Grilled Lobster Tails - Recipes - Home Cooks Classroom (2024)

Today’s recipe always reminds me of the trip my family took to Ensenada Mexico when I was about 10 to 11 years old. It was a relaxing vacation with most of our time spent hanging out on the beach right next to our hotel. And on this beach existed a little food shack that grilled up all sorts of fresh seafood that I will never forget. Sure they had some awesome seafood tacos, but what this place was really known for was their grilled lobster tails.

I recall that they were prepared in a simple manner being basted with only butter and freshly squeezed lime juice. But that wasn’t what made them special. No the key to these grilled lobster tails was the fact that they were split in half lengthwise.

First, the grill master would place the split lobster tails meat side down allowing it to get nicely charred. Then after a couple of minutes, he would flip the tails over, baste it, and allow the lobster meat to simmer with the butter-lime mixture in its shell. It was lobster perfection, and ever since then, it has become the only acceptable way my family prepares lobster.

Tips, Tricks, & Suggestions

• Today we are going to be basting your lobsters in a compound butter made with smoked paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, and lime juice. However, if you want to baste them in a different type of butter then check out our lesson on how to make a compound butter for other suggestions
• This is a very simple grilled dish that is best when grilled over charcoal. If you want to learn all about charcoal grilling then check out our lesson on it here.
• I love serving these grilled lobster tails with a side of our mayocoba beans, and our no may coleslaw.

Grilled Lobster Tails Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

8 Lobster tails

For the compound butter:

8 Tablespoons or 1 Stick of salted butter

1 Tablespoon of fresh rosemary, minced

1 Teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/2 Teaspoon of garlic powder

Juice from one lime

Instructions

1. Cut the lobster tails in half: Get out a pair of kitchen shears to cut the lobster tails. Begin by cutting through the meat and the bottom shell of the lobster until you reach the tail. Then flip the lobster over and cut along the top shell, and finally through the back tail. Wash the lobster meat clean under cold water and set the two halves on a plate. Repeat these steps with every lobster tail.

2. Heat your grill to high

3. Melt the compound butter in a small bowl

4. Grill the lobster: First, you will want to prepare the grill grate by rubbing it with some oil. I typically use a paper towel to do this. This step is important in ensuring that our lobster tails don’t stick to the grill. Once you have done that quickly place the lobster tails meat side down on the grill. Let them grill for 3 to 4 minutes, and then turn them over. Basted them heavily with the compound butter and let it finish cooking shell side down for another 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Enjoy your grill lobster tails but making a slice at the tail end, and then using a fork to pull the meat out of the shell.

Inspiration from other blogs

From Saving Room for Dessert

From Skinny Taste