The special-occasion standard, butterflied so the meat rides above the shell, basted with garlic butter under the broiler. Simpler than its price tag implies.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
2
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Lobster — tails, 180 g each
Butter — melted
Garlic — grated
3 steps
Method
1
Butterfly: cut the top shell down the middle with scissors, stopping at the tail fan. Lift the meat up through the split to rest on the shell.
Why this works
The piggyback presentation isn't vanity — raised meat cooks evenly and self-bastes in the butter.
2
Brush with the garlic-paprika butter. Broil 10 cm from the element, 8–10 minutes, basting once, until the meat is opaque and 60°C.
9 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Rest 2 minutes; more butter, lemon, parsley. Serve with the remaining butter for dunking rights.
2 min — timer available in cooking mode
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Buttery Chardonnay — the cliché is correct.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.