Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking oil.

Place each tail shell-side down and use kitchen scissors to cut lengthwise through the top of the shell, stopping just before the tail fin. Gently pry the shell open and lift the meat slightly out, resting it on top.

In a small bowl, whisk melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth. You’ll see tiny bits of zest and garlic—those are flavor gold.

Spoon or brush half the butter mixture over each lobster tail, making sure to coat the meat and under the flaps. Save a little for basting midway.

For baked: place on the prepared sheet and roast 12–15 minutes, brushing once more at 8 minutes, until meat is opaque and just firm to the touch. For grilled: place tails meat-side up on the grill, cover, and cook 8–10 minutes, brushing halfway through.

The tail meat should reach 140°F and no longer look translucent—tiny ridges will form as it firms up. Overcooking will toughen it, so watch closely.

Remove from heat, spoon on any pooled butter, sprinkle chopped parsley, and serve immediately with warm lemon wedges.