Before tossing them on the grill or griddle, here’s how to tackle preparing lobster tails. See step-by-step how to butterfly lobster tails for grilling them with maximum flavor! Let’s go…
Scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable recipe…
What is butterflied lobster tail
Butterflying lobster tail is when you remove the lobster tail meat from the shell, and place it on top of the shell for cooking. This method of preparing lobster tail means you’ll have maximum coverage area to season the lobster while grilling, griddle cooking, or smoking it.
See how to griddle lobster tails (coming soon)…
What you need
- Lobster tails
- Kitchen scissors
Get tips for getting started with grilling….
How to butterfly lobster tails
Step 1
Using sharp kitchen scissors, begin at the open end of the lobster tail shell, and cut a slit towards the tail. Stop where the tail fins.
Step 2
Turn over and press down the center of the lobster tail, which will help release the meat.
Step 3
Pry open the shell to expose the lobster tail meat. Use your thumbs to separate the lobster tail meat from the shell. Leave the very last part of meat connected to the shell so it stays together while grilling.
Step 4
Pull out the meat and close the shell. Lay the meat on top of the shell as flat as possible, so it doesn’t curl up while grilling.
Step 5
Rinse and pat lobster tail dry with a paper towel before seasoning and cooking.
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Meat thermometer recommendations
Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly.
On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:
- Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
- ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill.
It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature.
How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever before cooking them.
While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!
Checkout why smoker recipes are so popular right now…
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How To Butterfly Lobster Tails For Grilling
Equipment
- Kitchen scissors
Ingredients
- 3 lobster tails
Instructions
- Using sharp kitchen scissors, begin at the open end of the lobster tail shell, and cut a slit towards the tail. Stop where the tail fins.
- Turn over and press down the center of the lobster tail, which will help release the meat.
- Pry open the shell to expose the lobster tail meat. Use your thumbs to separate the lobster tail meat from the shell. Leave the very last part of meat connected to the shell so it stays together while grilling.
- Pull out the meat and close the shell. Lay the meat on top of the shell as flat as possible, so it doesn’t curl up while grilling.
- Rinse and pat lobster tail dry with a paper towel before seasoning and cooking.
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