Lobster Tails with Lemon Garlic Butter

Cooking lobster doesn’t get easier than this, and yet who would have thought you could cook lobster in the air fryer!

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The hardest part of this recipe is cutting the lobster shell and pulling the meat out to rest on top of the shell, but be patient and this will be easy once you get the hang of it. Once you’ve conquered that prep step, the rest is a breeze.

The genius trick to this recipe is adding liquid to the bottom of the air fryer drawer (below the basket). By doing this and pre-heating for 5 minutes, you’ll create a moist environment to cook the lobster and that helps to keep the lobster from drying out. Don’t worry if you don’t want to use wine – try using chicken stock, orange juice, apple juice or even just water with the lemon slices.

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Lobster Tails with Lemon Garlic Butter

  • Prep Time: 15 m
  • Cook Time: 5 m
  • Total Time: 20 m
  • Servings:
    2

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
  • 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 6-ounce lobster tails
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ lemon sliced

Instructions

  1. Start by making the butter. Combine the butter, lemon zest and garlic in a small saucepan. Melt and simmer the butter on the stovetop over the lowest possible heat while you prepare the lobster tails.
  2. Prepare the lobster tails by cutting down the middle of the top of the shell. Crack the bottom shell by squeezing the sides of the lobster together so that you can access the lobster meat inside. Pull the lobster tail up out of the shell, but leave it attached at the base of the tail. Lay the lobster meat on top of the shell and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour a little of the lemon garlic butter on top of the lobster meat and transfer the lobster to the refrigerator so that the butter solidifies a little.
  3. Pour the white wine into the air fryer drawer and add the lemon slices. Pre-heat the air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the lobster tails to the air fryer basket. Air-fry at 370º for 5 minutes, brushing more butter on halfway through cooking. (Add a minute or two if your lobster tail is more than 6-ounces.) Remove and serve with more butter for dipping or drizzling.
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Comments (22)Post a Reply

  1. 5 stars
    Hello Meredith,
    I tried this lobster recipe, it is great and quick in the airfryer. Tails came out succulent! Thank you for your website. I’m not on Facebook, but I watch your cooking videos after clicking the link on this website or from my email. Thanks for that. So happy I’m not left out! I was introduced to you from QVC and I love you and find you are a wonderful chef and person. My son recently died; so I try to keep my mind busy by reading your website and then learning to convert your recipes to the airfryer and pressure cooker. I made your corned beef too! The best I’ve ever made. God bless you Meredith, and Good Luck with your future endeavors.
    Karen D. from NYC

    1. Karen, I’m so sorry to hear about your son. That is truly very sad. I’m glad you are trying to keep yourself busy, however and hope that cooking does help. ML

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Meredith, thank you for sharing your lobster recipe. I tried it and it turned out to be very good. At first I am a little flimsy at pulling the meat out of the shell. The second one was easier. The taste is great and every one loves it. I followed you since you were at QVC , bought your air fryer, pressure cook, cook book and etc. now I follow you here on Facebook. I tried a couple of your recipes and they all turned out great. Thank you for sharing.

  3. Thanks for this recipe. I am trying to use my air fryer more. Eliminating the boiling water is a plus. Question: does this recipe work for the frozen lobster tails sold on QVC? Meredith, miss you on QVC but thankfully I have your website–so enjoy it.

    1. Hi Patricia. Yes, this recipe will absolutely work with lobster tails sold on QVC, but I would let them defrost first.
      ML

  4. 5 stars
    I tried the Lobster Tails with Lemon Garlic Butter for Valentines Day. It was certainly easy, and well worth the small effort to produce such a lovey five star meal. I prefer plain lemon butter and my spouse likes garlic butter, the combination of both will be my go to from now on, it made the meal. I served it with roasted asparagus and dipped the vegetables in the butter, too. I have tried other recipes but never commented, but all of them were keepers. Thanks Meredith for such a special meal.

  5. I would love to try the lobster tails but not sure how I would go about it since, like most now, I do not own the little basket type air fryer. I have the Power XL air fryer oven with racks like a toaster oven instead of the small fryer basket. Wish you could possibly add a conversion for your recipes for those of us who do not own the older style air fryer.

    1. Just about all of the air fryer recipes on my website can be made in either the basket type or air fryer ovens you may just need to adjust the timing a bit. For this recipe you can follow the directions as written and put the water and lemon slices on the drip tray below the tray to create the moist heat for tender lobster tails.

    1. Hi Pamela. To bake lobsters in a conventional oven, bake at 350ºF for about 10 – 12 minutes for a 6 oz lobster tail.

  6. 5 stars
    Hi Meredith – LOVE all you videos and tips. I have made these, I sprinkle a little paprika on the tails to give them a little color.

    1. The larger lobster tails should take about 6 to 8 minutes. But I would keep an eye on them and check on it after 5 minutes.

  7. 5 stars
    I have ALL but given up cooking lobster.Normally bake in electric range oven,no matter how careful they always seem dry. To end an ugly 2020 decided to brave a
    lobster dinner. Bought some beautiful 8 oz tails.Also had a pkg in freezer of the 3-4oz size.Followed your recipe exactly and all I can say is my oh my!! Hubby says they were better then a restaurant:)I “fried”the smaller ones as well and for lunch today we had lobster salads.The smaller tails were so so moist.Thank you Meredith for your receipe/s.I so enjoy your blogs. Although I STILL miss seeing you on the Q.This is the only recipe I’ll use from now on.

  8. I’m trying this tonite but looking at the ingredients I see oil listed, but not what it is used for….

    1. Me neither!! That must have been a typo held over from another recipe. I’ve removed the oil. Thanks, Marie.

  9. Thanks Meredith! I have been unsuccessful making lobster for a long time. It is either come out dry or uncooked. Thanks to you. I have tried this and it was wonderful. Can you suggest an an internal temperature?
    Lynn

  10. I’m allergic to alcohol (I break out in handcuffs). What can I use to substitute the wine. I was thinking chicken stock.

    1. You could use beer if not allergic to it, or just water. I would use a seafood stock over chicken stock or you could use an alcohol-free wine or cooking wine.

  11. 5 stars
    We prepared this recipe last night, our usual New Year’s Eve dinner and hands down my daughter’s favorite. She was surprised it could be done in the air fryer. That is going to be the way we do lobster tails from now on.
    Thanks Meredith, your recipes never disappoint.

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