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Fresh lobster is coated in a garlicky butter sauce and grilled until perfectly tender and incredibly delicious. This Grilled Lobster recipe is perfect for a fancy seafood dinner, or you can treat yourself just because!
No grill? No problem! Grab my recipe for baked lobster tails.
Buttery Grilled Lobster Tails
Lobster is such a treat, but you don’t need a fancy restaurant to enjoy it. You can make restaurant-quality grilled lobster tails at home, and it’s easy! Instead of dealing with a whole lobster, we’re keeping things simple with just the tails, though. No claws, no rubber bands, no stressin’. These fresh lobster tails are slathered in a rich garlic lemon butter sauce and grilled until juicy and tender, with that perfect smoky flavor only the grill can deliver. Whether it’s a summertime dinner or a special occasion, grilled lobster is the kind of seafood you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: Melted. I usually use unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt I use, but you can definitely use salted if you want to.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is best.
- Herbs: I like to use a combination of chopped fresh basil and chopped fresh parsley.
- Garlic: Minced. The only thing better than a butter sauce is a garlic butter sauce!
- Salt: For flavor, to taste.
- Lobster Tails: I prefer to use fresh lobster tails, but you can use frozen ones. Just remember to thaw them first.
- Lemon Wedges: For serving.
How to Grill Lobster Tails
I told you this lobster tail recipe is quick, but I didn’t tell you how quick. These tails can be prepped and grilled in under 30 minutes. First, you’ll have to cut the tails (I’ve included a step-by-step guide, worry not!), season them, and finally, you’ll grill them. Let’s get started, step-by-step:
- Prep. Preheat the grill. Then, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, basil, parsley, garlic, and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare the lobster tails: With your kitchen shears, cut straight along the middle of the top of the lobster shell towards the tail’s fins, but don’t cut through the fin. Using your fingers, gently open up the shell. With a knife, cut halfway through the meat down the center. DO NOT cut all the way through. Then, insert a skewer through the lobster, lengthwise.
- Add the butter: Lightly brush the lobster flesh with the butter mixture.
- Grill the lobster tails: Grill, flesh side down, for about 6 minutes, or until lightly charred. Flip over the lobster; brush with more butter and grill for about 4 to 5 more minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy: Remove the lobster tails from the grill. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Is Grilling Lobster Better Than Steaming?
Personally, I like grilled lobster better than steamed lobster. In terms of ease, there’s no difference between the two processes. One of the proclaimed benefits of steaming a lobster is that it’s difficult to overcook it that way, but it can also introduce too much water to the meat. When you grill the lobster, it’s still quick and easy, and all of the flavors of the meat just shine. Plus the texture comes out perfect every time!
Katerina’s Recipe Tips
Now that you’re a grilled lobster tail expert, it’s about time for me to cut you loose to the kitchen! But, before you leave, read through a couple last minute tips that will help you get the best results with your seafood:
- How Do I Know if the Lobster is Done? If you’ve never cooked lobster before, this can be difficult to tell, but look for your lobster meat to be sturdy and opaque in color. Also, the shells should be bright red.
- If You’re Using Frozen Tails: This may seem obvious, but make sure to thaw them in the fridge overnight before cutting and grilling.
- Serve While Hot: The texture won’t be the same if you have to reheat them, so make sure to dig into these tails while they’re still buttery and hot. If you have leftovers, toss them in this lobster bisque recipe.
- For Cold Weather Enjoyment: If you can’t fire up the grill, you can still make these lobster tails on a stovetop grill pan or make my air fryer lobster recipe.
Serving Suggestions
- Potatoes: Grilled lobster tails can be served with anything from homemade French fries to garlic mashed potatoes!
- Grilled Vegetables: While you have the grill out, toss on some veggies! Try something like this grilled asparagus or my delicious grilled zucchini salad.
- Rolls: Save some of that garlic butter sauce and slather it on toasted dinner rolls or a slice of bread.
- Salad: You can make any kind, really. An easy pasta salad, potato salad, a green salad, etc. Personally, I’m a big fan of this summery and light quinoa salad or tabouli.
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Easy Grilled Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- salt, to taste
- 4 lobster tails, (8 to 10 ounces each)
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the grill and the lobster tails. Preheat the grill. With your kitchen shears, cut straight along the middle of the top of the lobster shell towards the fins of the tail; don’t cut through the fin. Using your fingers, gently open up the shell. With a knife or kitchen shears, cut halfway through the lobster meat down the center. DO NOT cut all the way through. Insert a skewer through the lobster, lengthwise.
- Make the butter sauce and add it to the lobster. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, basil, parsley, garlic, and salt. Lightly brush the lobster flesh with the butter mixture.
- Cook. Brush the grill grates with cooking oil. Grill the lobster tails, flesh side down, for about 6 minutes, or until lightly charred. Flip over the lobster, brush with remaining butter, and grill for about 4 to 5 more minutes, or until cooked through. The cooked lobster meat should be sturdy and opaque.
- Serve. Remove the lobster tails from the grill. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge and Freezer: Leftover lobster (either in the shell or removed) can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen the same way for a couple of months.
- Reheating: To reheat, bake your lobster in the oven (with a new coat of butter applied) until warmed through. I generally do mine at about 350 degrees F and then use them to make lobster rolls.
