Here’s a Southern-Style Deep-Fried Lobster recipe—crispy, golden, buttery, and packed with that classic Southern seasoning. This method gives you tender lobster meat wrapped in a crunchy, flavorful crust. Perfect for special dinners or seafood platters!
🦞 Southern Deep-Fried Lobster Tail Recipe
⭐ Serves: 2 (can scale up)
⏱ Total Time: ~25 minutes
🧾 Ingredients
Lobster
- 2 lobster tails (6–8 oz each)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne (optional but Southern-approved!)
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (for the wet batter)
Wet Batter
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Dry Batter / Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (makes it extra crispy)
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp salt
For frying
- Vegetable oil or peanut oil (heated to 350°F / 175°C)
For serving
- Melted garlic butter
- Lemon wedges
- Cajun or remoulade sauce
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the lobster tails
- Use kitchen shears to cut the top shell down the center.
- Gently pull the meat out and place it on top of the shell (or completely remove shell for easier frying).
- Pat meat dry.
- Season with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
2. Mix the wet batter
In a bowl, whisk together:
- Buttermilk
- Egg
- Hot sauce
- Salt and pepper
Set aside.
3. Mix the dry coating
In a separate bowl, mix:
- Flour
- Cornstarch
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne
- Salt
🫧 4. Bread the lobster
- Dip seasoned lobster meat into the dry mixture first.
- Then into the wet buttermilk batter.
- Then back into the dry mixture, pressing to coat fully.
This double dip is what gives it Southern crunch!
🍤 5. Deep fry
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully lower lobster tails into the oil.
- Fry 3–5 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- The meat cooks fast—don’t overcook!
- Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
🧈 6. Serve
Enjoy immediately with:
- Melted garlic butter
- Lemon wedges
- Cajun mayo or remoulade
- Fresh parsley on top
✨ Tips & Variations
🔥 Extra crispy trick
Add 1–2 tbsp of the wet buttermilk to the flour mixture and rub with your fingers to create “crispies.”
🧄 Garlic Cajun Butter Sauce
Melt:
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- ½ tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
- Squeeze of lemon
Pour over the fried lobster right before serving.
🍤 Nashville Hot Lobster?
Toss freshly fried lobster in a butter–cayenne mixture for spicy Southern heat.
If you’d like, I can give you:
🔥 A Cajun deep-fried version
🧄 A butter-poached then fried version
🍽 Full Southern seafood platter instructions
Just tell me!
