Garlic Butter Lobster and Shrimp Platter

This garlic butter lobster and shrimp platter combines roasted lobster tails with shrimp cooked in a separate skillet. A clean portion of garlic butter is reserved before the raw lobster is brushed, providing a finishing sauce for the cooked seafood. Lemon and parsley complete the platter without covering the seafood in a heavy cream sauce.

Prepare the tails, dry the shrimp, and divide the butter before cooking. The lobster can roast while the shrimp cook, making it easier to bring both components to the table warm. Jump to the recipe card for measured ingredients and the original sequence.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Lobster and Shrimp

For the Lobster

• 4 raw lobster tails, 5 to 6 oz each
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For the Shrimp

• 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¾ tsp Old Bay seasoning or seafood seasoning
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Kosher salt, only if needed

For Serving

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Lemon wedges
• Cocktail sauce, optional

Keep the butter allocations separate

The lobster portion uses eight tablespoons of butter, with four tablespoons of prepared garlic butter reserved for serving. The shrimp have a separate two tablespoons of butter and their own garlic allocation. The lobster lemon juice is also divided between the clean serving butter and the brushing butter. Measure these portions before raw seafood touches any brush or bowl.

Use the listed raw lobster tails, approximately five to six ounces each, and peeled, deveined raw shrimp. Thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator. Old Bay or another seafood seasoning flavors the shrimp; add extra salt only if the blend needs it. Optional cocktail sauce belongs at the table rather than in the cooking butter.

How to Make the Lobster and Shrimp Platter

1. Prepare the lobster tails

Heat the oven to 425°F. Use kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the top shell without cutting through the tail fan. Loosen the meat, lift it over the shell, and rest it on top. Remove any visible vein and pat the exposed meat dry. Keep the tails arranged securely on a baking sheet or in a suitable dish.

2. Season the shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry and toss with Old Bay and black pepper. Add salt only if needed for your seasoning blend. Keep refrigerated while preparing the lobster butter. Drying helps the shrimp sear rather than releasing excess water into the skillet, which would dilute their small butter allocation.

3. Make and divide garlic butter

Melt the eight tablespoons of lobster butter over low heat. Add its four minced garlic cloves and cook for about 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from the heat. Transfer four tablespoons to a clean bowl and stir in one teaspoon of the lemon juice. Keep this portion and its utensils separate for serving.

4. Brush and roast the lobster

Add the remaining lobster lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper to the butter left in the saucepan. Brush over the exposed lobster meat. Roast for about 10–12 minutes, checking the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C), consistent with FDA seafood guidance. Tail size affects the final time.

5. Cook the garlic shrimp

Heat the olive oil and the shrimp’s two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add its minced garlic, then the seasoned shrimp. Cook in one layer for about 1–2 minutes per side, adjusting for size, until firm and opaque through the center. Work in batches if necessary instead of crowding the skillet.

6. Arrange and finish

Move cooked lobster tails and shrimp onto a clean serving platter. Spoon the reserved clean garlic butter over the seafood and sprinkle with parsley. Add lemon wedges and optional cocktail sauce. Do not use leftover butter or a brush that contacted raw lobster as an uncooked finishing drizzle.

Timing and Serving Tips

Have sides and serving utensils ready before the shrimp enter the skillet. The lobster’s oven stage gives you time to finish the shrimp, but monitor both rather than assuming every batch ends simultaneously. Remove seafood as it reaches doneness and avoid leaving completed pieces cooking while another component catches up.

Rice, mashed potatoes, asparagus, or bread pairs well with the lemon butter. For scallops alongside lobster, see garlic butter lobster and scallops. For a sandwich made with cooked lobster, try buttery New England lobster rolls.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow covered containers and reheat to 165°F throughout. Keep only the portions needed over heat, since lobster and shrimp both become firmer after repeated warming. Store sauces refrigerated as well and keep raw-seafood utensils separate from the cooked leftovers.

This platter is most appealing freshly assembled, when the lobster is tender, the shrimp have just finished cooking, and the butter is fluid. If serving a larger group, use additional cooking space or batches rather than increasing the pile of seafood on one crowded tray or skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Garlic Butter Lobster and Shrimp Platter Recipe Card