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Craving some grilled lobster tail, and you don’t know how to cook them, or maybe you just want to sharpen your cooking skills? How about I hook you up with some surefire tips on how to grill a lobster tail at home. Stick around.
Lobster tails are that exceptional seafood that’ll activate your taste buds, and those of your loved ones turning what seemed to be an ordinary dinner into one treat of a lifetime. However, they could be a little expensive in restaurants. Not to worry, though. You can still win their hearts at home with these recipes – most of which will take less than 30 minutes.
Lobster Grilling Safety
Yes – you can’t wait to get on with the cooking. You don’t want to ruin your food or hurt yourself in the process, though.
If you already know how to boil or steam them, it would help to know that grilling them takes the same prep time. The only difference is the grill will inject the flavors of such additives as butter, coal, or marinades.
Further, all the cooking takes place on the grill, including vegetables, sides, and turf while enjoying outdoors with some good cocktail.
Grill Them, Don’t Ruin Them
Many grilled lobster tail recipes will go over the edge to ensure you make a sumptuous meal. However, they hardly tell you those buttons you shouldn’t press. This guide will tell you that, and much more.
According to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, the secret in making tasty, safe lobsters lies in these principle rules;
- Going fresh with your lobsters
- Cleanliness
- Temperature (watch the heat)
Keep in mind that cold lobster, just like any other seafood, should stay frozen. The same applies to hot ones too. Hand hygiene is critical when handling any seafood. Remember to wash your hands properly before and after preparing raw seafood.
Lobsters have longer muscle fibers than those in fish and are held together with a connective tissue similar to mammal protein. Unlike fish, lobsters don’t flake when cooked. Therefore, it’s recommended that you prepare it at a temperature of 140°F (60°C).
Further, be careful not to spill the lobster juices on other foods, utensils, and surfaces. After you finish your cooking, properly wash the utensils, you used to prevent contamination.
Your lobsters still alive? It would be better to give them a humane and swift killing instead of throwing it to the hot grill. So, how do you do that? Two ways;
- Numb them by keeping them in the freezer for about five minutes
- Parboil by submerging them in boiling water about four minutes, after which you remove and place in ice
For tastier lobsters, instead of complicated prepping other chefs do, try splitting them, allowing the grill flavor’s smokiness to dominate. Simple, right?
For the claws, only remove them after killing it to avoid getting pinched. Proceed to split the lobster by placing the lobster on its underside, then carefully cutting it with a sharp knife lengthwise from behind the eyes through to the tail.
Kitchen shears will help with the tail section. Remember to get rid of the grey sack behind the lobster’s head, its green tomalley liver, and the female’s jet black roe. Also, get rid of the black vein on the lobster’s stomach and tail. Enough of the preps, let’s move on to the actual cooking, shall we.
Lobster Grilling Instructions
The grill is where the secret of giving your lobsters that out-of-the-world taste lies. In grilling, you can’t afford to go wrong or ruin what’s meant to be a mouthwatering meal.
You’ll need the following;
- Wood or charcoal-fired grills work best, but gas grills are even more convenient
- Hard-shell lobsters. Number and weight depends on how many people will dine
- Pepper, crushed garlic, salt, and herbs – if you want some
- Two or more sticks of butter, olive oil also work well
- Fresh lemons
- Pastry brush
Ready? Let’s grill.
Step 1: Thoroughly clean your grill, riding it of previous leftovers that could contaminate your lobster. Follow this by proper oiling.
Step 2: With your paring knife and pair of kitchen shears, carefully butterfly the tail as you remove the soft bottom. Proceed to cut through the rear in the middle lengthwise down to the end, slightly opening them.
Step 3: Prepare the charcoal or gas grill fire. For gas, medium-high heat will do. Preheat the grills to the required temperature – 400 to 450°F is desirable, before proceeding to the next step.
Step 4: Ensure you properly skewer the lobster tails to prevent instances of curling.
Step 5: Coat a napkin with cooking oil and use the same to season the grill.
Step 7: Once the grill is ready – clean and set to the right temperature, place the lobster tails, with the cut side facing down. Allow them to cook till you notice the shell turning bright orange. Remember, starting to grill the opposite side is also okay, as long as the internal temperature eventually hit 145°F.
Step 8: Clarify the butter by melting it in a saucepan at a low temperature. The butter will melt, leaving milk solids sink to the bottom. Carefully pour the content of the pan into bowls retaining only the milk solids. You can infuse the flavor of the butter by placing garlic and your favorite herbs. Keep the butter warm.
Step 9: Brush the lobster tails with butter, seasoning them with pepper and salt. Let them further cook for four minutes.
Step 10: When they’re ready, the meat will be white and opaque. The ThermoPro Meat Thermometer will help in confirming the temperature. Ensure its nothing less than 145°F.
Step 11: Congratulations. Your meal is ready.
The butter and oil’s role is to keep the tails moist, and the shell charred, which is easier to crack. Lobster tails cook pretty fast.
You, therefore, need to be alert. A little overcooking and your meal is ruined – hence ending up with the meat too dry and tough. Remember that the lobster will continue cooking even after removing it from the grill.
Not too difficult, right? That’s all involved in grilling lobster tails without a shell.
Not sure how to serve it? Put it all on a big plate with butter and lots of lemon wedges. Consider pre-cracking the claws with a chef knife. Include additional shell crackers for those you’ll dine with, just in case they need them.
Live Lobsters – why?
Lobsters, like common kinds of seafood, should stay alive until the moment you intend to cook them. Why so? Two reasons;
- To maintain the right texture. The enzymes in a Lobster’s body start breaking down protein fibers immediately it dies. This causes the meat to become mushy.
- For extra safety. Shellfish are home to bacteria, and lobsters are not an exception. Lobsters are vulnerable when it comes to bacterial contamination and can easily cause food poisoning.
Ensure you buy your lobster just around the time you intend to cook it – preferably 24 hours upon purchase. To keep it alive, keep the lobster in a container. Put in some seaweed and the wet paper or ice packs they came with.
Lobsters are saltwater animals, freshwater, therefore kills them. Keep them refrigerated till you’re ready to cook them.
Ready for The Tasty Bite?
Among the numerous seafood, lobsters are a game change changer. Summer is all about spreading love, having fun, and eating good food. Lobsters are such a good choice for dinner with your loved ones. Learning how to grill a lobster tail at home will save you from spending extra on hotel or delivery bills.
The secret to making good lobsters lies in three things – temperature, hygiene, and freshness. Anything other than 145°F internal temperature can ruin what was supposed to be a tasty meal. Not to worry, though, the ThermoPro Meat Thermometer will help you watch the temperature. Be sure to get it.
Lobster tails are a great addition to the menu – whether boiled or grilled. The mouthwatering Grilled lobster tail will surely activate your taste buds and leave you craving for more – an excellent choice for dinner with your loved ones.
The cooking is straightforward, with no complicated steps or ingredients, and hear this out: in less than thirty minutes, you’ll be having your meal ready. Is that all? No. Here, apart from cooking, you’ll also learn other valuable tips of handling your lobster before, during, and after cooking. Yes – this is not just a recipe but a guide.
This guide focuses on the three critical elements of making tasty and safe lobster – temperature, hygiene, and freshness. Lobsters, just like most seafood, are prone to severe bacterial contamination. Sanitation is, therefore, critical. This guide talks about such tips proper hand hygiene, cleaning utensils, and surfaces when handling lobsters.
On freshness, well, who doesn’t like fresh foods? As you’ll see in the guide, taking such precautions as buying live lobsters is a sure ending with a fresh one. In this, you can’t afford to compromise.
Temperature is yet another crucial aspect this guide covers. With this, you can’t afford to go wrong. A slight increase or decrease will ruin your lobster.
