Smoked Lobster Tails With Garlic Butter (Printable version)

Tender smoked lobster tails with rich garlic butter. An elegant, impressive main course for special occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 lobster tails (about 6 oz each), thawed if frozen

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tsp lemon zest
06 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
08 - ½ tsp kosher salt
09 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - Lemon wedges
11 - Extra parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your smoker to 225°F using mild wood chips such as apple or cherry.
02 - With kitchen scissors, cut down the center of the top shell of each lobster tail, stopping at the tail fin. Gently pry the shell open and lift the meat, resting it on top of the shell.
03 - In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to create the garlic butter.
04 - Brush each lobster tail generously with the garlic butter mixture, reserving some for basting and serving.
05 - Place the prepared lobster tails directly on the smoker grates, meat side up. Smoke for 40–45 minutes, or until the lobster meat is opaque and reaches an internal temperature of 140–145°F. Baste with more garlic butter halfway through cooking.
06 - Remove from the smoker and drizzle with any remaining garlic butter. Garnish with lemon wedges and extra parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The smoker infuses the sweet lobster meat with a subtle woodsy depth you cannot achieve any other way
  • That garlic butter with smoked paprika creates a flavor that makes people instantly ask for the recipe
  • It feels like a restaurant quality dish but comes together with minimal hands on time
02 -
  • Overcooking lobster makes it tough and rubbery so keep a close eye on that internal temperature
  • The shell protects the meat but basting halfway through keeps everything from drying out
  • Letting the tails rest for just a couple minutes after smoking helps them retain all those juices
03 -
  • Pat the lobster tails dry before buttering them to help the smoke stick better
  • If the shells are curling too much, place a small weight on top during the first few minutes
  • Have a meat thermometer ready because visual cues can be tricky with the smoke coloration

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