Grilled Lobster Tails
These Grilled Lobster Tails come together in just 30 minutes and are loaded with flavor from garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs. I spread them with a homemade herb butter while they’re still hot off the grill. They’re always the first thing to go whenever I make them.
Ingredients
For the Herb Butter:
- 1 pound softened unsalted butter
- ½ peeled and finely grated small shallot
- 4 finely grated cloves of garlic
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons finely diced fresh tarragon
- 3 tablespoons finely diced fresh chives
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the Lobster Tails:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 4- ounce lobster tails cut in half longways
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 3 lemons cut in half (optional)
- microgreens for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 450° to 500°.
- Herb Butter: Add the softened butter to a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and whip on high speed until it becomes light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Next, add the shallots, garlic, lemon, herbs, salt, and pepper and whip on low speed.
- While the butter is whipping, add in the honey so that it integrates into the butter immediately.
- Remove from the standing mixer, transfer to a plastic container, and chill in the refrigerator. Note: there will be a lot of leftovers.
- Lobster: brush the meat side of the lobster with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the lobster meat side down onto the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Once you flip the lobster over, generously spread some of the herb butter on the grilled meat side.
- Next, immediately put the lemons cut side down onto the hot grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until there are grill marks.
- Remove everything from the grill, transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with optional microgreens.
Notes
I suggest for making the best grilled lobster tails recipe to always start with fresh lobster. I usually pick mine up from the market, and I make sure they’re firm and smell clean before buying. It makes a big difference in both texture and flavor, and it’s really the first step to getting that restaurant-quality result at home.
Reheating: When I reheat lobster tails, I warm them just until heated through. Any longer and they can get chewy, so I keep a close eye on them.
Cooking larger tails: If I’m using big lobster tails, I know they’ll need a few extra minutes on the grill. I watch for the meat to turn white and the tail to gently curl, that’s when I know they’re done.
Extra herb butter: There’s always extra herb butter, and I never let it go to waste. It freezes well and tastes amazing on fish, shellfish, pork, or chicken.
Don’t leave the grill: Lobster cooks fast, so I stay close and flip them after just a few minutes. Overcooking can make them rubbery.
Serve immediately: Lobster tastes best hot off the grill. I usually have the serving platter ready so we can eat right away.
Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking.
How to Store: Cover the grilled lobster tails and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze these covered for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 day or until they’re thawed.
How to Reheat: Add the lobster tails to a hot grill (400° to 50°) and cook them for 2-4 minutes or until warm. In addition, you can add the lobster tails to a pan and cook them in the oven at 350° for 4 to 6 minutes or until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 4gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 268mgPotassium: 109mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 816IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg