How Do I Cook Lobster Tails On The Grill

How To Reheat Cooked Lobster In Its Shell

How to Cook Lobster Tails on the Grill | #NationalLobsterDay2020

If your dinner is still taking up residence in its shell, you have two choices to reheat steamed lobster: in the oven or on the stovetop.

Oven method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put the lobster in a heat-proof/oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Make sure there is liquid in the dish .

Heat in the oven until the lobster is warm. Depending on your oven, this will take about 10 minutes.

Take out of the oven and serve.

Stovetop method:

Find a pot large enough for your leftover lobster and add water. Make sure it has a steamer basket in it.

Bring the water to a boil.

Place the lobster in the basket and cover.

Reheat on medium heat for about five to eight minutes.

Take the lobster out of the pot and let it cool before serving.

How Long To Cook Lobster Tails

Cook times for lobster tails range from 3 minutes to 30 minutes. This will vary based on the method of cooking you choose and the size of the lobster tails youre cooking. Boiling and steaming are faster processes, whereas baking and grilling take a bit longer. More detailed instructions can be found on the specific cooking method pages linked to above and at the bottom of this page. Start with the low range of these recommendations. Overcooking your lobster tails will leave them dry. Our lobster tails are precooked, so the cook times are really just to reheat them!

Is Lobster Better Steamed Or Grilled

I prefer to grill lobster rather than steam it. When you steam lobster, it can get a little water logged which dilutes the flavor of the meat. Grilled lobster has a lot more flavor, and is just as easy to make as the steamed version. Another great option is to broil your lobster tails in the oven.

Once you try these grilled lobster tails, youll never want to eat this delicacy any other way! This recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight, yet elegant enough to serve to company.

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How To Cook Lobster Tails In The Oven

There are two ways to cook lobster tails in the oven: broiling or roasting. Both methods work exceptionally well and yield tender, delicious lobster in just minutes. Just be sure to have plenty of clarified butter on hand. Flavored butter would be amazing, as well.

Begin by rinsing the lobster tails under water to remove any debris. If frozen, simply thaw the lobster tails in water . Pat dry with a towel.

Using kitchen shears or a very sharp knife cut through the top of the lobster shell in a straight line. Be sure to leave the tail attached.

Kurman Communications/Flickr

Remove the digestive tract using your fingers or a knife. Use your hands to crack the bottom shell so the lobster meat loosens .

Loosen the lobster meat and push it upwards so that it pops through the shell.

Now the lobster tails are ready for the oven .

How Long Does It Take To Grill A 4 Ounce Lobster Tail

Grill lobsters cut side down over medium high heat about 5 minutes, until the shells are bright in color. Turn the tails over and spoon a generous tablespoon of herbed butter onto the butterflied meat. Grill for another 4 minutes, or until the lobster meat is an opaque white color.

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How To Thaw Frozen Lobster Tails

Our cold-water tails ship in the shell fresh frozen and uncooked. After taking your frozen lobster tails out of the freezer it is best to defrost them fully before getting started. Its recommended you slow-thaw your frozen lobster tails before you plan to cook them for tastier results.

Take your lobster tails out of the freezer the night before and place them on a plate in your refrigerator and cover them.
For quicker results, defrost tails in a zip lock bag under cold water in the sink. DO NOT thaw lobster tails in the microwave!
Fully defrosted lobster tails will be soft and pliable.

Pro Tip:Your tails may be covered in ice or frost. Dont worry your tails are NOT freezer burned. The light glazing helps protect and preserve the tails. Once thawed, be sure to give your tails a good rinse before cooking.

How To Thaw Lobster Tails Before Grilling

Thawing lobster tails for grilling is the same as if you were broiling lobster tails. There are two methods you can use:

Fridge: Thaw the lobster tails in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure to check your tails an hour or so before you plan on cooking them, to ensure they are fully thawed!

Cold Water: Place lobster tails in a zip lock bag and submerge in water for 30-60 minutes, until thawed completely.

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How To Poach Lobster Tails

Lobster tail meat poached in a butter bath will yield tender meat.

To poach lobster tails you first parboil or blanch tails just enough so that the meat can be removed from the shell.

Using kitchen shears or a chefs knife cut along the top shell of the tail, open and remove the tail in one piece. Remove the digestive tract and rinse out any green stuff .

Next, gently poach the lobster meat in melted butter. This should be done at a gentle simmer and never a boil.

Cook until lobster is cooked through.

Poached Lobster Tail Recipes:

Butter Poached Lobster Tail

Basting Grilled Lobster Tails

How to Grill Lobster Tails – Best Lobster Tail Recipe – I Heart Recipes

Finish cooking flesh side up, still over direct heat.

6. At this point, its a great idea to baste the lobster with an herb butter mixture.

7. The lobster is done when its internal temperature, checked by an instant-read thermometer, reaches 135°F.

There you have it — a seafood extravaganza!

For more tips check out my other blog post on grilling lobster tails and this great lobster recipe to help build your seafood grilling repertoire.

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How To Broil Frozen Lobster Tails

We tried lobster tails every which way steamed, baked, grilled, broiled and our favorite is broiling. Why? Its fast and foolproof.

First, youll want to butterfly your thawed lobster tails. This is a technique youll often see at restaurants: lobster tails and the flesh inside split into two pieces. Cut the top shell of the lobster tails lengthwise down the middle with kitchen shears. Then cut through the tails with a knife to split the tails into two pieces.

Place the lobster halves flesh side up on a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Brush the flesh with butter and season with salt.

Broil the lobster tails until the shells turn bright orange the flesh is opaque and cooked through and the tails begin to curl, about 4 minutes for 5- to 6-ounce lobster tails.

Perfect Lobster Tails

Smoked Lobster Tails Recipe

How to Smoke Lobster TailsSmoked Lobster Tails Recipe Ingredients

2 lobster tails
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder or minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon black pepper

Smoking Lobster Tails Directions

Get your smoker up to a temperature of 225 degrees. Then put your smoker wood chips on the smoker to get the smoke flowing.

To prepare your lobster tails, cut the spine or the back/top of the shell with a slit that runs all the way down the lobster tail. This will allow you to have a place to baste your butter mixture and also allow the smoke to better penetrate the lobster tail meat.

Mix your butter, lemon juice, lemon pepper, garlic, and black pepper in a mixing bowl and place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter is fully melted. Stir the ingredients together.

Set your lobster tails on the smoker with the slit side up for about 45 minutes and baste with your butter mixture about every 20 minutes. After 45 minutes, move your smoked lobster tails closer to your heat source on your smoker keeping the slit side up. Grill your lobster tails for 2 minutes to ensure your lobster tails are warm to serve.

Pull them off your smoker and serve immediately. You can also warm up a couple bowls of butter for those who like to dip their lobster meat directly in butter .

Smoked Lobster Tails Smoking Time

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How Long Do You Cook A 1 Pound Lobster

Boil lobsters for 10 to 20 min, depending on size: Note the time at which the water comes to a boil again. From that point, boil the lobsters for 10-20 minutes or longer, depending on the size of the lobster. 10-13 minutes for 1 lb lobster, 12-18 minutes for a 1 1/2 pound lobster, 18-23 minutes for a 2-3 pound lobster.

Do You Cut The Lobster Tail Before You Steam It

Slip the tip of kitchen shears or heavy scissors into the middle of the hard rounded side of each lobster shell and cut down all the way to the tail fan, being careful not to cut meat. Cover and steam until meat is just opaque and very plump, 5 to 6 minutes do not overcook or meat will begin to shrink and dry out.

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Grilling Frozen Lobster Tails At Home

Memorial Day marks grilling seasons opening day here in the Northeast. Whats better than dogs and burgers on the grill? You guessed itMaine lobster!

One of the best things to kick off the grilling season is to learn how to grill lobster tails at home. Because summer and lobster go hand in hand or should we, say claw in claw.

In this quick grilling guide, well show you

The fundamentalcant skip thesesteps of grilling lobsters
The 4 most common lobster grilling FAQs

Lobster grilling recipes we live by

And more! Take the plunge and discover how deliciously simple it is to grill lobster tails at home.

Grilling lobster tails is a snap. The beauty of grilling lobster tails is that they are more convenient than working with pinching and snapping crustaceans. Grilling lobster takes about the same prep time as the conventional boiling and steaming methods, but it can take the tail in a whole new direction. The grill will imbue the smoky flavors of the coals and any marinades or butters. Barbecue lobster has a nice charred, somewhat smoky flavor that is difficult to match.

To Clean Your Grill: Turn the heat up to high, close the grill and in 10 minutes turn off the grill and scrape clean.

Page Contents

Finding The Perfect Lobster Tails For The Grill

Make a big splash this grilling season with our ready to grill lobster tails. All the work is done, just defrost, add your favorite rub or marinade and grill! Be sure to check out our Lobster Tails line up featuring 6-7 oz. cold-water tails all the way up to our huge colossal tails

If you love lobster tails, and you love barbeque, be sure to take a look at our one-of-a-kind BBQ lobster tails. Whats so special about these lobster tails?

First, they are split and cleaned, so you do not need kitchen shears, or a chefs knife to butterfly the tails.

Second, only hard shell, cold water tails are used so you are guaranteed a tail full of meat.

Finally, each tail is tunnel frozen, locking in the fresh taste and flavor of lobster.

In short, these special lobster tails were made for the grill. To learn more about our barbecue lobster tails and have them shipped to you .

What Temperature Do You Grill Lobster

140°F

Brush the inside of the lobster with butter and season with salt and pepper.

Season the grill with a napkin coated with cooking oil and a pair of tongs.

Place the halved lobsters cut-side down onto the grill.

Cook for about 4 minutes.

Also, how do you cook lobster on the grill?

Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire. Brush olive oil on both sides of the lobsters and set them bottom side down on the cooking grates. Grill until the shells are bright red and the protein in the juices that seep from the shells turns white and coagulates, 8 to 10 minutes for a 1-1/2-lb.

Similarly, how do you grill a 4 ounce lobster tail? Grill lobsters cut side down over medium high heat about 5 minutes, until the shells are bright in color. Turn the tails over and spoon a generous tablespoon of herbed butter onto the butterflied meat. Grill for another 4 minutes, or until the lobster meat is an opaque white color.

Thereof, how do you know when lobster is done grilling?

Grill them shell side down .Turn those tails over so now you will have the shell side facing down. You’re going to cook them for another 3 to 5 minutes. Keep basting the tails to get that butter marinated into the meat. You’ll know they are done with the lobster meat is opaque and firm.

How do you heat a lobster tail on the grill?

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Broiling Times For Seafood:

How to Grill Lobster Tails

Broiling times can vary depending on size and length of the lobster tails. For a smaller lobster tail it is best to cook them about 7 to 9 minutes. Anything over 6 ounces will takes about 7 to 10 minutes long broiling them. The one thing I always have near me when cooking any type of meat is my meat thermometer. I am very cautious on making sure I do not overcook my meat. If you are broiling a larger lobster tail you will want to adjust the oven rack down another inch so it can cook more evenly.

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Preparing Live Lobster For The Bbq

You can grill whole lobster without prepping them as some chefs do, but we suggest splitting them to allow the smokiness of the grill flavor to come through. According to tests by Cooks Illustrated, a split lobster was the best way to get the real grill flavor and maximize the sweet flavor of the lobster meat.

Now with no danger of getting pinched, remove the bands from the claws. Place your chilled or blanched lobster on its underside and with the tip of a sharp chef knife start behind the eyes at the head and split the lobster lengthwise all the way through the tail. Use a good pair of kitchen shears to help cut through the tail section. Remove the small grey sac behind the head, the jet black roe , and the green tomalley and discard. Also remove the intestinal black vein running from the stomach sac to the tip of the tail.

Can I Steam Frozen Lobster Tails

Let the frozen lobster thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking. Cooking unthawed tails will result in tough meat. Lobster will thaw faster if placed in a plastic bag and immersed in water while in the refrigerator. After thawing, the lobster tails can be boiled, steamed, baked, broiled, or grilled.

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Buying Cooked Lobster Meat

A good seafood market often carries cooked lobster meat, or you can order it online . When you’re buying cooked lobster meat, be sure to specify whether you want lobster tail meat only, or a combination of tail, claw, and knuckle meat. You can store cooked lobster meat in the fridge for up to 3 days, but do try to eat it up right away for the freshest flavor.

How To Grill Frozen Lobster Tails

Lobster... easy to do... magnificent results.

What are two things that both scream summer? You guessed it: grills and lobster tails. Grilling has several benefits. First, it allows you to cook a big batch of tails. And second, its very easy to see when lobster tails are done.

First, butterfly the lobsters. Cut the top shell of the lobster tails lengthwise down the middle with kitchen shears. Then cut through the tails with a knife to split the tails into two pieces.

Brush the lobster meat with butter and season with salt.

Place the lobster halves shell-side down the grates of a medium-high grill.

Grill until the shells are bright right and the juices that come out of the shell turn white.

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How To Prepare Lobster Tail

Start by choosing lobster tails that are similar in size so that they cook at the same rate. Use sharp kitchen shears to cut down the top of each tail. Place a knife into the cut you made, then cut through the lobster flesh, stopping when you hit the bottom shell. Use your hands to flatten the cut lobster tail. Place a wood or metal skewer through the lobster meat, which will keep it from curling up as it cooks. This cutting technique will allow for the lobster meat to make direct contact with the grill, which gives it more of that great smoky flavor.

Is It Better To Grill Or Boil Lobster

Boiling is a quick and easy cooking method for lobster, resulting in tender moist meat that slides right out of the shell, but unless you are cooking the lobster in fresh sea water, boiling dulls the natural flavors of the crustacean. Larger lobsters become tough and dry on the grill and are better suited for boiling.

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Tips For The Perfect Lobster

You can use any type of lobster for this recipe. I typically use Maine lobster, but you can use a warm water spiny lobster if you prefer.
Lobster tails are done when the shell turns red and the flesh is opaque. Its important not to overcook your lobster, so use both the visual cues and the suggested cook times.

I recommend serving lobster immediately after it comes off the grill. Lobster can get tough when reheated.
You can use a charcoal grill, gas grill or an indoor grill pan on the stove top for this recipe.
Serve your lobster with lemon wedges and fresh parsley for garnish.

I like to serve my lobster with a variety of side dishes such as grilled vegetables, quinoa salad or roasted potatoes.
Leftover lobster? Try using it to make lobster mac and cheese.