Though I enjoy cooking lobster tails in the air fryer and on the grill, my grilled lobster tail recipe is my favorite when it’s hot outside. It’s the perfect way to dress up your summer meals for a special event or just because you want to feel a little fancy. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to be intimidated by grilling lobster — it’s actually super easy!.
Lobster is a delicious and luxurious seafood that many people love to eat. While lobster is often prepared by boiling or steaming, grilling lobster is becoming an increasingly popular cooking method. Grilling imparts a lovely smoky flavor while keeping the lobster meat tender and juicy.
So can you grill lobster? The short answer is yes! Lobster can absolutely be prepared on the grill When done properly, grilled lobster is succulent, flavorful and downright amazing.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about grilling lobster, including:
- Benefits of grilling lobster
- Types of lobsters that work best
- Preparing the lobster for grilling
- Grilling methods and techniques
- Cooking times and temperatures
- Ensuring lobster is cooked through
- Serving suggestions for grilled lobster
- Delicious recipes to try
Let’s get grilling!
Why Grill Lobster?
There are several advantages to cooking lobster on the grill rather than boiling or steaming:
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Enhanced flavor – The smoke from the grill gives lobster a wonderful charred, barbecue-like taste. Grilling also concentrates the natural sweetness of the lobster meat.
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Juicy texture – Lobster cooked on the grill tends to stay moist and tender. The meat doesn’t dry out like it can when boiling.
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Simpler preparation – Grilling lobster eliminates the need to boil a large pot of water. It’s easier and less messy than steaming too.
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Fun, casual vibe – Grilling lobster is perfect for relaxed outdoor entertaining in the summer months.
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Versatility – Grilled lobster can be used in a variety of dishes like tacos, pasta, salads, and more.
So if you’re looking to add incredible flavor to lobster while keeping things easy, grilling is definitely the way to go.
Best Lobsters for Grilling
When selecting lobster for grilling, you’ll want to choose specimens that are:
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Hard shell – A hard shell protects the delicate meat during grilling. Soft shell lobsters won’t hold up.
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Lively – Pick active lobsters that are lively when you purchase them. This indicates freshness.
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Large – Opt for lobsters that are 1.5 pounds or larger. Smaller ones tend to overcook on the grill.
Many people prefer Maine lobsters for grilling because they tend to be hearty with firm shells. Spiny lobsters and rock lobster tails also work well. Avoid selecting limp, lethargic lobsters which may signal old age or illness.
Preparing Lobster for the Grill
Proper preparation is key to grilling lobster correctly. Here are the basic steps:
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Choose live lobster – For the freshest flavor, start with live lobster instead of pre-cooked.
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Chill lobster – Place live lobsters in the freezer for 5 minutes before cooking to sedate them.
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Split the lobster – Use kitchen shears to cut live lobster lengthwise from head to tail. Remove the stomach sac and intestinal tract.
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Remove claws – Twist and remove the claws from the body. This allows the claws to cook evenly.
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Brush with oil – Coat lobster meat with olive oil or butter to prevent sticking on the grill.
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Season simply – Sprinkle just a bit of salt, pepper and herbs like oregano or tarragon over lobster.
Once prepped, the lobster halves are ready to hit the hot grill!
How to Grill Lobster Perfectly
Grilling lobster takes some technique to get perfect results. Follow these tips:
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Get the grill very hot. Use high heat for optimal sear and char.
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Place lobster meat-side down first. Grill for 3-4 minutes without moving.
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Flip and grill shell-side down for another 3-4 minutes to lightly char shells.
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Move lobster to cooler side of grill if flames flare up.
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Brush with melted butter for extra moisture and flavor.
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Insert meat thermometer to ensure lobster reaches 135°F internally.
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Allow lobster to rest 5 minutes before serving.
The key is watching closely to avoid overcooking. Lobster can go from tender to rubbery quickly if left on the grill too long.
How Long to Grill Lobster
Grilling time can vary based on size of lobster and heat of grill. Here are general guidelines:
- Whole lobsters – 8-12 minutes total
- Lobster tails – 5-6 minutes total
- Lobster claws – 7-8 minutes
Again, use a meat thermometer to accurately gauge doneness instead of relying solely on time. This prevents dried out lobster.
How to Tell When Lobster is Done
It can be tricky to determine when lobster is fully cooked on the grill. Here are some signs to check for:
- Shell turns bright red
- Meat is opaque and firm
- Internal temperature reaches 135°F
- Meat separates easily from shell
The lobster is definitely overdone if the meat is mushy or chewy. Undercooked lobster will appear glossy and translucent.
Serving Up Grilled Lobster
Once your lobster is cooked to tender, juicy perfection on the grill, it’s time to serve it up in style. Here are some great ways to present grilled lobster:
- Serve with melted lemon butter for dipping.
- Drizzle with aioli or hollandaise sauce.
- Place on a salad of fresh greens and vegetables.
- Fill a split-top bread roll for a lobster roll.
- Add to pasta or risotto.
- Use in lobster tacos with corn tortillas.
- Offer with corn on the cob and grilled vegetables.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like dill, chives or parsley.
However you choose to serve it, grilled lobster always makes for an impressive, restaurant-quality meal.
Grilled Lobster Recipes to Try
If you’re ready to fire up the grill and make some lobster magic, here are a few delicious recipes to try:
Grilled Lobster with Garlic Herb Butter
Ingredients: 2 live lobsters (1.5 lbs each), 6 tbsp butter, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tbsp parsley (chopped), 1 tsp lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste.
Split lobsters and remove guts. Mix together softened butter, garlic, parsley and lemon zest. Grill lobsters 8-10 minutes, basting with garlic butter. Serve with extra butter.
Grilled Lobster Tacos
Ingredients: 2 live lobsters (1.5 lbs each), 8 small flour or corn tortillas, 1 avocado (diced), 1 cup pico de gallo, 1 lime (juiced), cilantro, sour cream.
Split, grill and cut lobster meat into chunks. Warm tortillas on grill. Fill with lobster, avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and lime juice. Top with sour cream.
Grilled Lobster Salad
Ingredients: 2 live lobsters (1.5 lbs each), 6 cups mixed greens, 1 cucumber (sliced), 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1 avocado (diced), 1 lemon (juiced), 3 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Split, grill and cut lobster into chunks. Toss greens, vegetables and avocado with lemon juice and olive oil. Top with grilled lobster.
Grilling Lobster FAQs
If you’re new to cooking lobster on the grill, chances are you have some questions. Here are answers to some of the most common grilling lobster queries:
Can you grill frozen lobster tails?
Yes, frozen tails can be grilled but fresh raw tails are ideal for maximum flavor. Thaw frozen tails first.
What temperature should lobster be grilled at?
Aim for medium high heat around 400-450°F to properly sear the lobster and cook it through.
Can you grill lobster on a gas grill?
You sure can! Gas grills work well for grilling lobster. Just be sure the grill is very hot.
Do you have to split lobster before grilling?
Splitting helps expose more surface area to the grill for better flavor. You can grill whole but cook time will be longer.
How do you grill lobster claws?
Remove the claws before grilling the lobster. Grill the claws separately for 7-8 minutes until meat is opaque.
Should you boil lobster before grilling?
Some parboil or steam lobster briefly before grilling, but it’s not required. Grilling raw works well.
The Takeaway on Gr
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How Long To Grill Lobster Tails?
Grill lobster tails for 5-6 minutes flesh side down first, then 1-6 minutes flesh side up. The time on the second side will be different for each size, but my handy time chart and rule of thumb can help!
RULE OF THUMB: The ideal lobster tail grill time is about 60-75 seconds per ounce of individual tail.
It doesn’t matter how many tails you have, only their individual weight. If your lobster tails weigh 8 ounces each, you’ll grill them for 480 to 600 seconds, or 8 to 10 minutes. Five to six minutes of that time would be spent with the meat side down, and the rest of the time would be spent after flipping.
| Individual Lobster Tail Weight | Minutes Flesh Side Down | Minutes After Flipping |
|---|---|---|
| 4 oz | 4-5 minutes | 30-60 seconds |
| 6 oz | 5-6 minutes | 1-2 minutes |
| 8 oz | 5-6 minutes | 3-4 minutes |
| 10 oz | 5-6 minutes | 4-6 minutes |
Grilling lobster tails is pretty simple, but I learned a few things from all the times I’ve done it. Here are some common issues you might run into and how to avoid them:
- When butterflying, be careful not to cut the bottom shell. There should be no damage to the bottom shell. Just cut off the top shell and some of the flesh. When cooking on the second side, the shell protects the soft meat and keeps the butter from dripping into the grill after flipping.
- So that they don’t catch fire on the grill, soak your skewers in water first. Just put them in a shallow pan of water for 30 to 60 minutes and use a bowl to keep them under the water.
- Be careful when brushing on the butter. Try to only put it on the flesh and not the shell. It can make the grill flare up if you let it drip through the grates.
- Don’t overcook. The above time chart is a good place to start, but I always use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the food is done. 140 degrees F is the ideal temperature for a juicy (not rubbery!) grilled lobster tail.
- Thaw your lobster tails if they are frozen. When they are frozen, you won’t be able to butterfly them, and they would cook unevenly any way. I talk more about cooking frozen lobster tails here.
- Prep in advance to save time. Most seafood doesn’t reheat well, so this dish tastes best when it’s cooked right away. When I’m ready to grill the lobster tails, I often butterfly them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge wrapped in plastic so they don’t dry out.
- Repurpose your leftovers. When I have grilled lobster tail recipes left over, I don’t like to reheat them, so I make lobster salad or lobster bisque with them. Both make great lunch options!.
There’s nothing better than a simple, light side dish to go with a grilled lobster tail. That’s what grilling is all about, after all. Here are some of my favorites:
- Kitchen Shears—To cut through the hard shell, you’ll need a good pair of kitchen shears. These look dainty, but are actually very strong and sharp. My kitchen got them as a surprise, and they’ve become one of my favorite tools.
- Silicone Brush – For brushing on the garlic butter. I love this one because it’s so easy to clean.
- Bamboo skewers: These will keep your lobster tails from curling up while they cook on the grill.
Recipe Card
How To Grill Lobster Tails
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
In almost all recipes for grilled lobster tails, the first step is to “fly” them, which means to cut them open. If you want to bring the meat over the shell like I do with broiled lobster tails, you can. But I’ll show you a slightly easier way to do it this time, because grilling is all about!
- Cut the shell. Start at the end of the lobster shell that is not facing the tail fins and cut the top of it down lengthwise with sharp kitchen shears. (Stop when you get to the tail fins. If your shears didn’t do it already, cut the flesh lengthwise along the middle ridge with a knife.
- Open it up. To open the shell like mine does below, use your hands to pry it open. Pull the shell away from the meat a bit.
- Add skewers. Run the wooden skewers through the meat from one end to the other. This keeps the lobster tail from curling up while it’s on the grill!
- Add sea salt and black pepper to the lobster tails after brushing them with olive oil. Since the meaty side will be on the grill first, I don’t use butter yet! (Otherwise it will burn and cause flare-ups.) ).
- Prep the garlic butter. This isn’t added right away, but you should have it ready because the grilling goes quickly! To make it, melt the butter and mix in the cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, crushed garlic, and lemon juice. To make a garlic herb butter, I sometimes add fresh parsley or chives as well.
- Grill flesh side down first. Fish tails should be placed on the grill grates with the meat side down. Leave them to cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shells turn bright red and the meat turns a little brown.
- Flip and add the garlic butter. Once you’re done flipping, brush the lobster meat with the melted lemon garlic butter. Close the grill and cook until opaque. (See below for a time chart!).
Remove the skewers when they are done. When I grill lobster tails, I always serve them with more of the seasoned butter or just my lemon butter sauce. I also put lemon wedges on top and sprinkle fresh parsley or chives on top.
