Grilled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter
INGREDIENTs
4 (6 to 8-ounce) lobster tails, thawed if frozen
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 medium lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil
DIRECTIONs
Thaw the lobster. If the lobster tails are frozen, place on a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate overnight to thaw.
Soften the butter. Place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature until softened.
Heat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium heat, 350ºF to 400ºF. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic butter and lobster.
Prepare the garlic butter and lemon wedges. Cut 1/2 medium lemon into 4 wedges for serving. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves. Add the garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt to the butter and smash with a fork until well combined.
Cut the lobster shells. Pat 4 lobster tails dry and arrange hard shell-side up on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears and starting from the thicker end, cut lengthwise through the top shell on each tail, stopping when you get to the end of the tail.
Loosen the meat from the shell. Using your fingers, gently pry the meat away from the top shell on either side by working your thumb between the shell and the meat. Gently pry the meat up and away from the bottom shell. All the meat should come out of the shell easily at this point. Place the meat back in the shell.
Split the meat. Using a chef’s knife or the kitchen shears, cut the tail meat in half lengthwise from where the shell was split, stopping when you get the bottom shell (do not cut through the bottom shell). Open the tail up like a book, and gently press down to flatten if needed (cover with a towel before flattening if the shell is sharp).
Grill the first side. When the grill is ready, scrub the grill grates clean if needed. Brush the lobster meat with 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil, then season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Place on the grill flesh-side down with the thicker end closer to the hotter parts of the grill. Cover the grill and cook until grill marks appear on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
Grill the second side with the garlic butter. Flip the tails and divide the garlic butter onto the meat. Cover and grill until the lobster meat is just cooked through and the garlic butter is melted, 3 to 5 minutes more. The meat should register between 135 and 140ºF in the thickest part. Transfer to a platter and serve with the lemon wedges.