Grilled Lobster Tails
Butterflied lobster tails basted with garlic butter on a hot grill for sweet, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth shellfish that looks like a million bucks.
Split Cold-Water Lobster Tails (5–7 oz)
5–7 oz tails, split lengthwise through the shell, meat lifted onto the shell (butterflied)
grill Timer
Set for 8 mins @ Medium-High Heat (400°F / 204°C) (Flip at 5m)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 4 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Butterfly lobster tails by cutting through the top shell with kitchen shears and pulling meat up to rest on top of the shell.
Brush with garlic butter, season with paprika, salt, and a squeeze of lemon.
Grill meat-side down for 2 minutes, flip shell-side down and baste with more garlic butter for 5 to 6 minutes until opaque and 140°F.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges and remaining garlic butter for dipping.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top shell of 4 lobster tails (6 to 8 oz each), stopping at the tail fin. Gently pull the shell apart and lift the meat up so it sits on top of the shell. Press the shell halves together underneath the meat.
Butterflying looks impressive but is dead simple. One cut and a lift. The meat sitting on top of the shell keeps it off the grates and prevents sticking.
Melt 4 tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Brush the lobster meat generously with garlic butter and season with 1/2 tsp paprika and a pinch of salt.
Reserve half the garlic butter for basting on the grill and for serving alongside.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (400°F / 204°C). Place tails meat-side down for 2 minutes to get grill marks. Flip shell-side down and baste with garlic butter every 2 minutes. Grill for 5 to 6 more minutes until meat is opaque white and internal temperature reaches 140°F.
Lobster goes from perfect to rubbery in about 60 seconds. Watch it like a hawk and pull at 140°F, not a degree more.
Remove tails from the grill and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and a small bowl of remaining garlic butter for dipping.
This is a meal that gets eaten the second it hits the table. Do not let grilled lobster sit around.
Grilled lobster tails are the ultimate dad flex at a cookout. They cost less than you think when you buy them frozen and thaw overnight in the fridge. The butterflying takes 30 seconds per tail and makes you look like you trained at Le Cordon Bleu.
Remove the meat from the shell and cut into bite-sized chunks. Serve with melted butter for dipping instead of garlic butter.
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Coleslaw
- Garlic bread
Lobster is best fresh but can be gently reheated in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5 minutes with a splash of butter. Do not microwave.