Grilling lobster SOUNDS simple – just throw the tails on the BBQ like you would do a shell-on shrimp but, no! When heated, the lobster tails actually curl up and because the shells are so thick it takes a while for the meat to actually cook through, and then you have the arduous task of removing the cooked flesh from the smoking hot shells. Thankfully for you, I’ve figured out the best way to grill lobster tails and it’s a simple, albiet, 3-step process.
SHOPPING LIST: lobster tails (recommended 2 per person), butter, old bay seasoning, sweet chili sauce, lemon, salt
STEP 1: Par-Boil the Lobster
Fill your largest pot with water and set over high heat. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both halves into the pot of water and add the squeezed lemons into hot water. Add about 1/2 cup of salt so your water is heavily seasoned as well. When your water comes to a boil, add your lobster tails and boil for 5-6 minutes. This will firm up the flesh inside the shell. Keep a strainer with ice waiting in your sink and immediately flash your lobster tails under cold water and mix with the ice to prevent the tails over-cooking. As mentioned, you’ll see below how the lobster tails CURL up from the heat – but no worries!
STEP 2: Slice and Season the Lobster
Using your strongest kitchen knife, stretch your lobster out and lay them flat on their backs on a cutting board so you can slice directly through the entire shell. Melt a few tB. of butter in the microwave and use a pastry brush to brush each half with a bit of butter. Season with Old Bay seasoning, or you could always just use salt and pepper. I personally like layering the flavors of the Old Bay with the Sweet Chili Sauce – it’s one of those combinations that might sound off but pair really well together with the sweet, buttery shellfish.
STEP 3: Grill the Lobster
For all intents and purposes, the lobster is BASICALLY cooked at this point, but we still want the smokey, charred flavor from the BBQ. So fire up your BBQ and then lay the lobster tails, flesh-side-down, and let them soak up all that delicious grill flavor for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lobster tails from the BBQ, spread them nicely on your platter, and finish with a drizzle of Sweet Chili Sauce. If the sauce isn’t your thing, a fresh squeeze of lemon is always a good idea.
The Kitchen Koach 