Beyond Backyard BBQ: Grilled Lobster Tails

This past 4^th of July, I joined countless others on the annual migration to the meat counter at our local grocery store to pick out something for a “backyard BBQ.” I knew I could fall back on the familiar hamburgers and hot dogs, and that‘s what the kids wanted. But, for me, that sounded a bit dull - not worthy of a special day.

In the end, we bought an assortment of different meats for the many different tastes in the family. But, as a special little splurge for my husband and I, we picked up a couple of lobster tails to BBQ.

Now, my husband had been wanting me to cook lobster for a long time during the course of our marriage. But, that was one of those things I just didn’t know how to do, and there were no family lobster recipes that had been handed down through the ages. I had only seen my mom cook lobster once - I was a very little girl and I recall her placing the live creatures into a huge pot. I don’t recollect any of the “screaming” that I’ve heard so much about, but the thought of it really didn’t motivate me to try that method.

Finally, fifteen years into our marriage, I found instructions for cooking lobster tails on the grill in a Paula Deen magazine. It’s easy to prepare, it cooks quickly, and there’s no screaming involved - for me or the lobster.

There’s really nothing to it! Just use kitchen shears to cut through the shell along the back of the lobster. Then, use a large, sharp knife to cut completely through, separating the tail into two pieces.

You’ll want to loosen the meat from the shell, but do not remove it completely. Then, brush the meat with your favorite melted butter and seasoning mixture. I used the minced fresh thyme, basil, and garlic recipe that is similar to the one in the Paula Deen magazine. Just make sure you make enough to set aside for dipping.

In no time, it’s ready for the grill.

One of the best things about grilling lobster is that it takes no time at all to cook. I do, however, recommend spraying the grill with a non-flammable, non-stick cooking spray

Preheat the grill on a medium-high heat. Place the lobster tails meat-side-down and cook COVERED (grill lid closed) for 4-5 minutes. The shells will quickly turn red in color. Flip the tails over and cook shell-side-down COVERED for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Since we used smaller, budget friendly 4 ounce tails to go along with other grillables, I went with the shorter cooking times.

The end result was absolutely delicious!

If you’d like to try this sometime, I’ve included the recipe for the herb garlic butter that I used. It’s plenty for a couple of small tails. However, you will need to double the recipe if you’re cooking a larger quantity of the small tails or the budget-busting large-size tails.

½ Cup butter, melted

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme

1 tsp. minced fresh basil

Whisk all ingredients together and you’re ready to go.