Grilled Lobster Tails are an easy way to create a restaurant-quality dinner with a tender, buttery texture, and incredible flavor.
Grilling is the perfect cooking method to quickly prepare lobster, packed with amazing, slightly charred flavor. For more crowd-pleasing Seafood Dishes, try making Garlic Butter Salmon and Lobster Mac and Cheese.
Sabrina’s Grilled Lobster Tails Recipe
Although this recipe is easy, Grilled Lobster Tails are an excellent main course for a special occasion. Charcoal grills are the best option to infuse the sweet meat with a smoky flavor, but gas will work as well. Serve it with side dishes that fit the fancy vibe. Roasted Potatoes, and Bacon Wrapped Green Beans all make delicious and beautiful sides to complete the dinner. If you don’t have a grill, I’ve also included stovetop instructions below the recipe card.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Grilled Lobster Tails:
- 4 lobster tails
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons parsley , minced
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Butter Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Grilled Lobster Tails:
- Heat grill on medium-high heat.
- Cut the lobster tails in the middle of the shell from the top to the tail carefully, stopping just shy of the tail.
- Try to separate the tail meat from the shell while cutting to avoid cutting the lobster meat.
- Pull the meat away gently from the sides of the shell and lift it out and over the cut shell so the meat is outside the shell.
- Using a knife make a very shallow cut into the lobster meat and pull the meat to the sides (this will show about an inch of the white lobster meat of the tail and make it look more traditional).
- Coat the lobster tails in olive oil.
- In a small bowl mix the salt, pepper, thyme, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Sprinkle over the lobster tails.
- Place onto direct heat, meat side down, on the grill for 4 minutes on the first side.
- Flip and cook shell side down for 2 minutes on the second side.
- Serve with lemon wedges, minced parsley and butter dipping sauce.
Butter Dipping Sauce:
- In a small bowl stir together melted butter, garlic, salt, black pepper and paprika.
- Add in small dipping bowls on the side of the lobster tail and brush over the grilled tails.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
There is no boiling needed for this recipe. Boiling the lobster tails before you grill them will actually dry the meat out. Also, if you’re using frozen lobster, thaw completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
You can grill lobster up to 3 days in advance, but you’ll have the freshest flavor serving them the day of. After grilling, let it cool, then store in the fridge. You can reheat on the grill or in the oven to serve.
How to Store
- Serve: After grilling, don’t leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: To keep fresh, wait for it to cool, then place in an air tight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can store the meat with or without the shell. Kept sealed in the fridge, it should stay good for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, remove the meat from the shell and store it in a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container. You can keep frozen lobster tails for up to 6 months. Then wrap the meat in foil and put it in a 350-degree oven to reheat.
Stovetop Method
If you don’t have an outdoor grill or it’s not the right weather to grill outside, you can always prepare this recipe on a grill pan over the stove. Follow the directions below:
- Heat the grill pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Prep the lobster shell, and season the lobster tails and coat them in olive oil.
- Place the lobster cut side down on the heated grill and cook. Use tongs to flip the lobster and grill the other side. You may need to do this in batches if your grill pan isn’t large enough to cook 4 lobster tails at once.
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