Grilled Lobster Tail with Lemon Garlic Butter
On December 04, 2019 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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This Grilled Lobster Tail with a Lemon Garlic Butter is a fun, festive, and fantastic way to enjoy lobster. No need to be intimidated by this; by following my recipe and instructions, anyone can make a fancy lobster tail at home!
Grilled Lobster Tail
Grilled lobster tail is an amazing way to enjoy seafood. It’s buttery and sweet with the perfect texture; it’s no wonder lobster is a prized delicacy. The white flesh is a really mild flavor, and the garlic butter combined with this lobster is pure magic. Lobster and butter are like peanut butter and jelly in tuxedos. They go together beautifully, and make for the most fancy and magical dinner ever.
Today, I’m here to help you feel comfortable in the kitchen and at the grill so you can cook a lobster tail to perfection. Lobster can be a bit temperamental if it is overcooked, so having a meat thermometer on hand will be your very best friend.
Bottom line: This is not a daunting task! I promise that you can be successful at grilling this lobster tail at home!
How to Prepare Lobster Tail for Grilling
There are a few different ways you can prepare a lobster before cooking. Many lobster recipes just have you cut the top part of the shell before cooking. I personally think by splitting the tail all the way in half you get better flavor and more even cooking. And more even exposure to the heat means an all-around better cooked lobster tail.
To prepare your lobster tail for grilling, use sharp kitchen shears to split the tail of the lobster open. Next, grab a sharp knife to cut through the meat of the lobster following the line you made with the shears. Take care not to cut through the membrane of the shell, only the meat itself.
Next, press your lobster tails open so the meat is fully exposed. Season the meat with salt and pepper prior to grilling.
How to Grill Lobster Tails
Alright, now that we have the know-how on preparing your lobster tails, let’s get to the cooking. Here’s the step-by-step (with full printable instructions below) on how to grill lobster tails:
- Preheat the grill. Begin by preheating your grill to medium-high heat (around 450 degrees F).
- Make the lemon garlic butter. Prepare your lemon garlic butter in a small saucepan. Keep the butter warm until it is needed for the lobster once it is on the grill.
- Prepare the lobster. See the previous section on how to properly prepare your lobster by splitting them open in half. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
- Grill. Grill the lobster for 10-12 minutes (about 6 minutes per side). Begin with the tail cut side down, and finish with the tail cut side up and brush the meat with the lemon garlic butter.
- Serve hot. When the lobster tail reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, remove it to a serving plate and serve hot with a side of lemon wedges.
How Long to Grill Lobster Tail
It takes 10-12 minutes to grill lobster tail. Begin by placing the lobster tails cut side down on the grill grates and cook for 6 minutes. Next, flip them and grill for another 4-6 minutes aiming for the internal temperature to reach 145 degrees F.
Keep in mind, this time can vary slightly depending on the size of your tails and the exact temperature of your grill.
More Grilled Seafood Recipes
Seafood on the grill is a fantastic way to cook shrimp, salmon, and more. Check out more grilled seafood recipes from Hey Grill Hey below:
Grilled Shrimp with a Chili Lime Rub
Grilled Halibut
Crab Legs with Seasoned Garlic Butter
Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
Making some epic BBQ should be easy, and Hey Grill Hey is here to help! I’m all about helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. If you want to see more of my recipes, tips, and behind the scenes action, follow along on my social channels. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!
Grilled Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Lemon Garlic Butter
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup parsley finely minced
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to Medium-High heat (about 450 degrees F).
- Prepare the lemon garlic butter by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 4 minutes over low heat. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Prepare your lobster. Use kitchen shears to split the tail of the lobster open, then follow along the same line with a sharp knife to cut through the meat of the lobster. Take care not to cut through the membrane of the shell.
- Press your lobster tails open so the meat is exposed. Season the meat with the salt and pepper.
- Put the cut side down on grill grates. Close the lid, and cook for 6 minutes. Flip the tails over, brush the inside with the garlic herb butter, close the lid, and cook for another 4-6 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and the internal temperature of the lobster reads 145 degrees F.
- Remove the cooked lobster tails from the grill. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is way too salty and garlicy for lobster.
Hands down the best thing I’ve grilled all summer. My wife and I live pretty far inland and don’t get much live lobster in the store. She ended up ordering a few frozen tails online (for anybody in a similar situation: https://qualityseafooddelivery.com/lobster/tails/) and they did just the trick. Hope to get a few more of these on the grill before the weather turns for good.