Grilled Lobster Tails

Grilled lobster tails brushed with garlic butter and cooked over medium high heat until tender and smoky. The shell protects the meat while it grills, keeping it juicy. Serve with lemon wedges and extra butter for dipping.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, seafood

Keyword: butter, grilled, grilled lobster tails, lobster, quick

Servings: people

Calories: 106kcal

Author: Vanjo Merano

Cost: $$

Equipment

1 Kitchen shears For cutting through the lobster shell
1 Grill Gas or charcoal
1 Basting Brush Silicone works best
1 Instant read thermometer To check for doneness
1 Wooden skewers Optional, keeps tails flat

Ingredients

4 pieces lobster tails cleaned, about 6 to 8 oz each
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
cooking oil spray high heat resistant for grilling
2 pieces lemon wedges for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and set half aside for dipping. Keep the other half warm for basting.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place the lobster tail on a cutting board with the top shell facing up. Use kitchen shears to cut down the center of the top shell, starting from the open end toward the tail fin. Stop before you reach the fin.
4 pieces lobster tails
Gently pull the shell apart to expose the meat. Keep the bottom shell intact. Lift the meat slightly and rest it on top of the shell. Insert a skewer lengthwise through the meat to keep it flat.
4 pieces lobster tails
Preheat your grill to medium high heat, around 400°F to 450°F. Spray the grates with cooking oil.
cooking oil spray
Brush the exposed lobster meat with garlic butter. Season with a little salt and pepper.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place the tails on the grill meat side down. Cook for 4 minutes until you see light grill marks.
4 pieces lobster tails
Flip the tails shell side down. Brush with more garlic butter and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the meat is opaque and the internal temperature reaches 135°F to 140°F.
4 pieces lobster tails, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Remove from the grill and place on a serving plate. Brush one more layer of garlic butter on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve with the reserved garlic butter for dipping.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 2 pieces lemon wedges

Notes

Cooking time per ounce – A good rule is about 1 minute of total cooking time per ounce of lobster tail. A 6 oz tail takes 6 to 8 minutes total, while an 8 oz tail takes 8 to 10 minutes.

Cold water vs warm water lobster – Cold water lobster from Maine or Canada has firmer meat and a sweeter taste. Both types work well for grilling.

Charcoal vs gas grill – Charcoal gives a slightly smokier flavor, but gas works just as well for this recipe.

Make extra butter – Double the garlic butter recipe so you have plenty for both basting and dipping at the table.

Serving suggestion – Pair with grilled corn on the cob or filet mignon for a surf and turf dinner.

Nutrition