Lobster tails are simple to prepare yet elegant and incredibly flavorful. Below you’ll find practical tips for buying, preparing, and grilling lobster tails on a gas or charcoal grill.
You can easily make an impressive lobster dinner at home with a few helpful tips. The first is knowing where to buy quality lobster tails.
Where to Buy Lobster Tails
Lobster tails are available from seafood markets, grocery stores, restaurants, and online seafood retailers. Online sellers are useful when you need a specific variety, such as cold-water Maine lobster, which is prized for its sweet, firm meat. Warehouse stores like Costco sometimes carry lobster tails—check labels for origin and whether they are fresh or frozen.
You can choose live lobsters, fresh tails, frozen tails, or just lobster meat. If ordering online for an event, confirm shipping times to avoid delays.
How To Buy Lobster Tails
Choosing lobster tails depends on availability, budget, and taste. Consider these factors when shopping.
Warm-Water vs Cold-Water Lobster Tails
Warm-water lobster tails tend to be smaller and less expensive with a milder flavor. Many grocery-store lobster tails are spiny, clawless species like the California spiny lobster.
Cold-water lobster tails are usually larger, pricier, and often sweeter and more succulent. They come from regions such as Maine and parts of Canada and are considered higher quality for many recipes.
How to tell the difference: Cold-water lobsters typically have claws and may show spots or yellow striping on their tails. Warm-water spiny lobsters lack large claws and have prominent antennae-like front legs.
Fresh or Frozen Lobster Tails
Most lobster tails, especially high-quality Maine tails, are flash-frozen shortly after being caught. Flash freezing preserves texture, flavor, and nutrients, so many people cannot tell the difference between fresh and properly flash-frozen lobster. If you’re unsure, check product labels or ask your supplier about how the lobsters were handled.
Lobster Buying Tips
- Read labels: Labels often specify cold- or warm-water origin, wild-caught or farmed, and whether the product is fresh or frozen.
- Pick the right size: Medium to small tails cook more evenly and are usually more affordable than very large specimens.
- Cold vs warm: Cold-water tails typically provide better flavor and texture, though warm-water tails are tasty and often less expensive.
- Male vs female: For grilling, there is little meaningful difference in flavor or texture between sexes.
- Hard-shell vs soft-shell: Soft-shell lobsters have recently molted and may yield slightly less meat; some prefer the taste, but both are suitable for grilling.
- Appearance: Fresh tails should show natural coloration and the meat should be translucent white before cooking.
- Smell: Lobster should smell clean and briny, never foul.
- Buy reputable sources: Purchase from trusted vendors and ask questions if something is unclear.
How to Prepare Lobster Tails
- Using kitchen shears, cut the top of the shell lengthwise down the center, keeping the tail fin intact.
- Slice a shallow slit into the meat about half an inch deep following the shell cut.
- Gently pull the shell apart from the meat so seasonings and butter can reach the flesh.
Kitchen scissors make the cutting step safer and easier than a knife.
(Scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.)
Lobster Grilling Times
Grill lobster tails to an internal temperature of 135–140°F; avoid exceeding 140°F to prevent dry meat. Use a digital instant-read thermometer for accuracy. Grilling times vary by grill and tail size, but the following estimates are helpful:
- 4 oz tail: 4–7 minutes
- 6 oz tail: 6–9 minutes
- 8 oz tail: 8–11 minutes
- Over 8 oz tail: 11–15 minutes
Flip the tails halfway through cooking for even heat.
Tips for Grilling Lobster Tails
- Thread a skewer lengthwise through the tail to keep it flat during cooking—this promotes even cooking and a tidy presentation.
- Keep a spray bottle of water nearby to manage flare-ups quickly, which is especially useful for quick-cooking seafood.
- If tails are frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in a sealed bag in cold water. Do not cook from frozen for best texture.
- Grill over indirect heat when possible. Gentle, consistent heat reduces the risk of overcooking.
- Leave some shell on the tail to protect the meat from drying out.
- Baste with butter or sauce halfway through cooking to add flavor and keep the meat moist.
- Use a bamboo skewer to help prevent the tail from curling and to keep it flat on the grill.
Save the Shells for Lobster Stock
Save shells in freezer bags for later use in making lobster stock. Simmered shells create a rich base for bisques, stews, sauces, and gravies—an efficient way to stretch the flavor of your purchase.
How to Grill Lobster Tails + Grilled Lobster Tail Recipe
4 servings
10 minutes
13 minutes
23 minutes
Lobster tails are easy to prepare yet so delicious and elegant. Learn how to grill lobster tail on a gas or charcoal grill.
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails (thawed, 10 ounces each)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high (400–450°F).
- Melt butter with minced garlic and stir in the salt.
- Cut the top of the lobster shell lengthwise with kitchen shears, keeping the tail fin intact. Make a shallow slit in the meat about ½ inch deep.
- Loosen the meat from the shell carefully while keeping the tail end attached. Brush the meat with some garlic butter.
- Place tails cut-side down on the cooler side of the grill. Grill 5–7 minutes until the shells brighten.
- Turn tails over, baste generously with garlic butter, and grill another 4–6 minutes, basting occasionally, until the meat reaches 140°F internal temperature and turns opaque white. Watch closely—overcooking by even a minute can dry the meat.
- Serve with additional melted butter if desired.
Notes
If grilling frozen tails, thaw them in the refrigerator before cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 328Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 342mgCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 23g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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