How to Grill Lobster Tails

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 17, 2020 References Tested

If lobster tails in the seafood case have caught your eye, pick up a few for a delicious meal. Mix together an easy garlic butter with fresh herbs and thaw the lobster tails. Use kitchen shears and a knife to butterfly each tail. Then spread each tail open and brush them with a little oil before you put them on a hot grill. Cook the tails and brush them with more of the herbed garlic butter before serving.

Ingredients

4 lobster tails
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil
1/2 cup (13 g) of salted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons (6 g) of chives
1 tablespoon (2.5 g) of tarragon leaves
1 clove of garlic
1 dash hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Makes 4 lobster tails

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Herbed Garlic Butter

1
Chop the chives, tarragon, and garlic. Get out a few sprigs of fresh tarragon and chives. Chop the fresh herbs to get 2 tablespoons (6 g) of chives and 1 tablespoon (2.5 g) of tarragon. You'll also need to mince 1 peeled clove of garlic. Spoon the fresh herbs and garlic into a bowl.^{[1]
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- Feel free to substitute any of your favorite fresh herbs for the chives or tarragon. For example, use fresh parsley or basil.
2
Put the butter, hot sauce, and black pepper in the bowl. Add 1/2 cup (13 g) of salted butter and a dash of hot sauce to the bowl with the fresh herbs. Sprinkle in a little freshly ground pepper according to your taste.^{[2]
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- It's important to use room temperature butter so it's easy to blend with the garlic and herbs.
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3
Blend the herbed garlic butter until it's smooth. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix the butter with the herbs and garlic. Keep stirring until the mixture is combined and the herbs are incorporated. Cover the butter with plastic wrap and set it aside.^{[3]
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- The herbed garlic butter should be soft enough to scoop with a spoon.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Cutting the Lobster Tails

1
Thaw frozen lobster tails overnight in the refrigerator. If you purchased frozen lobster tails, set 4 tails on a plate and put them in the refrigerator the night before you want to grill them.^{[4]
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- If you purchased fresh lobster tails, you can skip this step.
2
Remove the lobster tails from the fridge 1 hour before you grill. You'll need to bring the lobster tails to room temperature before you put them on the grill. Take the lobster tails out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter when you're ready to grill.^{[5]
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- Avoid leaving the lobster tails at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
3
Cut lengthwise through the tops of the lobster tails. Take a sharp pair of kitchen shears and cut through the center of the hard shell. Start near the wide end of the lobster tail and cut lengthwise towards the tip of the tail.^{[6]
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- It's important to stop cutting just before you reach the end of the tail. This will keep the lobster tail connected.
4
Use a knife to cut into the lobster tail flesh. Insert a sharp chef's knife into the line that you cut with the kitchen shears. Start near the tip of the tail and cut through the lobster flesh along the cut line. Ensure that you don't cut completely through the flesh so the tail separates.^{[7]
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- The lobster tail should look like a hinge once you've finished cutting.
5
Open the tail and season it with oil, salt, and pepper. Gently pull the tail open along the line you cut. The tail should now lay flat like a book. Then dip a pastry brush in a little of the olive oil and brush oil over the flesh of each lobster. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the tails.^{[8]
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- Cutting the tail and opening it will help the lobster tail cook evenly on the grill. It will also reduce the cooking time.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cooking the Lobster Tails

1
Heat the grill to medium-high heat. If you're using a gas grill, turn the burners to medium-high. If you have a charcoal grill, light a chimney full of briquettes. Once the briquettes are hot and lightly covered in ash, carefully dump them on one half of the grill.
- The temperature in the grill should be between 350 to 400 °F (177 to 204 °C).
2
Place the lobster tails flesh-side down on the grill. If you're using a charcoal grill, lay the tails directly over the coals. Leave at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) of space between each tail.^{[9]
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- The oil that you brushed over the lobster tails will prevent them from sticking to the grates of the grill.
3
Grill the tails for 5 minutes. Cover the grill and let the lobster tails cook until the flesh becomes lightly marked from the grill grate. The shells will become bright red.^{[10]
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- Keep in mind that it shouldn't be completely cooked at this point.
4
Flip and brush the lobster flesh with the garlic butter. Lift off the lid of the grill and use tongs to turn each tail over. Dip a barbecue brush into the herbed garlic butter you made and spread a little over each tail.
5
Grill the tails for 4 minutes or until they reach 140 °F (60 °C). Cover the lobster tails and grill them until they're opaque and bright white in color. Then insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the flesh. The tails should reach 140 °F (60 °C) once they've finished cooking.^{[11]
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6
Remove and serve the lobster tails. Transfer the tails from the grill to a serving platter. Brush the tails with more of the herbed garlic butter or set it on the side. Garnish the lobster tails with lemon wedges and chive sprigs.
- To store leftover lobster tails, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days.

Community Q&A

Question

What size lobster tails is this recipe for? In stores they sell 2 - 10 oz.

Michele

Top Answerer

It's hard to determine how long, since it's hard to know what temp your grill will be. It shouldn't take more than 4 minutes total cooking time, parboiling and/or grilling, for a 4 - 5 oz lobster tail. It's best to err on the side of caution and undercook, then check, by opening one up and looking at the center of the tail. You can always put it back on the fire. As soon as the flesh turns solid white throughout, it's done. If there is still a bit of translucency in the center, it's still good to go, but you don't want too much. If it's still too pink, put it back for another minute or two.
Question

Can I thaw lobster tails in cold water?

Michele

Top Answerer

To speed up defrosting, yes you can. Keep changing the water every 5 - 10 minutes until completely defrosted, or allow it to sit under cold running water.
Question

How long can I keep a lobster in the fridge?

Community Answer

A lobster tail can be refrigerated for 3-4 days before it is no longer fresh.