Grilled Monster Lobster Tails
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Over the years, I’ve grilled my fair share of lobster tails. It’s an easy, decadent cook I come back to again and again. Typically, the tails I grill are in the paltry 6 to 8-ounce range. I say paltry, as when LobsterAnywhere asked if I’d like to try their monster 22-ounce tails, I learned what I was missing out on.
The tails are shipped frozen overnight and, by the gospel of UPS tracking, landed on my front porch in under 24 hours.
Packed in a styrofoam cooler on a layer of dry ice, they were frozen solid. Not being one to support delayed gratification, I left one tail in the fridge for a slow defrost and plunged the second in a bowl to thaw under the slow trickle of tap water. Unless I’m staring at an ocean ordering fish, I prefer flash frozen seafood as I know it ensures freshness.
There are several ways to prep a lobster tail for the grill. First, there is the bougie flesh extraction, where the lobster meat is placed on top of the shell. Next, there is the tail dissection route. The entire tail is split in half. This method works, but since the tails curl as they cook, it needs the addition of a skewer to keep them straight. My favorite method is a riff on the previous.
The tail is split in half, but the bottom membrane is left intact so the two sides can be opened like a book. This keeps the tail from curling, and once flipped, the attached shell is a wonderful basin to hold the dripping melted butter. Win-win.
If I have to choose between a charcoal or gas grill for these, I always go with charcoal.
Why? The lit briquettes put on a show. As the melted butter inevitably makes its way off the tail and down to the coals, the grill is in a constant state of small flare-ups and whispy smoke.
The hard lobster shell protects the delicate flesh, so the food is never in danger during “the show.”
As expected, Lobster Anywhere’s tails were divine. While they are pricey, the money spent can really put the wow factor into your next big dinner. I know I’m already making plans.
Thank you to Lobster Anywhere for reaching out. Both me and my stomach thank you.
Grilled Monster Lobster Tails
Ingredients
Instructions
- The losbter tails will arrive frozen. Either defrost in the refrigerator overnight or in a bowl of water under a steady stream of tap water.
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, cilantro, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- With a pair of scissors, remove the swimmerets, the small tail appendages on the underneath side of the lobster tail.
- With the lobster tail, shell side up, cut the lobster shell starting at the exposed flesh portion stopping just short of the tail. With a knife, split the meat along the same line, but do not cut through the lower membrane. Open the tail like a book to expose the flesh.
- Prepare a grill for direct medium heat (350º to 450º F).
- Brush the lobster flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the lobster tails over direct heat flesh side down for 5 minutes. Flip the lobster tail over and continue to grill until the flesh turns opaque, approximately 10 to 12 minutes more. Brush with half the butter the last few minutes of grilling. Serve with the remainder.
