Fresh Herbs – If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dried herbs can be substituted, but use them sparingly as they are more concentrated.
Fresh Lemon Juice – do not use bottled lemon juice. It must be fresh.

How to Make Butter Poached Lobster

Prepare the Lobster: Start by thawing lobster tails if they’re frozen. Remove the meat from the shells. If you need visuals to aid in the removal of the shells, I have a step-by-step guide in my Baked Lobster Tails recipe post.

Prepare the Poaching Liquid: Slowly melt the butter in a small/medium skillet over medium-low heat.

Prepare the Butter Mixture: Whisk in minced garlic and your chosen fresh herbs to the butter. Let them cook for 5 minutes to release their flavors into the butter.

Poach the Lobster: Add the lobster tail meat to the skillet and cook for 5-8 minutes, depending on the tail size. You’ll flip the meat every 1-2 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 140-145°F. The meat will be white and opaque.

side by side photos showing cooked and uncooked lobster meat.

Serve and Enjoy: Once done, remove the lobster from the butter and serve it immediately, drizzling some of the infused butter on top for extra richness.

Expert Tips

Frozen Lobster: Make sure to thaw the lobster tails before cooking. Here’s How To Thaw Lobster Tails.

Keep the Temperature Low: Butter poaching is a slow cooking method, so make sure the butter doesn’t bubble or boil. A temperature of 180°F is ideal.

Use A Digital Thermometer: An instant-read thermometer will help you monitor the butter’s temperature and prevent overcooking the lobster.

Clarify the Butter: Skimming off the milk solids (foam) when melting the butter will ensure your butter stays smooth and prevents it from burning. This isn’t a “must do” step but adds to the final texture. See the picture below for a visual of what the milk solids look like.

Variations

Butterfly The Meat – While not typical, I like to butterfly the meat so the melted butter sticks to the “nooks and crannies” when serving.

White Wine – Add a splash of sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio to the skillet before adding the butter for extra flavor. Let it cook for a few minutes before adding the butter to burn out the alcohol.

Lobster Meat – Cold water lobster tails yield the most meat. However, you can also use this method to cook claws, knuckles, or even whole lobsters.

Cajun Lobster – Use cajun sauce and cajun seasoning instead of the basic garlic butter.

Instructions

Pre-heat a small skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat (180°F max). Add the water and let it heat for about 30 seconds. Add one piece of butter and whisk into the water. Once melted, repeat with another piece of butter.
Whisk in the garlic, herbs, and salt.
Whisk in another piece of butter. Repeat until all 16 pieces of butter have been incorporated. Let cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors infuse. Aim to keep the temperature of the poaching liquid between 170°F-185°F.
Optional: Skim the milk solids (foam) off the top of the butter.
Add the lobster tails in a single layer.
Poach for approx. 5-8 minutes, flipping every 1-2 minutes, until the meat is opaque throughout and the internal temperature is 140-145°F.
Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining butter sauce and lemon wedges.

Notes

Note 1 – If you prefer to poach in the shell, just cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise.
Note 2 – This is the time to use high quality butter.

Nutrition