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Air Fryer Lobster Tail

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Butterflied lobster tails cooked in the air fryer with a compound garlic butter that bastes the meat as it cooks, producing tender, juicy results with minimal overcooking risk.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Lobster Tails:
  • 2 lobster tails, 6 oz each (fresh or fully thawed from frozen)
  • Compound Garlic Butter:
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced finely (or pressed through a garlic press)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Finishing and Serving:
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Lemon wedges
  • Extra butter, melted, for dipping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Thaw lobster tails if frozen: refrigerator overnight is ideal. If pressed for time, place tails (still in sealed packaging) under cold running water for 30 minutes. Do not thaw at room temperature or in warm water.
  2. Butterfly each tail: using kitchen shears, cut straight down the center top of the shell from the wide end toward the tail fan, stopping before the fan. Use a knife to finish the cut through the meat without cutting the bottom shell. Spread the two shell halves apart and push the meat upward to sit on top of the split shell.
  3. Make the compound garlic butter: mix softened butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
  4. Season the exposed lobster meat with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread the compound garlic butter generously over the meat.
  5. Place the butterflied tails meat-side up in the air fryer basket. Cook at 380°F (193°C) for 8 minutes for 6 oz tails, or until the meat is opaque and reaches an internal temperature of 140–145°F.
  6. Remove from the air fryer, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and melted butter for dipping.

Notes

For best results, use cold-water lobster tails (Maine, Canadian, or New Zealand) — they have firmer, sweeter meat than warm-water varieties.

Adjust cook time by tail size: 4 oz tails need about 5–6 minutes; 8 oz tails need about 10–11 minutes. Always verify doneness with an instant-read thermometer.

Frozen IQF (individually quick frozen) tails perform identically to fresh when properly thawed overnight in the refrigerator.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-lobster-tail/