A Guide to Grilling Lobster Tails

Lobsters come from a family of Nephropid, also known as Hominidae. Lobsters are having long bodies. They have muscular tails. As seafood, they are highly-priced and they are economically important. The sweetest part of the lobster is its tail with the biggest portion of meat. To enjoy the delicacy of grilled lobster tails, you don’t have to go to a fancy restaurant. You can grill them carefully at home to enjoy the lobster tails.

Before you plan to grill lobster tails during the barbecue session, make sure that you know how to grill the lobster tails. The basic thing about grilling the lobster tails is that you should know the ways to cut the lobster tail and preparation of it for grilling. 

What Is Inside the Lobster Tail 

Before you prepare the lobster tail for grilling, make sure that it is properly cleaned. You have to remove the long and thin vein that goes down the center of the tail. You can do it with a paring knife. This long and thin vein is the digestive tract of the lobster. If you eat it, it won’t hurt you but the taste would not be so great. 

Near the top of the tail, there might be roe or eggs within the lobster tail. So, make sure that you have cleaned it thoroughly. If the lobster’s tail is pinkish or red, it does not affect the taste of the meat. It will be a tail of a female lobster. 

Best Wat to Prepare the Lobster Tail for Grilling 

A fully defrosted lobster tail can be used with the whole in the shell. The shell of the lobster’s tail adds flavor to the tail meat. At high heat cooking or grilling, the shell protects the meat from sticking to the grilling grates. For grilling, you can use two best methods:

Butterfly Lobster Tails

This method is great for the high heat cooking methods because it allows the lobster’s tail meat to absorb the smoky tastes from grilling, broiling, roasting, and even baking. It also allows you to marinade the lobster’s tail and baste while cooking or grilling. 

1. Cut the upper shell down from the center with a kitchen shear. You should cut it from the big end to the point where it meets the tail fan. Make sure that the fan-tail and bottom shell are intact. 
2. To pull apart, use your fingers and spread the half shelves apart. It will help you to see the tail meat in the shell. 
3. Now lift the top part of the meat and leave the rest of the meat nestled in the partially opened shell. 

Split The Lobster Tail

In this method, you will be splitting the lobster’s tail into half lengthways down the middle. The tail and meat will be separated into two units. Each will face up and resting in its split shell. 

1. First, turn the lobster tail on its back and keep the softer undershell up. 
2. With a sharp knife, cut the undershell and fan-tail lengthwise. As a result, the tail meat will be separated from the hard shell. 
3. Split the tail in even and complete half. 

How To Grill Lobster’s Tail

To grill the lobster tails perfectly, you can choose the above-mentioned methods. Now to grill the lobster tail perfectly, follow these steps:

1. Cut and split down the tail from the middle with a sharp knife or kitchen shear. 
2. Rinse the tails thoroughly. Remove the lobster’s tomalley and intestinal vein. 
3. Now brush the side of tails, mainly flesh with olive oil, butter, garlic, or any of your favorite marinade. 
4. Now place it on a well-greased grilling grate.
5. You can cook or grill the tails on medium heat with the shell side. Make sure that the heat is not too high. 
6. If you want to grill the flesh side of the lobster tail, you can flip it for a couple of minutes. 
7. Now baste again and keep the shell side down while grilling. 
8. You have to grill the tails until it the thickest portion of the tail gets opaque. 
9. If you overcook the tails, they will become rubbery because they will dry out. 
10. You can char the shell side of the lobster tail but make sure that you do not char the flesh side. 
11. When the translucent raw meat turns opaque and the shell has turned red, the lobster tail is properly grilled and ready to serve. 

Lobster Tail Grilling Time 

You can grill the lobster tail depends on the side or weight of the lobster tail

How To Check If Lobster Tails Are Cooked or Grilled 

If you overcook the lobster tails, then you have ruined them. When the color of the meat turns into a white or opaque color, it means the tails are grilled or cooked well. 

• To see if the lobster tail is done, you can use a knife and cut through the soft underside of the shell to the thickest part of the tail.
• If the meat appears to be in opaque or white color, it means it is ready to serve. 
• If the tail meat shows some translucency, you can grill it for an additional one minute to grill it right. 
• Just like steak and salmon, you can check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the tail. You can use an instant-read thermometer to check if the lobster tails are at a temperature of 135 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• At mentioned temperature, the lobster tails will be ready to serve. 
• You have to keep in mind that lobster tails will continue to cook after removing them from the grill because of internal heat. Let it rest for a while before serving it. 

Grilled Lobster with Garlic Butter Recipe 

Ingredients

• Lobster tails – 2 
• Garlic – 2 cloves 
• Butter – 1/2 cup 
• Paprika – 1/2 tsp 
• Pepper – For a taste 
• Salt – For a taste 
• Parsley – 2 tbsp, chopped 

Method

In a medium pan, melt the butter. You have to peel the garlic cloves and chop them finely. Now sauté the garlic cloves till they are brown. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the garlic butter into a cup measuring 1/4 level. You can use the rest of the butter later. 

Now slice the back of the lobster tail and meat. Use split the lobster tail method. Open it and lay it flat. Do the same with the other lobster tail. Now marinate the lobster tails with the melted garlic and butter paste on the lobster meat. For taste, you can sprinkle pepper, salt, and paprika.  

To make the grilling grates non-stick, you can apply some vegetable oil. It will prevent the lobster tail from sticking to the grilling grates. To gain the required temperature for grilling, you can preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Depending on the size or weight of the lobster grill, you can grill it for certain minutes like 6 to 8 minutes for a large-sized lobster tail. 

Just make sure that they are grilled till the meat gains a white or opaque color and the shell turns red. Now remove the lobster tails from the grill and let it rest for few minutes. It will help you to spread the lump charcoal flavor to the lobster tails. Also, the lobster tails will continue to cook for few minutes after they are removed from the grill. 

Now heat the garlic butter paste and garnish it with chopped parsley. The lobster tails with garlic butter are ready to serve. 

Lobster Tails – Grilling the High-Priced Seafood Right

You can cook or grill the high-priced seafood at home with the right methods. You don’t want to ruin the lobster tails by overcooking, so you have to follow the preparation methods for a perfect grill. When you see white and opaque colored meat, it means that the lobster tails are ready to serve. 

The garlic butter is sensational and best to serve with lobster tails. Hence, you will be serving your family and friends with the flavor and taste of five-star restaurant grilled or cooked lobster tails at home.