For an extra special Valentine's Day, skip the fancy restaurant and make these buttery grilled lobster tails right at home. While this seafood dinner might seem intimidating, these tails are surprisingly easy to make at home for the most romantic dinner for two. Ready in 30 minutes, this grilled classic—paired with an irresistible garlic herb butter—is guaranteed to win the heart of whoever you're serving it to.
If this is your first time making lobster at home, we get it—it can be expensive. So, to make sure your tails are sheer perfection, follow our top tips to acing this delicious dish.
How to cut your lobster tails for grilling:
It's surprisingly easy! You simply cut down the center of the shell, starting on the opposite side of the tail fins. Cut down the shell lengthwise, stopping at the tail fins. Tip: Don't skip inserting those skewers into your lobster tails before grilling! They'll keep your tails from curling up while cooking.
Follow along with our video above for a step-by-step guide on how to butterfly your lobster tails!
How long should I grill lobster tails?
For our 8-oz. lobster tails, around 5-6 minutes on each side resulted in perfectly cooked lobster tails. If your tails are slightly bigger or smaller, the cook time shouldn't change drastically—just keep on eye on them to make sure they're not overcooked!
How should I season my lobster tails?
With a garlic herb butter, of course. After seasoning with salt and pepper and grilling flesh-side down, you're going to flip your tail before adding a dollop of your herb butter, then grilling tail-side down. Simple to create, this easy herb butter shouldn't be missed—it packs in heaps of juicy flavor. We topped our finished tails with a pinch of red pepper flakes and lemon wedges for serving to finish them off—feel free to serve with even more garlic butter if you prefer!
What should I serve with it?
If you're going the fancy seafood restaurant route, some creamy risotto would be a perfect pairing. But since lobster is very rich, a bright and fresh arugula salad also gives great contrast to your fancy main dish.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
Ingredients
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1/4 c.
melted butter
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1 tbsp.
lemon juice
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1/2 tsp.
lemon zest
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2 tbsp.
freshly sliced chives, plus more for garnish
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2 tbsp.
freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
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1
clove garlic, minced
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1/4 tsp.
kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
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4
(8-oz.) lobster tails
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Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
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Freshly ground black pepper
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Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
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Lemon wedges, for serving
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- Step 1Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, zest, chives, parsley, garlic, and salt.
- Step 2Using kitchen shears, cut top of lobster shell from meaty portion of tail. Using a knife, cut halfway through meat down the center, without cutting all the way through. Insert a skewer lengthwise through the lobster to keep lobster from curling up when cooked.
- Step 3Brush all over with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill flesh side down until lightly charred, about 6 minutes. Flip lobster and dollop a spoonful of butter mixture on flesh side. Grill until just cooked through, about 5 minutes more.
- Step 4Remove lobster from grill and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Serve with lemon wedges.