Crockpot Butter-Poached Lobster and Scallops

Imagine lifting the lid of your slow cooker to reveal tender Maine lobster tails, plump sea scallops, and sweet corn bathed in fragrant tarragon clarified butter. This is steakhouse luxury made effortless at home.

With just five ingredients and a slow cooker, you can create a dinner that feels special enough for a celebration yet simple enough for a weeknight. The gentle, low heat of the Crockpot does all the work, infusing the seafood with buttery richness while keeping it moist and tender.

This recipe turns your slow cooker into a poaching vessel for the most luxurious seafood dinner. Split lobster tails and dry sea scallops are gently cooked in warm clarified butter with sweet corn and fresh tarragon.

The result is lobster meat that is pearlescent and butter-tender, scallops that are silky and sweet, and corn that soaks up all the savory flavors.

It's a dump-and-go dish that requires minimal prep and delivers maximum flavor. Whether you're hosting a special occasion or simply treating yourself, this Crockpot butter-poached lobster and scallops will become a favorite.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker provides a gentle, consistent heat that poaches the seafood perfectly. Unlike boiling or pan-searing, this method prevents the delicate proteins from seizing up, resulting in lobster and scallops that are incredibly tender and moist. The clarified butter acts as a rich cooking medium, carrying the flavors of tarragon and corn into every bite.

Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, so it won't brown or burn during the long, slow cook. It also allows the natural sweetness of the lobster and scallops to shine. The low temperature ensures that the seafood cooks evenly without becoming tough, making this method foolproof even for novice cooks.

Notes and substitutions

Use dry sea scallops—they haven't been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, so they sear and poach better without releasing excess water.

If you can only find wet scallops, pat them very dry before adding them to the slow cooker. For lobster, fresh or frozen tails both work; if frozen, thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight before splitting.

Clarified butter is easy to make at home by melting unsalted butter and skimming off the milk solids. You can also use ghee, which is widely available. Fresh tarragon is essential for its delicate anise-like flavor; dried tarragon is more potent, so use it sparingly. Sweet corn can be fresh, frozen, or canned—just drain canned corn well.

• clarified butter: ghee or regular unsalted butter (if using regular butter, skim foam during poaching)
• Maine lobster tails: rock lobster tails or large shrimp (adjust cooking time for shrimp to 30-40 minutes)
• dry sea scallops: bay scallops (reduce cooking time to 60 minutes)
• fresh tarragon: 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, added to the butter

Equipment

• 6-quart slow cooker (Crockpot)
• Measuring cups
• Tongs
• Serving spoon
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife