Skip the fancy restaurant this
Valentine’s Day—make these buttery grilled lobster tails right at home. With their high price point, lobster tails may seem intimidating, but we promise you: these tails are surprisingly easy to make at home for the most romantic dinner for two. Ready in just 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, follow our top tips down below to guarantee your tails are sheer perfection every time:
Fresh vs. frozen lobster:
You can use fresh or frozen lobster in this recipe. If you’re using frozen, make sure it is thawed completely before cooking to promote even cooking. The fastest and safest way to thaw your lobster tails is to place them in cold water for 30 minutes. Need more info? Checkout our guide on how to cook lobster tails.
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 an 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!
Serving ideas for lobster tails:
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.
Storage:
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!