Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (2024)

Published February 2, 2023.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This delicious poached butter lobster recipe is cooked in white wine and butter for an amazing mouthwatering seafood dish. You will be blown away by the flavors in this lobster recipe.

I’m a huge fan of cooking and serving seafood because it’s simple to prepare and cooks in minutes. If you are similar and love it, you must try mySicilian Swordfishor myBlackened Salmon.

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (1)

Butter Poached Lobster

Butter-poached lobster is a simple recipe consisting of fresh lobster meat cooked in butter and wine poaching liquid until cooked through. This process adds a lot of flavor and fat to lobster, making it more delicious. It’s delicious to serve the liquid alongside the cooked lobster.

Once the lobster is done cooking, it can be eaten as is, or the entire dish, along with the poaching liquid, can be tossed with cooked and strained pasta for a delicious pasta recipe. You can also use the butter-poached lobster as a garnish to lobster bisque.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (2)
  • Wine – I like to use sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay.
  • Butter – Always use unsalted butter in your cooking and baking so that you control the salt content.
  • Lobster – Any fresh, frozen, and thawed lobster meat from the tails, knuckles, or claws.

How to Make Butter Poached Lobster

Add the wine and butter to a small saucepan over low heat.

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (3)

Once the butter is melted, add the lobster meat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes over low heat. If you cook it too fast, the lobster releases a white protein substance known as pellicle, which is edible but aesthetically undesirable.

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (4)

Flip the lobster over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the lobster is bright white and firm but not overcooked. Serve.

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (5)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This butter-poached lobster is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.

How to Store: Once the cool, cover and keep it in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 days. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of poached lobster and the poaching liquid to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until hot.

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (6)

Chef Notes + Tips

  • If the lobster is overcooked, it will get very chewy.
  • This is uniquely salty, so be sure to taste it first before seasoning it.

More Seafood Recipes

  • Salmon Burger
  • Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
  • Oysters Rockefeller
  • Clam Chowder
  • Mahi Mahi Tacos

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (7)

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Butter Poached Lobster Recipe

Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (8)

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5 from 12 votes

This delicious poached butter lobster recipe is cooked in white wine and butter for a fantastic mouthwatering seafood dish.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 pound uncooked lobster meat

Instructions

  • Add the wine and butter to a small saucepan over low heat.

  • Once the butter is melted add in the lobster meat and cook over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. If you cook it too fast the lobster releases a white protein substance known as pellicle, which is edible, but aesthetically undesirable.

  • Flip the lobster over and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the lobster is bright white, and firm, but not overcooked.

  • Be sure to taste it first, but you can season it with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This butter-poached lobster is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.

How to Store: Once the cool, cover and keep it in the poaching liquid in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 days. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of poached lobster and the poaching liquid to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until hot.

If the lobster is overcooked, it will get very chewy.

This is uniquely salty, so be sure to taste it first before seasoning it.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 0.2gProtein: 19gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 482mgPotassium: 237mgSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 354IUCalcium: 99mgIron: 0.3mg

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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22 comments

    • Panie
    • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (9)

    Tastes great 👍

    • Reply
    • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (10)

        excellent!

        • Reply
      • Diana Lupinacci
      • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (11)

      Love this. Soooooooo easy and delicious.

      • Reply
        • Nora Jones
        • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (12)

        Made this with leek risotto for Valentine’s Day dinner……it was spectacular

        • Reply
      • Marianne Saelzler

      Looking forward to making this recipe tonight!

      • Reply
      • Christa Lehosky

      Could I use Langostino in this recipe?

      • Reply
      • sue
      • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (14)

      Oh boy tis a yum ChefBilly thank you 😁😋

      • Reply
      • Donna A Pollock
      • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (15)

      Oh My Goodness Chef. I just got 5 lobsters at The Fish Market in my town. This is how I will prepare mine. This looks so delicious and mouth watering, I can almost taste it. It’s for nothing fancy at my house, just a big thank you to my 2 sons for being Great Boys, and always honoring their Mother. Thank you so much Chef Billy.
      You’re amazing too…

      • Reply
      • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (16)

          excellent!

          • Reply
        • Shirley
        • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (17)

        I love lobster. Thank you for this recipe. Absolutely delicious one of the best cooks ever.❤️

        • Reply
        • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (18)

            my pleasure!

            • Reply
          • Cardhu
          • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (19)

          Wow. Utterly sublime. Used this for two small tails with a pinot grigio over angel hair topped with cracked pepper and salt. Magnifique! So very tender and delicious! My new favorite way to have lobster.

          • Reply
            • Chef Billy Parisi

            thank you!

            • Reply
          • Jen
          • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (20)

          Absolutely delicious! The lobster was tender and sweet. We did use salted butter and the salt content was fine but we do like our food highly seasoned.

          • Reply
          • Daphne
          • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (21)

          Had a huge 1lb lobster tail. Cut it in half & poached as written. Absolutely perfect!!

          • Reply
          • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (22)

              awesome!

              • Reply
            • Lisa Lampert
            • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (23)

            I did my own spin on this recipe as I used it to cook my lobster then made homemade lobster ravioli. Every ravioli oozed a perfect bite and texture of lobster 🦞
            Made enough for an army thinking I’d freeze some but not a chance.
            Thanks Chef Billy Parisi for yet another perfect recipe for a non chef to follow

            • Reply
            • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (24)

                appreciate you trying it

                • Reply
              • April Black
              • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (25)

              Amazing recipe! So delicious and tasty!

              • Reply
              • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (26)

                  great!

                  • Reply
                • Duane Cary
                • Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (27)

                I made your butter poached lobster to go with some crab cakes. The buttery sauce was perfect for the lobster. I will be making this again soon.

                • Reply
              Butter Poached Lobster Recipe (2024)

              FAQs

              How do you poach with butter? ›

              Cut the butter into small cubes for even melting. In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over low heat until it reaches a temperature of 160-180°F (70-82°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Submerge the food in the melted butter, ensuring that it is fully coated.

              What kind of butter is best for lobster? ›

              If you're indulging in a fresh seafood meal that includes those shellfish, clarified butter - also known as drawn butter - is a must. Clarified butter is known as a "clean" butter in that certain solids are removed to leave only the pure butterfat.

              What does Gordon Ramsay poach his lobster in? ›

              Gordon Ramsay's butter-poached lobster is an alluring gourmet masterpiece, drenched in white wine and butter. This sumptuous seafood meal can be prepared in approximately 10 minutes and is sure to amaze any dinner guest.

              What is lobster butter sauce made of? ›

              This Creamy Lobster Butter Sauce is made simmered in lobster shells, and lobster meat for extra flavor, butter, cream, parmesan cheese and a few simple seasonings. What is this? Lobster Butter Sauce is creamy and serves well over just about any type of pasta.

              Do you poach with lid on or off? ›

              Keep pan tightly covered with a lid during cooking. This creates steam to help cook ingredients that are sitting above the liquid, and helps stop liquid evaporating. Once liquid has boiled, reduce heat to a simmer. Do not boil during cooking, as this will make the chicken tough.

              What does putting butter in boiling water do? ›

              Not only does it season the corn, but it also helps give it a delectable texture, more delicate and soft than the average cob. Indeed, this "butter bath" method is also frequently used for adding richness to sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes.

              What is the most flavorful way to cook lobster? ›

              Simply place lobster tails into simmering water and poach for about 5-7 minutes until the meat is opaque and firm. This cooking method rewards a very tender and savory lobster tail. We bet you're craving some sweet, succulent lobster right about now.

              How do you cook lobster so it's not rubbery? ›

              Cover the pot with the lobster tails in boiling water with a lid. Keeping the pot covered is essential, as this will help steam the lobster tails evenly and thoroughly. Let the lobster tails steam for 8-10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Be careful not to overcook them, making them tough and rubbery.

              What is the preferred cooking method for lobster? ›

              Steaming cooks whole lobsters more slowly than boiling, so it reduces the chance of overcooking and offers more control. It also makes less of a mess! Go with steaming if you plan on serving whole lobster at a sit down dinner. Keep the lid on tight to keep in the steam.

              What to serve with poached lobster? ›

              In addition to any fresh vegetable or salad, hearty options like mashed potatoes, baked potato, or angel hair pasta with a lemon sauce are good options.

              What is the GREY meat in lobster? ›

              The Color Test

              If the lobster meat is turning gray or brown, it's likely gone bad and needs to be thrown away.

              Why is it called poor mans lobster? ›

              Monkfish is groundfish, meaning it swims and feeds along the bottom of the ocean. It's known to some as "the poor man's lobster" because of its firm, sweet, and delicious taste similar to lobster tails, and to some as "all mouth", because most of the fish is taken up by the head and most of the head is mouth.

              Why do people dip lobster in butter? ›

              People who use butter do it because they like the taste of seafood dipped in butter. There's no great mystery here. You can try it to see whether you like it.

              Why do you put butter on lobster? ›

              It may help to add an extra layer of flavor when making lobster. To use clarified butter for cooking, start by melting it down in a saucepan at medium-low heat. When prepping your lobster dish of choice, brush some clarified butter onto each piece of lobster meat before putting them on the preheated skillet or grill.

              Is clarified butter the same as butter for lobster? ›

              If it's for any kind of seafood, like dipping lobster, melted butter is just fine. If it's for frying or sauteing, clarifying butter would be a better option.

              How do you poach in cooking? ›

              How to Poach Food
              1. Find a suitable size high-rimmed fry pan or pot to fit the food to be poached.
              2. Bring poaching liquid to a boil.
              3. Add the food to be poached.
              4. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer (light ripples on the surface of the poaching liquid, not boiling)
              5. Poach the food until desired doneness​

              What to do with butter after poaching? ›

              Add the ingredient you are poaching to the butter and maintain the temperature just below 190°F until finished. The leftover beurre monte _can be reused but it will not stay emulsified once cooled. Serve it as a simple melted or softened butter with bread, or clarify it for use in a hollandaise sauce.

              What is it called when you boil butter? ›

              Clarified butter, or ghee, is pure butterfat–butter with the milk solids and water removed. It can be used as a sauce by itself, a base for other sauces or as a cooking agent. Make this delicious and versatile staple at home!

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