Grilled Lobster Tails with Garlic Butter

Method

1. Butterfly the tails

   With sturdy scissors, cut down the top of the shell and gently prise the flesh up so it sits on top of the shell, still attached at the base. This exposes it to the fire and looks the part.

2. Make the garlic butter

   Mash the butter with the garlic, lemon zest, parsley and a little salt.

3. Flesh side down first

   Brush the flesh with butter and lay the tails flesh down over the coals for about three minutes to get colour and light char.

4. Flip and baste

   Turn them shell side down and spoon over more garlic butter. Cook another four to five minutes until the flesh is opaque and firm, around 60°C (140°F). It cooks fast.

5. Serve at once

   Spoon the last of the butter over and serve with lemon. Lobster turns rubbery the moment it overcooks, so do not leave it on.

Notes worth knowing

• Frozen tails are fine; defrost slowly in the fridge and dry them well.
• 60°C (140°F) is the sweet spot. Past that, lobster tightens and toughens quickly.
• The garlic butter left in the shell is for dipping bread. Do not waste it.

Common questions

How do I know when lobster is cooked?

The flesh turns from translucent to opaque white and firms up, around 60°C (140°F). It cooks in minutes, so watch it closely rather than relying on time.

Do I need to boil lobster first?

Not for tails; they grill from raw in about ten minutes. Whole live lobster is sometimes par-boiled first, but split tails go straight on.