Cowboy Butter for Lobster Tails
When you think of a perfect mouthwatering and delicious food, lobster tails and a bright, buttery finish often come to mind. Not every butter is used to enhance the taste and texture of your food, but cowboy butter is a game-changer ingredient to make heavenly good cowboy for lobster trails.
If you have ever wondered how to transform a delicate lobster tail into a showstopper, cowboy butter for lobster tails game-changer. Its buttery, garlicky, and spicy flavor will give your taste buds an unforgettable experience.
In this guide, you will discover what cowboy butter is and why it works so well with lobster tails. Here is a detailed recipe and some grilling and serving tips. If you want a detailed recipe of this incredibly delicious compound butter, visit: cowboy butter recipe.
Why is cowboy butter for lobster tails the perfect combination
Prepare to turn your dinner from average to legendary. We’re using decadent, buttery lobster tails and then combining them with a dipping sauce so divine, you’ll want to put it on everything. It is not ordinary butter sauce; this is Cowboy Butter. It’s big, spicy, and foully delicious, and just what the sweet flesh of lobster needs.
We can make steaks, seafood, corn, stir-fried veggies, and breads with this silky blend of butter. Cowboy’s butter for lobster tails is a perfect compound butter to enhance their natural sweetness without overpowering it. If you dont know what compound butter is, check out here compound butter.
Cowboy Butter for Lobster Tails
Course: Sea Food4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
4 lobster tails, medium to large in size (approximately 6-8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
lemon juice
Notes
Ingredients for the Cowboy Butter Sauce:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4-5 cloves garlic, or garlic powder
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley,
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives,
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish Juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, if desired)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper,
- cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground Pinch of salt
How to Prepare Lobster Tails with Cowboy Butter
Follow the easy steps to enjoy restaurant-quality food in the comfort of your home. We will begin by preparing the butter mixture and then proceed with cooking the cowboy butter for lobster tails to perfection.
Step 1: Prepare the Easy Cowboy Butter Sauce.
First, let’s prepare the star of the dish. Preparing the sauce in advance enables the flavors to blend gloriously together.
- Melt the Butter: Melt the two sticks of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Place the minced garlic and the finely chopped shallot in the melted butter. Sauté for approximately 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until they soften and become fragrant. Be cautious not to burn the garlic.
- Mix the Ingredients: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the herbs and spices: chopped parsley, chives, Dijon mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, lemon zest, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
- Taste and Season: Stir the sauce well to mix all the ingredients. Taste the butter mixture and add anything you feel it requires. It should be zesty, a little hot, and intensely savory. Put it aside while you cook the lobster.
Step 2: Prepare the Lobster Tails
- Making cowboy butter for lobster tails delectable requires some preparation. The ‘butterfly’ method gives for even cooking, a beautiful presentation, and your guests will definitely admire the lobster meat.
- If your lobster tails are frozen, ensure that they are thawed completely. The best way to do this is to place the lobster tails in the refrigerator the day before.
- To butterfly the lobster, place a lobster tail on a cutting board and position the shell’s side to face up. Use a sharp knife, while starting on the meaty end, cut along the shell’s top, starting from the meat end and ending on the tail fins. Make sure the cut does not go all the way to the end of the tail.
- Use your fingers to break the shell apart. After this, run your fingers along the shell to loosen the meat.
- Lift the meat from the lobster while keeping the tail attached to it. This gives that restaurant-style appearance to cowboy butter for lobster tails; repeat the process for all tails.
Step 3: Cooking the Lobster Tails
- Boil lobster tails (optional): Boiling is one of the quickest and most efficient methods to cook lobster tails.
- Preheat the boiler: Place the oven rack approximately 5 inches away from the broiler element and preheat on high.
- Prepare the baking sheet: Position the prepared lobster tails on a baking sheet.
- Boil the lobster tails: Boil for 5–7 minutes (cooking time depends on the size of the tails). The lobster is done when the meat turns white and the internal temperature reaches 140–145°F.
- Add cowboy butter sauce: In the final minute of cooking, spoon a generous amount of cowboy butter sauce over each lobster tail.
- Finish under the boiler: Boil for a further 30–60 seconds until the butter is foamy and lightly browned.
And that’s how you make perfect cowboy butter for lobster tails.

Tips for the Ideal Cowboy Butter and Lobster
- Use High-Quality Butter: Because butter is the foundation of the sauce, use high-quality European-style butter for optimal flavor.
- Fresh is Best: Although dried herbs can do in an emergency, fresh parsley and chives make a dramatic difference in the overall taste of the cowboy butter recipe.
- Taste and Adjust: Don’t hesitate to adjust the level of red pepper flakes and horseradish to your taste. Use less and add more along the way.
- Don’t Overcook the Lobster: Lobster flesh cooks rapidly. Watch carefully that it doesn’t get tough and rubbery. The flesh should be just opaque.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve the lobster tails hot with the leftover warm cowboy butter on the side for dipping sauce. This dish is great served with roasted asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes, or plain green salad. You’ve got to Try This Recipe for perfect cowboy butter for lobster tails.
This cowboy butter for lobster tails recipe is a showstopper. It pairs the lobster with a bold, exciting sauce that’s surprisingly easy to prepare. The tangy, savory taste of the butter slices through the fattiness of the lobster to create an absolutely balanced, decadent meal.

Whether you’re having a special occasion or want to treat yourself to something fantastic, this recipe does not disappoint. So go ahead, assemble your ingredients and get prepared to impress. You’ll be surprised at how simple cowboy butter for lobster tails is to prepare, and how it turned out such a fantastic and elegant dinner.
FAQs:
1. What else can I use cowboy butter on apart from lobster?
The good thing about cowboy butter is that it can go on almost anything! It is really great on top of grilled steak, chicken, or pork chops. It is also great on sautéed shrimp, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, and it can be spread on warm, crusty bread. Also, cowboy butter for lobster tails is a heavenly combination.
2. Can I prepare cowboy butter in advance?
Yes! Cowboy butter can be made 3-4 days in prior and kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will actually be more delicious as the flavors meld during that time. It just needs to be gently reheated on the stovetop before serving. If you are making cowboy butter for lobster tails, keep the butter log out of the refrigerator prior to.
3. Will I still get good flavor if I switch fresh herbs for dried ones?
The flavor profile of fresh herbs is still better compared to dried ones. If you are in a time crunch, dried ones are still good to use. For a rough estimation, use a third of the quantity of fresh ones. In this case, you can use anywhere between one to two teaspoons of dried parsley. It also goes well with cowboy butter for lobster tails.
4. Do you have a shallot substitute?
If you do not have a shallot, you may use a small quantity of minced yellow onion or red onion. You may use approximately 2 tablespoons of minced onion as a substitute.
5. How do I know if my lobster tails are cooked to perfection?
The only way to know for sure is by looking and the temperature. The lobster meat will change from clear to a milky white, opaque color. For the most precise measure, use an instant-read thermometer; it should be 140-145°F in the center. Don’t overcook the cowboy butter for lobster tails; otherwise, it will be tough.
6. How do I thaw frozen lobster tails?
The best way to do it is to thaw them slowly in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This makes the meat thaw consistently and keeps its texture. In case you are pressed for time, you can put the lobster tails in an enclosed plastic bag and immerse them in cold water for 30-60 minutes, replacing the water every 15 minutes until they thaw completely, which helps you make the cowboy butter for lobster tails on time.
7. Do I need to “butterfly” the lobster tails?
No, but it makes a lovely presentation and ensures the meat cooks evenly. Alternatively, you can cut the tails in half lengthwise and cook them shell-side down, brushing exposed meat with the cowboy butter as it cooks for a perfect texture given to your cowboy butter for lobster tails.
8. What are the best side dishes with cowboy butter for lobster tails?
Cowboy butter for lobster tails, goes well with a variety of sides. Old standards are a baked potato, roasted asparagus, or a plain side salad with light vinaigrette. For something more filling, have it with creamy polenta, rice pilaf, or pasta topped with the reserved butter sauce.
