Perfectly Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
This Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe makes grilling lobster at home easy, fun and delicious. The lobster tails are juicy, tender and have the perfect char from the grill.
If you like this recipe, try my Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Thighs, Blackened Grilled Chicken Thighs with Avocado Cucumber Salad or my Mediterranean Grilled Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Juicy grilled lobster. This recipe shows you step by step how to perfectly grill lobster tails so they are juicy and tender.
Impressive. Grilled lobster tails are always a huge attraction at any event. They look beautiful and taste amazing.
Easy to make. Follow the simple steps outlined below for perfectly grilled lobster tails.
Recipe Ingredients for Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
- Lobster: This recipe calls for three, 9-ounce lobster tails. However, you can use larger or smaller tails.
- Avocado Oil: This recipe calls for avocado oil. You’ll use it to brush the lobster meat before grilling and to lubricate the grill grates to prevent sticking.
- Clarified Butter: You’ll need clarified or drawn butter for this lobster tail recipe.
- Herbs: Freshly chopped parsley is a great way to garnish this dish.
- Lemon: Freshly sliced lemon wedges enhance the flavor of the buttery lobster and taste this dish to the next level.
Pro Tips for Grilling Lobster Tails
- Preheat the grill to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Brush the grill grates ensuring they are clean. Dirty grates can cause the lobster meat to turn black.
- Lubricate half of the grill grates with avocado oil right. Before adding the lobster tails. Add foil to the second half of the grill. So, the left side should have avocado oiled grates and the right side should have foil.
How to Make Clarified Butter
Melt salted butter in small saucepan over low heat, without stirring. Let the butter simmer for roughly 10 minutes, or until it is fully melted and milk solids separate from the fat.
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Skim off any foam using a small ladle or spoon. Slowly pour off clear yellow liquid, leaving behind the residue of milk solids that has settled to bottom of pan. The golden liquid butter is now drawn and ready for the lobster.
How to Make Grilled Lobster Tails
Prepare the Lobster Tails
Step 1: Trim the meat that is hanging from the top of the lobster tail. This meat has been exposed to a lot of elements and could have an unpleasant flavor.
Step 2: Once the meat is trimmed, grab your kitchen shears and cut through the top of the shell lengthwise. Stop right before you hit the tail fan.
Step 3: Grab a sharp knife and cut the lobster in half leaving the tail fan and a small portion of the tail intact.
Step 4: Spread the lobster open at the slit. Carefully release the lobster meat from the shell about ¾ of the way up. Leave a small portion of the tail and the tail fan intact. Once the meat is gently released; nestle it back into the shell.
Prepare the Grill
Preheat the grill to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brush the grill grates ensuring they are clean. Dirty grates can cause the lobster meat to turn black which will taste bad and be visually unappealing.
Lubricate half of the grill grates with avocado oil directly before adding the lobster tails. Add foil to the second half of the grill. The left side of the grill should have avocado oiled grates and the right side should have foil.
The best way to lubricate the grill grates is to tightly roll a towel, and dip it in avocado oil. Use metal tongs to hold the rolled towel and rub the grates. This will remove any grit from previous cooking. Make sure to use an old, clean towel you do not care about getting dirty.
Grill the Lobster
Brush the prepared lobster meat with a touch of avocado oil. Next, add the prepared lobster tails to the hot grill that has been lubricated with avocado oil. Meat side down. Be careful as the avocado oil can flare up.
Cook for 6-8 minutes meat side down. Cooking time will vary based on size of the tails and temperature of the grill. If the tails are getting too dark, turn the heat down.
Using tongs, carefully flip the tails over and place them on the side of the grill that has the foil. They should easily release from the grates.
Pro Tip: Use the tongs to grab the tails from the tail fan / bottom of the tail area to flip them over.
Once the tails are right side up on the foil, (shell on the foil) brush them with melted clarified butter. Grill for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the tails are cooked through.
Pro Tip: The reason you add the tails to the foil is to prevent a massive flare up from the butter. The foil acts as a layer between the grill flame and the butter preventing the tails from burning. It captures any butter that would have leaked down into the flames.
Once the tails are cooked through, remove them from the grill. Serve with extra clarified butter, lemon wedges and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a nonstick skillet or in the microwave. The microwave can cause the meat to become a touch rubbery.
What Can I Serve with Grilled Lobster Tails
Try my Greek Pasta Salad, Zucchini Salad, Sautéed Vegetable Salad, Lebanese Rice, Fruit Salsa, Greek Lemon Potatoes .
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! A touch of paprika, kosher salt, old bay seasoning or garlic powder would add extra flavor. Add the seasoning after basting the tails with butter.
Yes! The meat will become tough and rubbery. That said, it is better to be slightly overcooked than undercooked. Undercooked lobster meat is unpleasant and virtually inedible.
Lobster meat should reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure doneness.
When sliced, it should be completely white in color. No gray or translucent areas.
Once thawed, lobster meat is best used within 24-36 hours for the freshest taste.
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
Place the frozen lobster in a sealed bag in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This will catch any juices that run off the lobster. If it is not fully thawed, you can submerge the sealed bag in cold water. Change the water every 20 minutes until the lobster is fully thawed. Make sure the lobster is fully submerged to prevent and food safety concerns.
Yes! You can add lightly crushed whole garlic cloves to add an extra layer of flavor. Remove the garlic cloves before basting the lobster with melted butter.
Use a good pair of kitchen shears.
Add leftover lobster meat to soups, salads, or make a delicious Lobster Roll.
Other Grilled Recipes to Consider Trying
Perfectly Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
Equipment
- 1 gas grill
- 2 baking trays
- 2 sheets foil
- 1 metal tongs
- 1 kitchen shears
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 lobster tails, roughly 9 ounces each
- 1.5 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for the grill grates
- 1 stick butter, clarified and divided; use half for basting and half for dipping
- 1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
- 3 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
How to Make Clarified Butter
- Melt salted butter in small saucepan over low heat, without stirring. Let the butter simmer for roughly 10 minutes, or until it is fully melted and milk solids separate from the fat.Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Skim off any foam using a small ladle or spoon. Slowly pour off clear yellow liquid, leaving behind the residue of milk solids that has settled to bottom of pan. The golden liquid butter is now drawn and ready for the lobster.
How to Make Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
Prepare the Lobster Tails
- Trim the meat that is hanging from the top of the lobster tail. This meat has been exposed to a lot of elements and could have an unpleasant flavor.
- Once the meat is trimmed, grab your kitchen shears and cut through the top of the shell lengthwise. Stop right before you hit the tail fan.
- Grab a sharp knife and cut the lobster in half leaving the tail fan and a small portion of the tail intact.
- Spread the lobster open at the slit. Carefully release the lobster meat from the shell about ¾ of the way up. Leave a small portion of the tail and the tail fan intact. Once the meat is gently released, you can nestle it back into the shell.
Prepare the Grill
- Preheat the grill to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit.Brush the grill grates ensuring they are clean. Dirty grates can cause the lobster meat to turn black which will taste bad and be unappealing.
- Lubricate half of the grill grates with avocado oil right. Before adding the lobster tails. Add foil to the second half of the grill. So, the left side should have avocado oiled grates and the right side should have foil.The best way to lubricate the grill grates is to tightly roll a towel, and dip it in avocado oil. Use tongs to hold the rolled towel and rub the grates. This will also get off and grit from previous cooking so make sure it is an old, clean towel you do not care about getting dirty.
Grill the Lobster
- Brush the prepared lobster meat with a touch of avocado oil. Add the tails to the side of the hot grill that has been brushed with avocado oil, meat side down. Be careful as the avocado oil can flare up.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes meat side down. Cooking time will vary based on size of the tails and temperature of the grill. If the tails are getting too dark, turn the heat down.
- Using tongs, carefully flip the tails over and place them on the side of the grill that has the foil. They should easily release from the grates. Pro Tip: grab the tails from the tail fan / bottom of the tail area to flip them over.
- Once the tails are right side up on the foil, (shell on the foil) brush them with melted clarified butter. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the tails are fully cooked through.
- Once the tails are cooked through, remove them from the grill, Serve with the reserved clarified butter, lemon wedges and a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
