Outback Steakhouse is famous for their delicious lobster tails served with a side of rich, indulgent lobster butter. The creamy, flavorful lobster butter complements the sweet lobster meat perfectly. If you love Outback’s signature lobster dish, you’ll be excited to know that you can easily recreate their famous lobster butter at home.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the simple process of making lobster butter just like Outback Steakhouse. With only a few ingredients and minimal effort, you can make this delicious compound butter that is the ideal dipping sauce for lobster, crab, shrimp and more. Read on to learn how!
Overview of Lobster Butter
Lobster butter, also known as drawn butter, is a flavored compound butter used as a dipping sauce for seafood. It is typically made by slowly melting butter and then mixing in lemon juice, white wine and seasonings.
The process of “drawing” the butter refers to melting it and skimming off the milk solids, leaving behind the clear golden liquid fat. This helps give the butter a richer consistency and flavor.
Outback Steakhouse’s signature lobster butter has a simple ingredient list but complex, indulgent flavor. Learning how to make it at home allows you to enjoy that same restaurant-quality dipping sauce anytime.
Benefits of Making Your Own Lobster Butter
There are several advantages to making your own Outback-style lobster butter at home:
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Cost savings – Making it yourself is much cheaper than buying premade lobster butter.
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Customization – You can tweak the recipe to your tastes by using different herbs citrus juices, etc.
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Quality ingredients – With homemade, you control the ingredients and can use high quality butter, wine, etc.
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Fun weekend project – Whipping up a batch of lobster butter is an enjoyable weekend cooking project
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Impress guests – Serve your homemade lobster butter with lobster tails or crab legs for an impressive appetizer or meal.
So if you want to save money, impress dinner guests, or simply enjoy the best quality lobster butter, follow this easy recipe and make it at home!
How to Make Lobster Butter Like Outback
Making rich, flavorful lobster butter is simple with just a few ingredients. Here is an overview of what you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter – 1 cup
- White wine – 1/4 cup
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
- Salt & pepper – pinch
- Optional: chopped parsley, garlic, lemon zest
Equipment:
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or spoon for mixing
Now, let’s go over the easy step-by-step process:
Step 1: Melt the Butter
Start by melting 1 cup of high quality, unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Go slowly, melting on low so the butter doesn’t burn. The solids will separate and sink to the bottom as the butter melts.
Step 2: Skim off Milk Solids
Once melted, use a spoon to skim off and discard the milk solids that rise to the top. You want clear, golden melted butter.
Step 3: Add Wine, Lemon Juice and Seasonings
Next, whisk in the white wine, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add any other seasonings you want like minced garlic or parsley.
Step 4: Simmer the Mixture
Let the mixture simmer together on low for 5-10 minutes so the flavors blend. Make sure to keep stirring.
Step 5: Cool and Serve
Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Transfer to a ramekin or small bowl to use for dipping seafood.
And that’s it! In just about 15 minutes, you have the most delicious lobster butter to pair with your favorite seafood. The butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week – just reheat gently before using.
Tips for Making Perfect Lobster Butter
Follow these tips for getting the tastiest lobster butter every time:
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Use high quality European-style butter for the best flavor. Irish or French butters like Kerrygold are ideal.
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Cook the butter slowly over low heat to prevent burning.
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Let the wine simmer for a bit to mellow the acidity and burn off the alcohol.
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Add lemon zest or garlic for extra flavor if desired, but keep it simple.
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Season carefully with small amounts of salt and white pepper.
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Serve the lobster butter warm – not hot or cold.
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Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme leaves if you want to get fancy.
How to Serve Lobster Butter Like Outback
Outback Steakhouse serves their lobster tails split open with the tail meat placed over the top shell. The cooked lobster meat is drizzled or dipped into the hot lobster butter.
To serve lobster butter like Outback at home:
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Cook lobster tails by boiling, steaming or baking until the meat is opaque.
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Split tails open and loosen meat, keeping shell intact.
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Arrange lobster meat attractively over top of shell.
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Pour hot lobster butter into small ramekins for dipping.
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Offer lemon wedges for squeezing over meat before dipping in butter.
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Enjoy immediately while lobster is hot!
The rich, decadent lobster butter complements the sweet lobster perfectly. Dip the meat in the butter or drizzle it over top. It’s also great for dipping crab legs, shrimp, scallops or fresh bread!
Lobster Butter Recipe Variations
Once you master the classic Outback-style recipe, get creative with these delicious variations:
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Lemon Dill Lobster Butter – Add 2 tsp minced fresh dill
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Garlic Lobster Butter – Stir in 1 clove minced garlic
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Parmesan Lobster Butter – Mix in 1/4 cup grated parmesan
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Cajun Lobster Butter – Add 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
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Chipotle Lobster Butter – Use 1 tsp chopped chipotles in adobo
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Herb Lobster Butter – Mix in 2 tsp each parsley, tarragon, chives
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Compound Lobster Butter – Fold in cooked lobster meat
The possibilities are endless for customizing your own signature lobster butter!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about making lobster butter:
What kind of white wine should I use?
A good, dry white wine like a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc works best. Avoid sweet wines.
Can I use lemon extract instead?
Fresh lemon juice is best for flavor, but you could substitute 1/4 tsp lemon extract if needed.
Is salted butter ok to use?
Unsalted butter is preferable so you can control the saltiness of the finished sauce.
Should I clarify the butter?
Clarifying is unnecessary since you skim off the milk solids after melting.
How long does lobster butter last?
It will keep for 3-4 days refrigerated. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
It’s best to use real butter for flavor. Margarine lacks the rich, creamy quality you want.
Enjoy Restaurant-Quality Lobster Butter at Home
Recreating Outback Steakhouse’s famous lobster butter at home is simple and so rewarding. In just minutes, you can make this luxurious, flavorful sauce that perfectly complements lobster and other seafood.
Use high quality ingredients, melt the butter slowly, and simmer everything together for a bit for the tastiest results. Customize your lobster butter by adding fresh herbs, garlic, citrus zest and more.
Impress your family or guests at your next seafood dinner with homemade lobster butter that rivals your favorite restaurant. Dip lobster tails, shrimp, crab legs and more in this rich, indulgent sauce for a real treat.