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How to Grill Lobster Tails
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
The easiest way to grill lobster tails.
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Grilling
Servings: 2
Author: Rex
Ingredients
  • Lobster tail s
  • Skewer s - one per lobster tail
  • 1/4 stick of butter per lobster tail
  • 1 clove of garlic per tail
  • 1 tsp of lemon juice per tail
  • salt
  • pepper
Instructions
  1. The first step is to light your fire. If you have a gas grill light only half of the grill to high, if you are using charcoal place all of the coals to one side. You want to cook the tails over medium heat or else the tails will dry out. Also you don't want to cook over direct heat as the garlic lemon butter that we are going to baste the tails with will catch fire. Flame-ups will cook the tails too quickly and you will end up with dried out meat.
  2. The next step is to make the garlic lemon butter. I find that it is easiest to melt the butter in a microwave. Feel free to melt it over the stove and clarify it. Since we are going to baste the tails with the butter I find that a coffee cup is the perfect vessel to melt the butter. Then you can use the handle when you are basting the tails. Place the butter in the cup.
  3. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the cup.
  4. Roll the lemon so that you can break up the internal structures of the lemon. This will allow you to easily juice it. Then add the juice to the cup along with a pince of salt and a couple of cracks of fresh pepper.
  5. Place in the microwave for a minute. This will melt it nicely. Mix it and return it to the microwave. Right before you need it, zap it for another 30 seconds.
  6. Next comes the lobsters. Try to use at least 6oz Lobster Tails
  7. Using a nice pair of kitchen shears, cut a slit down the back of the lobster tail all the way to the tail fan.After cutting the shells you can butterfly the meat with a knife. To do this, cut about a 1/4 inch into the meat following the same cut as the shell.
  8. Flip over the lobster tail so that it is on its back. Making sure that the lobster is flat, insert a skewer right underneath the tail fan. Then push it through the center of the meat to the other end.
  9. Place the skewer just in front of the fan part of the tail and push it through the center of the meat. This will prevent the lobster tail from curling. A straight tail is pretty tail.
  10. Place the tails cut side down on the grill right on the edge of the heat zones. Right between the hot and cool sides of the grill. The first half of cooking is without the butter so flare-ups won't be a problem.
  11. Place right on the edge of the hot and cold zones of the grill.
  12. Cook for 7-8 minutes and then flip the tails. Move them over a bit just until they are not directly over the coals. Cook with the lid closed. While the tails are cooking, reheat the garlic lemon butter and bring it grill side.
  13. Next baste the tails with the garlic lemon butter. Make sure to get a lot of the butter into the sliced portion of the shell.
  14. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Cook with the lid closed checking frequently for flare-ups. If you see flare-ups, spray the fire with a little water. I keep a spray bottle near the grill for these instances.
  15. When the meat is opaque, it is done. Remove from the grill. Baste one more time with the butter and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  16. Remove the skewers and serve. I like to serve the tails over rice with a side of lemon. Once the meat has rested, you can easily wiggle it out of the shell or leave it in the shell for a nice presentation.
  17. Remove the skewer, prop up the meat and serve over rice with lemon
Recipe Notes

Note - If you purchased live lobsters, bisect the lobster head with a chef knife. This will instantly kill the lobster and sever all nerve fibers. The lobster will feel no pain. This will be the humane way of putting the lobster out of its misery. There really is no kind way to put this. Sorry. If you hate the sound of this, you can always throw it into a pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes. This is less hands on and still does the job.