Instructions for Cooking Lobster on the Grill
Grilling Lobster can be as easy as buying frozen tails, splitting them lengthwise and throwing them on the grill for five minutes on each side. You can also get your lobsters live and then par boil and finish them off over a charcoal fire. To really impart that smoky barbecue flavor, however, you're going to have to get your hands a little dirty. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Prep Work
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1
A ten-inch blade will do a neat job. Kill the lobster. To make this as quick and painless as possible, be sure your knife is sharp. Hold the lobster flat on a cutting board where the tail meets the crustacean's body. With your other hand, place the tip of the knife (blade pointing away from the tail-end) in the middle of the lobster's head, about an inch behind the eyes. Bring down the knife blade to finish splitting the head. Turn the lobster around and split the tail in the same fashion. Now you should have two symmetrical halves.
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2
Remove internal organs. In the middle of each lobster half you will see layers of varying color. The stomach and intestines are dark green and you should remove them by scraping. The light green and pinkish innards are the liver and roe respectively and some people find them delicious, though others just can't stomach the concept of offal. Take it or leave it depending on your (or your guests') preference.
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3
Pre-crack claws for easier access to the meat. Remove the claws. They should pull off with little resistance at the joint. To make for easier eating later, crack them open with the back side of your knife. You may wish to put them in a plastic bag first to reduce splatter.
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4
Salt and pepper are the basic seasonings. Try others too. Season the tail. Sprinkle the open side of the lobster halves with salt and pepper. Experiment with other spices for different flavors.
Grilling the Lobster
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5
Cook the claws. Put these on the grill first, as the meat is not directly exposed to the heat and will take a bit longer too cook. Try to find a hot spot. Flip after four minutes and cook for another four minutes.
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6
Grill the tails. Place them flesh side down on the grill for two to three minutes. Flip and cook shell side down for another four minutes.
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7
Check for doneness. Flip the tails again to make sure the meat is completely opaque. If not, leave on the grill for a few minutes longer.
Serving the Lobster
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8
Let the lobsters rest. You'll want to let them cool a little before serving, as the shells will be extremely hot. Wait about five minutes before serving.
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9
How about a dip in some butter? Serve with accompaniments. Melted butter and lemon are the most common flavor enhancers to serve alongside lobster. A nice piece of steak would go great with it too!
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10
Today's grilled lobster is tomorrow's lobster bisque. Save the shells. There's a lot of flavor in them and they shouldn't be wasted. Clean and set them aside to use as the base in a delicious lobster stock.
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Tips & Warnings
Wrap the tails in tin foil prior to grilling to reduce the chances of burning the flesh.
Clean and oil your grill to prevent sticking.
Make sure the lobster's claws have rubber bands around them while you are killing it otherwise it will surely go after you--a dangerous distraction with a sharp knife in your hand.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit barbecue image by Bruno Bernier from Fotolia.com pepper and knife image by Pavel Bugrov from Fotolia.com lobster claw image by green308 from Fotolia.com salt & pepper 3 image by FotoWorx from Fotolia.com lobster image by Natalya Korolevskaya from Fotolia.com crab bisque image by cherie from Fotolia.com
