Do You Thaw Lobster Tails Before Grilling
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.
Can I Grill Live Lobster
Par boil your live lobsters first for approximately 4 minutes, drain and cool slightly. Turn lobster belly side up and cut the lobster lengthwise completely through the meat and shell to yield two halves per lobster. Start the lobster meat side down on grill, and then grill 8-10 minutes, turning once.
Cooking The Lobsters Claws
The lobster claws will take more time to cook than the lobster body and tail meat, since the shells tend to be a little thicker. Remove the claws from the carapace with a twisting motion. Next blanch the claws and finish cooking on the grill. Famed lobster cooker Jasper White keeps the claws intact and covers them with a roasting pans or pie tins so the whole lobster cooks evenly.
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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.
Charcoal Or Gas Fresh Or Frozen
As the size of the lobster tails, the type of grill is also a matter of individual preference. However, there are some objective differences here that everyone trying to choose between gas and charcoal should know. The charcoal grill gives the meat that lovely smokiness you cant get with any other medium of food preparation. On the other hand, its much less convenient to use than the gas grill. Its difficult to control the heat, and the entire process may get messy.
The differences in taste between frozen and raw lobster arent astronomical, but the level of convenience is. Ideally, fresh tails need to be bought and consumed on the same day, while frozen ones can sit in your freezer for a couple of months. When it comes to skewering and grilling them, theres no difference at all.LobsterAnywhere.com is dedicated to providing live Maine lobsters and premium seafood to white tablecloth restaurants, hotels, and large institutions throughout the United States. Available year-round from a sustainable fishery and locally caught by independent lobstermen. We specialize in Live Maine lobster and frozen lobster tail delivery.
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Ideas For Serving Grilled Lobster Tail
For a full-blown steakhouse dinner, serve grilled lobster tail alongside a grilled ribeye steak, air fryer baked potatoes, and your favorite roasted vegetables. Also, dont forget to put out extra lemon wedges and garlic butter.
Hot Tip: Sprinkle the grilled lobster tail with a garnish of herbs. Fresh parsley and chives are great options and add such a nice pop of color.
How To Properly Thaw Frozen Lobster Tails
There are two different methods you can use to thaw frozen lobster tails.
- Leave them in the fridge overnight . Place th frozen lobster tails in a covered dish in the refrigerator overnight to let them naturally thaw. Drain them of excess moisture and prepare according to recipe instructions.
- Quick thaw them in the sink. If youre short on time, soak the tails in a bowl of cold water in the sink for 30 minutes.
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Complimentary Drinks To Serve With The Lobster
Lobster tails are a fancy menu item and deserve the right pairing of drinks. A glass of bubbly champagne is a perfect companion for your grand lobster dinner.
Armed with all this information, there is no doubt that you will be able to make a killer grilled lobster dinner that will amaze your loved ones.
Meanwhile, if you havent decided yet what kind of smoker grill to use, you can start by looking into this weber vs PK grill review.
What are your views on this? Do not forget to share your experiench us in the comments below.
Whats The Best Way To Butterfly Lobster Tails For Grilling
This method is great for the hotter cooking methods as it allows the tail meat to absorb the complementary smoky tastes from grilling. Butterfly lobster tails also make it easy to marinade in advance, and baste while cooking.
Interested in the other ways to prepare lobster? Read our article on the different ways to cook and prepare lobster.
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Do You Have To Boil Lobster Tails Before Grilling
lobster tails. In order to ensure that you can make the tastiest grilled lobster tail, we recommend parboiling your tails before grilling. Drop the tails in a pot of boiling water. When the water returns to a soft boil, reduce heat, set a timer for the time listed above, and remove the tails from the water.
How Do You Grill Lobster At Home
Place your lobster halves on the grill with the shells facing down, then baste liberally with seasoned butter or olive oil. Flip those lobsters flesh side down and grill for 5-6 minutes. Step six: Flip lobsters so the shell side is down and baste again with seasoned butter or olive oil. Grill 4-5 minutes.
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How To Grill Lobster Tails
Lets get to the good stuff how to cook lobster tails on the grill!
- Grill flesh side down. Place lobster tails on the grill flesh side down and cook without moving for 5-6 minutes, until the flesh is starting to brown and the shells start to turn red.
- Add lemon garlic butter. Flip the lobster tails and brush the melted seasoned garlic butter over the lobster meat. Close the grill and cook until opaque. Serve with more of the seasoned butter.
TIP: Be careful when brushing on the butter. Try to apply it to the flesh only and dont let it drip through the grates, as this can cause the grill to flare up.
How To Grill Lobsters Without Ruining Them
Most lobster grilling recipes are all about how to grill lobster tails, however, this guide will show you how to barbecue whole, live lobsters. As you will discover there are many options and no one right way. Nevertheless, you must follow these simple rules of lobster grilling: 1. Buy only super fresh, feisty lobsters 2. Always check the heat because a well done lobster is not an option.
What youll need:
- A charcoal or wood fired grill is best, but a gas grill is a convenient option
- Live hard-shell Maine lobsters about 1 1/2 lb. each or heavier
- Kitchen Shears and/or a large, sharp chef knife
- Salt, pepper, crushed garlic or your favorite herbs
- 2 sticks of butter or olive oil
- Large, fresh lemons
- Pastry Brush
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Ners That Go Well With Lobster Tail On The Smoker Grill
As you become more comfortable learning how to cook lobster tails on the BBQ, explore the wide world of side dishes to go along with this fantastic recipe. Some cooks swear by hearty companions like homemade smoked mac and cheese. Believe it or not, starchy and carb-heavy sidekicks do very well alongside grilled lobster tail.
Want to serve up something on the lighter yet still flavorful side? A huge green salad with fresh vegetables and maybe fruits, too promises to be a palate pleaser. You can also grill up some vegetables to accompany the overall meal and provide earthy tastes to go along with hints of the sea.
As a final note, always have some bread on hand. Bread makes the world go round. Feel free to butter and grill it slightly before serving.
How To Find The Perfect Tails
The easiest way to get optimal tails is to buy them prepackaged, frozen, and grill-ready. Then, Its up to you to defrost, season, and cook them. As for the ideal size, well, its a matter of personal preference. The biggest that youll find goes between 16 to 20 oz and is considered jumbo. Smaller pieces are usually around 6 or 7 oz. The best place to get the freshest lobster is from LobsterAnywhere.com where you can get the best Maine lobster delivered directly to your front door.
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What To Serve With Lobster Tails
These are delicious served with grilled veggies, a light salad, or if you looking for something more surf and turfy, try a perfectly cooked steak.
About Christine
Hi! Im Christine. My passion is creating recipes that take less time in the kitchen, so that we can all spend more time enjoying life! Im a busy single mom of two, so I totally get how tough it can be. Thats why Ive been figuring things out for my own family, and thats why I want to share this knowledge with others. I now help over 2 million people a month get delicious meals onto their tables. Come along with me and see how much easier it can be!
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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.
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What Is The Best Way To Cook Lobster Tail On Grill
Confused about what makes the best grilled lobster tail dish? Well, the result depends a lot on the type of grill you use. There are many types of grills that you can use to cook lobster tails, and the choice will depend on your taste and demand.
Weve rounded up three of the best options for cooking lobster tails on the grill for you:
- Using pellet grill
- Using electric grill
- Using charcoal grill
What is the difference between these approaches? If you have no ideas, lets dive deeper into each!
How To Butterfly Lobster Tails For Grilling
The first step in any grilled lobster recipe is to prep the lobster. You can butterfly lobster tails for grilling by bringing the flesh over the shell the same way you would for broiled lobster tails, but below Ill show you a different, slightly easier method.
- Cut the lobster shell. Cut down the center of the shell lengthwise, starting from the end opposite the tail fins and going down the the tail, but do not cut the tail.
TIP: Cut the top shell only. You want to cut the top shell and some of the flesh, but not all the way through the bottom shell.
- Cut. Use a knife to cut lengthwise along the center ridge, but again dont cut through the bottom shell.
- Flatten. Use your hands to pry open the tail and then press with your palm to flatten, so that it opens up.
- Skewer. Run the skewer lengthwise through the center of the flesh. This helps to prevent the lobster tail from curling up on the grill.
TIP: Soak your skewers in water first, so they dont start a fire on the grill. Simply place them in a shallow pan filled with water for 30-60 minutes and weigh down with a bowl to keep them submerged.
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How To Split Lobster Tail
You can either split the lobster tail all the way before cooking, or butterfly them, but leave them attached in one piece. To butterfly lobster tail, use sharp kitchen shears to cut the top shell from the open end of the lobster tail all the way to the end of the tail, but dont cut through the end of the tail. Then use a sharp knife to slice the lobster meat down the middle stopping a little over halfway though the meat, following the line where you cut the shell. Then spread open the tail a bit it will open further upon cooking.
Or, to split the tail all the way though , follow the above directions, but slice all the way through the bottom of the shell so the lobster tail come apart into two long halves. This is a good way to go if you are serving other things besides lobster, and want to make sure everyone gets a serving of lobster but has room for other grilled offerings. Think of it for surf and turf meals , or for mixed seafood grills .
Grilled Lobster Tails Recipe
Prep Time: 15 Mins
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Nutritional Information:
- Per lobster tail: 446 calories, 29 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 215 mg cholesterol, 869 mg sodium, 2g carbohydrates, 0 sugars and fiber, and 43 g protein.
Cooking Instructions:
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Basting Grilled Lobster Tails
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.
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.
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Complete Casual Grilled Lobster For Dinner
After you smell the aroma and the lobster meat has turned milky white, bring the lobster onto a plate serving with your favorite herbs. Cutting off a few slices of lemon juice is perfect. Or if you want to try more side dishes without knowing what to serve with lobster, read our blog!
Without going to the restaurant, you can also serve grilled lobster for the whole family. Delicious and nutritious food is not too difficult to make. Our shares about how to grill lobsters above also bring you the best lobster grilling! Wish you success with this dish!
Visit our blog for more useful tips related to the lobster. Feel free to contact us via the below contact information if you have any further questions or requests.
Address: 849 Forest Ave, Portland, ME 04103. Tel: +1 772-3565.
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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.
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