How To Season Lobster For Grilling
Were keeping the seasoning really simple
- Before grilling: Brush the lobster tails with olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- While grilling: Brush with the seasoned garlic butter after flipping. To make it, whisk together melted butter, crushed garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Grilled Lobster Tails With Sriracha Butter
Lets get grilling
Prepare grill for two-zone cooking, placing preheated charcoal briquets on one half of the bottom grill grate and leaving to other side empty. Replace the top grill grate and adjust the bottom vents to bring the grill temperature to approximately 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine butter and Sriracha and blend well. Set aside while you prepare the lobster tails.
Use a pair of heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut lengthwise down the center of the lobster tails top shell to split the lobster meat in half. You can split them completely or not cut all the way through the bottom shell so you can lay the tail flat like a book. Either way works.
Place split lobster tails meat side down on the hot half of the grill. Grill the tails for approximately 2 minutes until the meat is lightly charred. Flip lobster tails over and continue to grill for another 4-5 minutes while periodically basting with the Sriracha butter. When done, the lobster shell will have a bright red hue and the meat will be white. If the lobster meat is still partially translucent, move them to the cool side of the grill and cover the grill to allow them to finish cooking.
When done, remove the lobster tails from the grill and serve immediately with lemon slices and additional Sriracha butter.
- lobster tails, approximately 8oz. each2
How Long To Grill Lobster Tails
Grilled lobster tails cook for 5-6 minutes flesh side down, followed by 1-6 minutes flesh side up, depending on the size.
TIP: A good rule of thumb for lobster tail grill time is about 60-75 seconds total time per ounce of individual tail. For example, if your lobster tails are 8 ounces each, youll grill them for 480-600 seconds total, which is 8-10 minutes. Out of that total time, 5-6 minutes would be flesh side down and the remaining time would be after flipping.
| Individual Lobster |
|---|
| 4-6 minutes |
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Is Grilling Better Than Steaming
Personally, I like grilled lobster better than steamed lobster. In terms of ease, theres no difference between the two processes.
One of the proclaimed benefits of steaming a lobster is that its difficult to overcook it that way, but it can also introduce too much water to the meat. When you grill the lobster, its still quick and easy, and all of the flavors of the meat just shine. Plus the texture comes out perfect every time!
Preparing And Grilling Lobster Tails
Once the lobster tails are thawed, theres a little more prep that needs to be done before they hit the grill. Because of their shape one end is significantly thicker than the other cooking them evenly is difficult if you keep them whole. To make sure they cook evenly and to create a wide, flat surface for melting the garlic butter, butterfly the tails first.
Butterflying means to halve something into two thinner, more even pieces. For a lobster tail, this means cutting through the hard shell with kitchen shears, then slicing the tail meat in half so that it can open up flat like a book. One other step worth doing is using your fingers to loosen the meat from the shell, which will make it easier to remove the meat once the lobster is cooked. Once butchered properly, the lobster tail meat will cook up evenly without the need for skewers or other tools to keep it from curling up.
To grill the lobster tails, place them meaty-side down on a really hot grill for a few minutes to get some grill marks. Once they release easily from the grill grates, flip them over and top with an easy-to-make garlic butter . The total cook time depends on the size of the tail. You want the meat to be just cooked through, so aim for an internal temperature of 135 to 140ºF. Serve with lemon wedges for a nice bright pop of flavor to cut through the richness of the garlic butter and the sweetness of the lobster meat.
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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.
Grilled Lobster Tail Halves With Chipotle Butter
This post is sponsored by Omaha Steaks. Sponsored posts, along with affiliate links, are what enable bloggers like me to maintain and operate sites that are free to the public. That said, I only work with products and brands that I personally use and would feel proud to give as a gift.
If you Google how to grill lobster tails or grilled lobster tail recipes, youll find countless really good recipes. What you wont find much of, however, are recipes for grilled lobster tail halves. Most recipes use a technique that calls for splitting the shell of the tail down the center, pulling the meat out of the shell, and then laying it back on top of the shell to cook.
Ive done this myself many times, and it is certainly an impressive way to present your food. The problem is that its somewhat labor-intensive. Watch out for the sharp shells when youre pulling the meat out after youve cut the shell open with some kitchen shears.
Worse than the labor part, though, this method doesnt allow the lobster meat to cook in the sauce of your choice. For example, lemon butter sort of just drips off the meat as it sits on the grill. So, theres a trade-off of sorts. The presentation of traditional cooked lobster tail is amazing, but I personally prefer grilled lobster tail halves. What grilled lobster tail halves lose in appearance is more than made up in the better flavor.
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How To Fan Cut A Lobster Tail
Fan cutting a lobster is relatively simple. The idea is to remove the entire undershell so that the lobster meat cooks in a boat made up of the upper part of the shell.
To fan cut a lobster tail, start by laying it on its back. With a pair of kitchen shears cut along the sides of the flexible undershell where it connects to the harder upper shell. Cut from the thick end down to the tail fan.
Then, pull up the undershell and snip it free where it connects to the tail fan. Leave the tail fan in place, and then loosen the meat from the upper shell with your fingers and remove the vein.
And voilà! You are ready to cook your lobster.
Now You Know How To Cut Open A Lobster Tail In Five Different Ways
If you want to prepare your own lobster, it’s important that you know how to cut open a lobster tail. Now that you’ve read our guide you not only know how to cut a lobster tail, but you also know five different ways of doing it!
Ready to wow your guests or better half with a superbly prepared dish of lobster tail? Butterflied, split, piggybacked, cut into rounds, or fan cut, the choice is yours.
All you need to do now is get hold of some high-quality lobster. Fortunately, you don’t need to look far, because here at Order Maine Lobstershipping fresh, succulent lobster tails is what we do.
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How Long To Grill Lobster Tails:
- L: 6-7 oz. lobster tails: Grill for about 6-8 minutes.
- XL: 8-10 oz. lobster tails: Grill for about 8-10 minutes
- XXL:16-20 oz lobster tails: Grill for about 10-11 minutes
- XXXL: 20-24 oz lobster tails: Grill for about 11-12 minutes
Want to learn how to barbecue a whole lobster? See our recipe for cooking live lobster on the grill.
How To Broil Lobster Tails
Be careful when broiling lobster tails. This cooking method is a little trickier than other methods since the high heat of the broiler can dry out your tails in no time. Another option is to bake tails and finish them in the broiler for just a couple minutes to get a golden brown finish.
Broiled Lobster Tails Recipes:
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How To Butterfly A Lobster Tail
One of the most common ways to slice a lobster tail is by butterflying.
To butterfly a lobster tail you’ll need to start with a defrosted lobster and lay it belly down. Take your kitchen shears or chef’s knife and cut along the top of the shell, starting at the big end and going towards where it meets the tail fan.
Be sure to leave the tail fan and the bottom shell uncut.
Next, ease the shell open, insert your fingers, and gently pry the lobster flesh away from the upper shell. Once it is loose, work the lobster up and slightly out of its shell.
Once you have done this the shell will clamp slightly closed. The result will look like fluffy wings sprouting from the shell.
Lastly, feel around at the thicker end of the lobster for the middle “vein”. Once you’ve found the vein, pull it out. This is known as “de-veining a lobster.”
This vein is actually the digestive tract. While it is harmless to eat, it doesn’t taste wonderful, so try to remove it if you can.
Now that you know how to butterfly a lobster tail, let’s move on to the next cut.
How To Steam Lobster Tails
Whole lobster tails, butterfly or split lobster tails work best for steaming.
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Question: How To Cook Fresh Cut Lobster Tails
Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and keep water at a gentle boil stronger than a simmer, but weaker than a rolling boil. Add lobster tails, and boil until they are bright red and their meat turns white and tender. Each tail should take about 1 minute per ounce to cook.
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.
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Top Results For Cooking Fresh Lobster Tails
Buy Fresh Lobster Tails Online – Pure Food Fish Market
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How To Cook Fresh Lobster Tail At Home? – Fishermen’s Net
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Question: How To Cook Fresh Cut Lobster Tails …
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How To Cook Small Lobster Tails – Blogchef.net
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How To Cook Whole Lobster – Allrecipes
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How Do You Cook Lobster Tails On The Stove
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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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Cut The Lobster Tail Flesh To Grill 4 Oz Lobster Tails
Use a sharp chefs knife to cut along the line you made with the kitchen shears. Start at the tip of the tail and cut through the lobster flesh along the cut line. Make sure not to cut through the flesh all the way so that the tail separates. You should now have a hinge-style lobster tail after cutting.
Removing The Meat Whole
To remove the tail meat as one large piece, cut along the sides of the translucent membrane on the underside of the tail. Cut through the center of the membrane, pushing down on the sides to crack open the harder, rounded portion of the shell. Be careful as the underside of the lobster has sharp points that can cut your hands. Conversely, cut along the outer edges of the soft underside, and peel back the membrane, pulling out the tail meat from the rounded portion.
As raw lobster meat can be difficult to remove, consider poaching or steaming your tails briefly roughly 1 1/2 minutes per pound of lobster. This will help the meat separate from the shell more easily. Remove the tail meat while the lobster is still hot as cooling causes the meat to stick to the shell.
Serve whole tail meat poached in sauce or clarified butter for an elegant presentation. If you want to serve it in the shell after cooking, you also need to cook the shell before reinserting the meat.
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How To Cook Lobster Tails On The Grill
If youâre a fan of seafood, you know how rich and savory a lobster tail tastes covered in herbs and melted butter. You also know that proper preparation at restaurants can be hit or miss, and also that lobster can be extremely pricey. If you know how to cook lobster tails on the grill, you can save money and ensure that theyâre cooked and seasoned to absolute perfection.
The key to cooking lobster tails on the grill lies in both preparation and timing. Itâs also important to know how to pair the crustacean with the right toppings, sides, and drinks. Grilled lobster tails might not be the most kid-friendly grill recipe for picky eaters, but theyâre sure to delight any seafood lover in the mix!
How To Split A Lobster Tail
If you’re wondering how to cook lobster tails, another popular method is splitting and grilling them.
To split a lobster tail simply lay it on its back on a cutting board. With a sharp knife cut evenly down the middle of the lobster tails. Aim to create two even halves.
Once you have separated the two halves you’re ready to season and cook them.
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Open The Lobster Like A Book
3. The remaining soft membrane will keep the sections intact while exposing the meat.
4. Lobster is grilled over direct medium heat. Rub the flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Grill flesh side down for approximately 5-7 minutes, then flip. Figure another 4-5 minutes after you flip the tail. I am using 6-8 oz. tails here.
Where To Buy Frozen Lobster Tails For Grill
It is the main ingredient of this dish, and the freshness of the lobster tail will determine whether your grilled dish is delicious or not. You should choose establishments and shops that provide good quality lobster tails, ensuring freshness.
The tail of the lobster after processing and grilling is still fresh
One of the best sources of lobster tail for you is Fishermen’s Net. It has very good quality. The tail of the lobster after processing and grilling is still fresh, the meat is chewy and sweet. Especially it will be more delicious and more preferential price when buying in Maine lobster season.
We even sent you the best way to prepare the frozen lobster tail so that the lobster meat can retain its flavor. When you receive the frozen lobster tail it will be frozen, the first thing you have to do is thaw it. The lobster tail should be thawed in the refrigerator’s cooler. Make sure the tail of the lobster stays on the plate to avoid contaminating other foods in the refrigerator. Do not defrost outside as it can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. Thawing the lobster tail in the refrigerator helps keep the lobster taste fresh and prevents bacteria from entering. After thawing, remove the tail and rinse with clean water and dry.
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