How to Grill Lobster Tails, Step by Step

Grilled lobster tail sounds fancy, but it cooks in about 12 minutes and the method is simple. This guide covers how to grill lobster tails from start to finish: how to butterfly them, how hot to run the grill, when to flip, and when to baste so the butter never burns.

The problem most people hit is a tail that curls, sticks, or overcooks into rubber, and all three are easy to prevent once you know the moves. Get them right and you get firm, juicy meat with a little char and smoke, the centerpiece of the plate. Because these are raw, in-shell tails, you are cooking from scratch to an internal 145°F, so do not walk away.

TL;DR

• Thaw the tails, then butterfly them so the meat cooks evenly and cups the butter.
• Grill flesh-side down over medium-high heat, around 400°F, for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Flip to shell-side down, baste with garlic-lemon butter, and finish 5 to 6 minutes to 145°F.
• Skewer each tail so it does not curl, and baste only after the flip so the butter does not burn.
• Pull the tails the moment they hit 145°F, since overcooking is the only real risk.

How do you thaw and butterfly lobster tails?

Thaw your tails in the fridge for about 24 hours, or seal them in a bag under cold water for 30 to 60 minutes, changing the water about every 30 minutes. Never thaw at room temperature, which USDA guidance warns leaves the surface too warm for too long.

To butterfly, use kitchen shears to cut down the top of the shell to the base of the tail, leaving the fin intact. Spread the shell open and gently lift the meat so it rests on top, still attached at the end. This exposes the meat to the grill and gives you that clean, restaurant look. Pat the tails dry after thawing so they sear instead of steam, and if you are cooking several, butterfly them all before you light the grill, because once the tails go on the whole cook is over in about 12 minutes.

How do you set up the grill?

Heat your grill to medium-high, around 400°F, and clean and oil the grates so the meat does not stick. Set up for direct heat, with the coals or burners right under the tails, and keep the lid handy, since closing it for the second half traps heat and helps the meat cook through evenly. Have tongs and a basting brush within reach before you start.

Have your baste ready before the tails hit the fire. Melt a few tablespoons of butter with a clove or two of minced garlic and a squeeze of lemon. You will brush it on right after the flip, not before, for a reason we will get to.

Should you use charcoal or gas?

Gas gives you a dial and a fast start, which suits a 12-minute cook. Charcoal gives you higher radiant heat and a little smoke, and it rewards a two-zone fire: bank the coals to one side and leave the other side empty. Two zones matter most with big tails. Start a jumbo flesh-side down over the coals for the char, then slide it to the empty side, close the lid, and let indirect heat carry the center to 145°F without scorching the shell. On a gas grill that is one burner on high and the next one off.

If you want smoke, a small handful of apple, cherry, or oak chips is enough. Mesquite and hickory run right over lobster and leave it tasting like the fire instead of the sea. Either way, hold the grate around 400°F and confirm it before the tails go on.

How do you grill lobster tails step by step?

Place the tails flesh-side down directly over the heat. Grill 6 to 7 minutes, until you get light char marks on the meat and it begins to firm up. Flip the tails shell-side down, brush the exposed meat generously with the garlic-lemon butter, and grill another 5 to 6 minutes, basting once more, until the meat is opaque all the way through. The flip protects the delicate meat from direct flame while the shell finishes the cook and cups the butter.

• 4-5 oz tail: about 4 to 5 minutes flesh-side down, then 3 to 4 minutes after the flip.
• 8 oz tail: 6 to 7 minutes flesh-side down, then 5 to 6 minutes after the flip.
• 20-24 oz jumbo: 8 to 9 minutes per side, checking the center with a thermometer.

How do you know when grilled lobster tails are done?

Opaque, firm, white meat is your visual cue. For certainty, slide an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the tail: 145°F is the temperature FoodSafety.gov gives for seafood, and it means done.

Overcooking is the only real risk here. Pull the tails the moment they hit temperature and let them rest a minute before serving. Bigger tails need more time, so lean on the thermometer, not the clock. A few signs tell you a tail has gone too far: the meat shrinks hard away from the shell, the surface looks dry, and it feels springy and dense. Caught in time, grilled lobster is firm but still juicy, with a little smoke and char on the edges.

Which size tail is best for grilling?

For grilling, a meatier tail holds up better to the heat and is easier to butterfly cleanly. Our 8-10 oz lobster tails are the sweet spot for a single serving with real presence on the plate. Feeding a crowd or going for a showstopper? Step up to the 20 to 24 oz jumbo tails, add a few minutes to each side, keep basting, and check the center with your thermometer before you pull them.

For a mixed cookout, grill a couple of tails alongside the usual steaks and burgers. Lobster cooks faster than a thick steak, so put the tails on last and pull them first, and finish them with a squeeze of grilled lemon over the top.

How do you keep grilled lobster from curling and sticking?

Tail muscle contracts as it heats, which is why a butterflied tail tries to curl into a C. Run a bamboo skewer lengthwise from the meat end through to the fin before it goes on the grill and it stays flat. Soak wooden skewers 20 minutes first, or use metal.

Sticking is a heat problem more than a grease problem. Get the grate fully hot, scrape it clean, then wipe it with an oiled paper towel, and brush a thin film of oil on the meat as well, because butter alone will not stop it from grabbing the bars. Then leave it alone. The first three minutes flesh-side down set the crust, and a tail you nudge at minute one will tear. When it is ready it lifts cleanly; if it fights you, give it another 30 seconds and try again.

Should you butterfly, split, or grill the tail whole?

Butterflied is the default: meat lifted onto a closed shell, protected underneath, easy to baste. Splitting the tail all the way through into two halves is the other classic, and it cooks faster because the meat is thinner, so halves want about 4 minutes flesh-side down and 3 after the flip for an 8 oz tail. Whole shell-on grilling has its place, mostly for a crowd. Lay untouched tails on the grate, turn them every 3 minutes, and expect 10 to 12 minutes for an 8 to 10 oz tail. You get steamy, tender meat with a hint of smoke, no char, and nowhere to put the butter.

However you open it, cut through shell and not meat, and stop at the fin so the tail holds together on the grate. For the other cooking methods side by side, see our guide to cooking lobster tails.

When should you baste, and with what?

Butter over open flame burns. Milk solids scorch well before the meat is done and minced garlic goes bitter even faster, which is exactly why the baste comes after the flip, once the shell sits between the butter and the fire. Melt the butter with the garlic off the heat and let it steep 10 minutes, so you get the garlic flavor without loose bits sitting on the meat over the coals. Clarified butter or a little olive oil is the safer brush for the first side if you want something on there early.

Expect flare-ups when butter drips. Move the tail to the cool zone for a few seconds and let the flames settle instead of spraying water, which kicks ash up onto your food. Save the last spoonful of butter for the plate, and squeeze the lemon after the tails come off, never before.

Ready to fire up the grill?

Now that you know how to grill lobster tails without curling, sticking, or overcooking them, all you need is a good tail to butterfly. Maine Shelled Lobster ships raw, in-shell tails that are wild-caught and flash-frozen at the source. Start with our 8-10 oz lobster tails, thaw them overnight, and put this guide to work.

Frequently asked questions

Do you grill lobster tails shell-side or flesh-side down first?

Flesh-side down first, for 6 to 7 minutes over medium-high heat. Then flip to shell-side down, baste with garlic butter, and finish 5 to 6 minutes more.

Should you butterfly lobster tails before grilling?

Yes. Cut down the top shell, lift the meat to rest on top, and leave it attached at the fin. It cooks the meat evenly and lets the baste soak in.

What temperature should the grill be?

Medium-high, around 400°F. Hot enough to char and cook quickly, but not so hot the meat toughens before the center is done.

How do you keep grilled lobster from drying out?

Baste with butter after the flip, cook only to 145°F, and pull it right away. Most dry, chewy lobster is simply overcooked.

How long does it take to grill lobster tails?

About 12 minutes total for an 8 oz tail: 6 to 7 minutes flesh-side down, then 5 to 6 after the flip. Larger tails need a few minutes more.

Can you grill lobster tails from frozen?

It is the one method that really struggles from frozen. The shell chars and the butter burns long before the center reaches 145°F. Thaw them 24 hours in the fridge, or 30 to 60 minutes sealed in a bag under cold water.

Do you grill lobster tails with the lid open or closed?

Open for the first side, so you can watch the char, then closed after the flip. Trapping the heat helps the thick part of the meat come up to temperature while the shell shields it from the flame.

What should you serve with grilled lobster tails?

Grilled corn, a potato salad, and lemon halves charred cut-side down on the same grate. If you are pairing it with a steak, put the tails on last and pull them first, since they cook faster.