if you asked most people to pick the most decadent dish, you’d find lobster tails would be among the top vote-getters. Most people reserve lobster tails for very special occasions, and generally only order them in a restaurant. While lobster is no “value meal,” you can definitely make better lobster at home than most restaurants, and save money in the process. My Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails recipe is just a beautiful, delicious dish, and you’ll love that you know the secret to how easy it is!
Buying the Right Lobster Tails
If you go to your local grocery, you’ll only have what’s available from which to choose. I have found a much better way to get lobster is to order them online. I can get anything from live lobsters in a variety of sizes to different-sized lobster tails. You might be swayed by large “warm water” lobster tails that can be very large. Stay away from them unless you know a good bit about lobsters. They aren’t bad per se, but they don’t hold up against a cold water tail.
Tails are sold by the ounce size. Generally, the smallest I want to purchase is 4 oz tails. These are very good for serving as a side to a steak or serving two per person for a meal. To me, cold water tails bigger than 8 oz don’t have near the flavor or texture of smaller tails. You can occasionally catch these on sale for around $6/tail. When I see them at that price, I generally grab them up. As lobster tails are generally frozen and then thawed in the grocer’s case, see if they have any frozen and purchase those. Then, you’ll be able to cook them whenever you’d like (just allow a day for them to thaw in the fridge.)
Prepping Lobster Tails for the Grill
This is much easier than people think. The second most used accessory in the kitchen that I recommend (after a really good thermometer) is a good pair of kitchen shears. I use Mac Knives brand kitchen shears, and they are a workhorse in my house. Whether cutting through chicken bones for a spatchcock chicken, snipping herbs, or cutting dough, a good pair of shears is definitely a must-have.
To prep the tails, you’re going to trim a straight line through the top of the shell from the top of the tail to the fins. Then, cut out a small triangle at the base of the shell. Wearing gloves, run your finger around the meat inside the shell then pop it out of the top all the way to the base. You can use the triangle you trimmed to allow the base of the tail to be still connected to the shell but the shell to close back under it. With a sharp knife, lightly score down the center of the tail and devein, if necessary.
Run a skewer through the meat, and then season. The tail will curl up while cooking if you don’t use a skewer. Keeping it straight promotes more even cooking and a better plate appearance.
Lightly season the meat with butter sauce (see recipe) for an amazing flavor, then serve with more Lemon Pepper butter sauce on the side. The butter sauce is a must-have. It’s simple to prepare and uses my Lemon Pepper Flavor Dust as the main ingredient.
Cooking Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails
You’ll want a two-zone fire when you’re ready to cook the Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails. That is one area of your grill that is hot, and one that is significantly cooler. The lobster tails will cook fairly quickly; you do not want to overcook them. As expensive as they are, overcooked lobster is a rubbery disaster that you don’t want to have. Don’t put them on the grill and come back later, they demand your full attention (and your handy dandy instant-read thermometer.)
Start by oiling the grates, then lay out the tails on the hotter part of the grill with the tails on the warmer part. Cook for 5 minutes, or until good grill marks develop. Flip the tail meat over and cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the internal temperature hits 140. Baste with butter sauce after turning.
Serving Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails
After you make the Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce, divide it into 2/3 parts and 1/3 part. The 1/3 section will be for brushing and basting, and the remainder is for serving with the tails. Plate two tails per person then lightly sprinkle with more Lemon Pepper Flavor Dust. Serve with a ramekin of the warmed butter sauce, and get ready for the acclaim of serving perfectly cooked lobster tails!
Want more seafood recipes? Check out my recipes for Amazing Crab Cake Recipe and Crab Louie Salad with Grilled Romaine and Horseradish Crema Gel !
As always, I hope you enjoy!
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Grilled Lemon Pepper Lobster Tails
Description
This easy lobster tail recipe will have people singing your praises! All it takes is a bit of planning, the right tools, and some lemon pepper Flavor Dust!
Ingredients
4 four oz coldwater lobster tails
1 TBS canola oil
1/2 pound salted butter
1 TBS plus 1 tsp Lemon Pepper Flavor Dust
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped
Instructions
Using kitchen shears, cut down the center of the top of the shell to the fins. At the place where the fin meets the shell, cut a small triangle out on each side of the main cut. Using a finger, go around the meat in the shell to loosen it, then push it out of the shell, forming the shell beneath it.
Use a sharp knife and lightly score down the center of the meat. Devein if necessary.
Melt butter, then add remaining ingredients except for 1 tsp Flavor Dust.
Over a medium-hot grill, oil the grates using canola oil. Take out about 1/3 of butter sauce, and use it to brush tails before cooking, and baste as they are cooking.
Place the meat of the tails on the hot grates for about 4-5 minutes, or until a good grill-mark has developed. Flip tails over and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 140 degrees.
Lightly sprinkle with tsp of Flavor Dust and serve with more butter sauce on the side
