Grilled Lobster Tails
Grilled Lobster Tails
Learn all my grilling tips and techniques for making the best Grilled Lobster Tails brushed with spicy garlic butter. The perfect summer recipe!
Don’t let grilling seafood intimidate you–this recipe is truly so easy to make and never fails to impress. If you’re a seafood lover, grilled lobster is a must-make all summer long!
Table of Contents
The Best Grilled Lobster Tails
Welcome to Day 2 of the third annual So Much Food Grilling Week! For the next week, I’ll be sharing all my new favorite summer grilling recipes. They’ll be fresh, simple, and so delicious–I firmly believe anyone can grill these up. You’ll have a bunch of brand new grilling recipes just in time for Memorial day and the start of summer!
Admittedly, I’ve never been much of a lobster person (sacrilegious, I know), but the steamed lobster I’ve always been presented with is just sad and bland. But, NO MORE! Not only are these grilled lobster tails ultra tender, but grilling them over direct flame gives the meat the best flavor.
AND THE SPICY GARLIC BUTTER. My god, I could absolutely drink this stuff. It’s the perfect level of garlicky with balance from lots of parsley and fresh lemon zest. The Calabrian chilies add the perfect hint of heat while also actually enhancing the flavor.
I cannot tell you how easy this recipe truly is. It delivers on flavor without feeling prep-heavy or stressful. It’s the ideal recipe for hosting this summer! Don’t waste money at a seafood restaurant because grilling up your own lobster has never been easier.
How to Make Grilled Lobster Tails
Helpful Cooking Tools
Recipe Ingredients
full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- lobster tails, fresh or frozen
- salted butter
- chopped parsley
- garlic
- shallot
- lemon zest
- chopped Calabrian chile
- lemons
Step-by-Step Photos & Instructions
- Make the spicy garlic butter. In a small saucepan, combine the softened butter with the shallot, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, Calabrian chilies, and ground pepper and stir well to combine. Heat the butter over medium-low heat until just melted then remove from the heat for everything to infuse.
- Prep & preheat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. If using charcoal, spread the lit charcoal briquettes in an even layer. The grill should sit at 450-500 F. Make sure to clean the grates of any food or debris.
- Grill the lobster. Place the lobster on the grill, cut side up, and brush them generously with the butter mixture. Close the lid and grill them for 4-5 minutes. The shells should be starting to turn red at this point. Flip the lobster, close the lid, and grill for another 4-5 minutes or until the meat is opaque and sitting at an internal temperature of 135-140 F. Flip them back over, brush them with more butter, and transfer to a serving plate.
- Finish the lobster tails. Grill the lemons until charred and transfer them to the serving plate. Serve the lobster with the remaining butter sauce and squeeze the grilled lemons over the meat before serving.
Grilling 101 Tips
Grilling can feel intimidating, but it’s an easy skill to learn and will totally elevate your cooking game in the summer. Here are all my best tips for grilling like a pro!
Work with a clean grill. This is such an important step and makes all the difference when it comes to grilling. Make sure to clean your grill of any food or debris before you start cooking. This helps keep food from sticking and keeps flare ups to a minimum.
Adequately preheat your grill. Making sure your grates are completely heated through is so important! Food sticks when the grates aren’t adequately heated. Make sure to let your grill preheat for at least 15 minutes. The best option is to preheat the grill over medium heat, not high heat.
Lightly grease your grill grates. You can use nonstick spray, but the best method is a rag lightly soaked with high-temperature oil. Use tongs to rub the cloth on the grates to give them a light coating of oil. This also helps when grilling foods with sticky marinades or fish, which can stick easily.
Preparing Lobster Tails for Grilling
While there are some methods for grilling lobster tails that call for cutting the tail in half completely, this really isn’t my favorite method. The lobster meat dries out much too easily, leaving you with a rubbery texture and lobster is just to expensive to play around like that! Cutting a slit in the shell to expose the meat allows for the smoky grill flavor to permeate, but keeps the meat more protected.
Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, snip down the top of the lobster tail, stopping just before you reach the tail. Make sure to only cut the shell, not the meat.
Then, gently crack the shell open like a book to expose the tail meat. Be careful as the shell is sharp and it may help to gently crack the bottom ribs of the lobster shell first.
Finally, Use your fingers to gently loosen the meat from the shell and give the lobster a nice sprinkling of salt and pepper. Now your lobster tails are ready for the grill!
Serving Suggestions
These juicy grilled lobster tails are just begging to be served with some fresh sides! Consider grilling up some veggies or asparagus to go along with the lobster.
The lobster is giving mediterranean vibes, so I love serving it with some rice pilaf or even smashed potatoes with feta and dill. A big fresh salad would also pair so well. Try my little gem caesar salad or big chopped Italian salad. Either would be a delight on the side!
You could also serve the lobster up with a simple pasta on the side. Make a little extra spicy garlic butter and toss the hot pasta with the butter and a bit of pasta water and parmesan and you’ve got a restaurant-worthy seafood dinner!
If you’ve ever felt intimidated to grill seafood, this recipe will have you grilling like a pro! These grilled lobster tails with spicy garlic butter are a must-make this summer. If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Seafood Recipes to Try
Grilled Fish Tacos
Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp
Greek Grilled Salmon
Spicy Grilled Clams
Gochujang Glazed Salmon
This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.
Easy Grilled Lobster Tails with Spicy Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 6 – 4-5 oz lobster tails*
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 small shallot, very finely minced
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon minced Calabrian chiles
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- grilled lemons, for serving
Instructions
- Make the spicy garlic butter. In a small saucepan, combine the softened butter with the shallot, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, Calabrian chilies, and ground pepper and stir well to combine. Heat the butter over medium-low heat until just melted then remove from the heat for everything to infuse.
- Prepare the lobster tails for grilling. Using sharp kitchen shears, snip down the center of the lobster tail through the top shell to the fin – you should only cut through the shell, leaving the meat and fin intact. Gently crack the shell open like a book to expose the tail meat. Be careful as the shell is sharp and it may help to gently crack the bottom of the lobster shell first. Use your fingers to gently loosen the meat from the shell and give the lobster a nice sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Prep & preheat the grill. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. If using charcoal, spread the lit charcoal briquettes in an even layer. The grill should sit at 450-500 F. Make sure to clean the grates of any food or debris.
- Grill the lobster. Place the lobster on the grill, cut side up, and brush them generously with the butter mixture. Close the lid and grill them for 4-5 minutes. The shells should be starting to turn red at this point. Flip the lobster, close the lid, and grill for another 4-5 minutes or until the meat is opaque and sitting at an internal temperature of 135-140 F. Flip them back over, brush them with more butter, and transfer to a serving plate.
- Finish the lobster tails. Grill the lemons until charred and transfer them to the serving plate. Serve the lobster with the remaining butter sauce and squeeze the grilled lemons over the meat before serving.
Rate & Review This Recipe