Description
Garlic Confit Butter Lobster Tails are a decadent and flavorful seafood dish perfect for summer barbecues. Slow-roasted garlic confit is blended with fresh herbs and butter, then used to baste succulent lobster tails grilled to perfection. The lobster is lightly seasoned, char-grilled with lemon slices, and served with a rich garlic herb butter for an elegant and savory main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Seafood
- 1.5 kg lobster tails (3.3 pounds)
Garlic Confit
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (250 mL)
Garlic Butter
- 250 g salted butter at room temperature (1/2 pound)
- 30 g chives, roughly chopped (1 oz)
- 30 g parsley, roughly chopped (1 oz)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 1 lemon (sliced into 4 cm rings)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 130 degrees Celsius to prepare for slow roasting the garlic.
- Prepare the Garlic: Separate all cloves from the garlic bulbs and place them into a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain. This loosens the skins for easy peeling.
- Roast Garlic in Olive Oil: Place peeled garlic cloves in an ovenproof dish and cover completely with olive oil, ensuring they are fully submerged to prevent burning. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes until cloves are tender and the oil bubbles slightly.
- Separate Cloves and Oil: Remove garlic cloves from the oil. Store the garlic-infused olive oil in a sterilized jar at room temperature for use in other recipes.
- Make Garlic Herb Butter: In a food processor, combine the garlic confit cloves, salted butter, chopped chives, parsley, salt, and pepper. Blend until thoroughly combined. Alternatively, finely chop herbs and mash together with softened butter and garlic by hand.
- Prepare Lobster Tails: Butterfly the lobster tails by cutting through the top of the shell with scissors and slicing down the middle without cutting through the tail end. Season the exposed meat with salt and pepper and drizzle with some of the reserved garlic confit olive oil.
- Preheat the BBQ Grill: Heat the BBQ grill to high, closing the lid to reach approximately 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Melt Garlic Butter: Melt half of the garlic herb butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Reserve the rest in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
- Grill Lobster Tails: Place lobster tails flesh side down on direct heat. Scatter lemon slices around the lobster and close the lid. Cook on medium-high for 6 minutes until flesh turns pink and is slightly charred.
- Flip and Baste: Using metal tongs, flip lobster tails and lemon slices. Baste the lobster meat with melted garlic butter, closing the lid and continuing to cook for 4 more minutes, basting every minute.
- Rest and Serve: Remove lobster tails and lemon slices from grill and let them rest briefly. Drizzle remaining melted garlic butter over lobster tails and squeeze charred lemon juice on top. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- This dish is perfect for a summery barbecue and pairs well with light salads or grilled vegetables.
- If you don't have a BBQ, grilling can be done under a hot oven broiler for similar results.
- The garlic confit olive oil can be stored at room temperature and used to enhance salads, pasta, or as a dipping oil.
- Make sure the garlic is fully submerged in olive oil while roasting to prevent burning and bitterness.
- Butter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, allowing flavors to deepen.
- Use kitchen shears for best ease when butterflying lobster tails.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lobster tail (375 g)
- Calories: 710 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 62 g
- Saturated Fat: 35 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
