How To Grill Lobster Tails
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Butterfly
The first step in just about any grilled lobster tail recipe is to butterfly them, which basically means cutting them open. You can bring the flesh over the shell the same way I do for broiled lobster tails, but this time I’ll show you the slightly easier method I use here… because grilling is all about keeping it simple!
Cut the shell. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut down the top of the lobster shell lengthwise, starting from the end opposite the tail fins. (Stop when you get to the tail fins.) Use a knife to cut the flesh lengthwise along the center ridge, if your shears didn’t take care of that already. Open it up. Use your hands to pry open the shell, so that it opens up like mine below. Pull the shell away from the meat a bit. Add skewers. Run the wooden skewers lengthwise through the center of the flesh. This helps to prevent the lobster tail from curling up while grilling!
Season
Brush the lobster tails with olive oil, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Because we’ll grill them flesh side down to start, I don’t use butter at this point! (Otherwise it will burn, and can cause flareups.) Prep the garlic butter. We don’t add this right away, but you want to have it ready because the grilling process goes fast! Simply melt butter and whisk (or stir) in crushed garlic, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Sometimes I also add fresh parsley or chives to make a garlic herb butter.
Grill
Grill flesh side down first. Place the lobster tails on the grill grates, flesh side down. Cook without moving for 5-6 minutes, until the flesh starts to brown a little and the shells start to turn bright red. Flip and add the garlic butter. After flipping, brush the melted lemon garlic butter mixture over the lobster meat. Close the grill and cook until opaque. (See below for a time chart!)
Enjoy!
Remove the skewers when they are done. I always serve my grilled lobster tails with more of the seasoned butter (or sometimes just my lemon butter sauce), garnish with lemon wedges, and sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives.
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 vary depending on the size, but you can use my rule of thumb and handy time chart to help!
Expert Tips
Grilling lobster tails is pretty easy to do, but I picked up a few tips from my many experiments cooking them. Here are some common issues you might run into and how to avoid them: It doesn’t matter how many tails you have, only their individual weight. For example, if your lobster tails are 8 ounces each, you’ll grill them for 480-600 seconds total, which is 8-10 minutes. Out of that total time, 5-6 minutes would be flesh side down and the remaining time would be after flipping.
When butterflying, be careful not to cut the bottom shell. You want to cut the top shell and some of the flesh, but leave the bottom shell intact. The shell protects the delicate flesh when cooking on the second side, and prevents the butter from dripping down into the grill after flipping. Soak your skewers in water first, so they don’t catch fire on the grill. Simply place them in a shallow pan filled with water for 30-60 minutes and weigh down with a bowl to keep them submerged. Be careful when brushing on the butter. Try to apply it to the flesh only, not the outer shell. Don’t let it drip through the grates, as this can cause the grill to flare up. Don’t overcook. The time chart above is a good starting point, but I always use an instant-read thermometer to double check for doneness. The perfect internal temperature for juicy (not rubbery!) grilled lobster tail is 140 degrees F. Thaw your lobster tails if they are frozen. You won’t be able to butterfly them if they are frozen solid, plus they would cook unevenly anyway. I talk more about cooking frozen lobster tails here. Prep in advance to save time. This meal is best cooked fresh, as most seafood generally doesn’t reheat very well. However, I often butterfly the lobster tails in advance and keep them in the refrigerator (wrapped in plastic so they don’t dry out) until I’m ready to grill them. Repurpose your leftovers. Since I’m not a big fan of reheating grilled lobster tail recipes, I turn my leftovers into a lobster salad or lobster bisque if I have any. Both make great lunch options!
Serving Suggestions
I like to keep it light and simple with my side dishes to go with grilled lobster tail, because the whole point of grilling is a meal with less fuss! Here are some of my top choices to achieve just that:
Grilled Vegetables – Might as well, when you already have your grill on! Some of my favorite veggies to cook this way are grilled zucchini, grilled broccoli, grilled asparagus, and grilled cabbage steaks. I usually grill the veggies first, so that the lobster is nice and fresh when I serve it. Just keep in mind that many vegetables require medium-high heat, whereas grilled lobster works best at medium heat, so let your grill cool down a bit. Salads – One of my favorites to pair with this dish is grilled peach salad, because I can grill the peaches at the same time as the lobster (both need medium heat). For cook-free options, whip up my fresh spring mix salad, 10-minute creamy cucumber salad, quick Caprese salad, or light cauliflower potato salad. Sauteed Vegetables – If you don’t want to grill your veggies, you can make my sauteed asparagus or sauteed zucchini just as fast. For a more filling veggie side, try my zucchini fritters or cauliflower casserole. Potatoes – Throw some on the grill (I don’t have the recipe on the blog for you yet, but let me know if you want me to post it!), or start my Instant Pot baked potatoes or air fryer potatoes before grilling. Steak – Want to turn this into surf and turf? Make my grilled steak recipe to go with your grilled lobster tail!
My Tools For This Recipe
Kitchen Shears – You’ll need a high-quality pair of kitchen shears to cut through the hard shell. These look dainty, but are actually very strong and sharp. They were a surprise addition to my kitchen that turned out to be 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 – Use these to prevent your grilled lobster tails from curling up as they cook.
Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. (If your tails are a different size, a good rule of thumb for lobster tail grill time is about 60-75 seconds total time per ounce of individual tail. For example, if your lobster tails are 8 ounces each, you’ll grill them for 480-600 seconds total, which is 8-10 minutes. Out of that total time, 5-6 minutes would be flesh side down and the remaining time would be after flipping.) 📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle!
