Smoked lobster tails are a delicious and decadent entree and serving them with a lemon garlic butter takes this amazing shellfish to an entirely new level!
Whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, an electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional propane grill like a Weber, we've got you covered!
Jump to:
Choosing Your Lobster Tails
Cold Water Lobster Tails are mostly from New England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Warm Water Lobster Tails are generally from the Caribbean and Central America.
According to Eazy Peazy Meals, while warm water lobster tails are cheaper and easier to find, they are not known to be as high quality as cold water lobster tails.
Cold water lobster tails are known for having whiter, sweeter meat that is more appetizing and flavorful.
They should smell fresh and lightly salty like the ocean, not fishy or sour.
Yes...It's OK to ask to smell the lobster tails.
If you are in a good seafood market, they will be used to this request and should have nothing to hide.
They should NOT have been soaked in a preservative called sodium triphosphate prior to freezing. Check the label or ask the person working the fish counter. If they can't tell you or find out for you, move on.
Lobster tails will come in variety of sizes everywhere from 4oz to 16oz.
We recommend aiming for somewhere in the middle around the 4-8oz range if possible.
Many lobster aficionados claim the smaller tails are sweeter and more tender than the bigger ones, but this is personal preference.
Prepare the Lobster Tails
Thaw your lobster tails only when you are ready to cook them. They should not remain in the refrigerator for more than the time it takes them to thaw overnight.
Alternatively, you can quick thaw them by submerging them in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes
Wash, rinse and pat dry the tails with paper towels well as there may be dirt, sand, and bacteria in all the crevices of the shells.
Butterfly the Lobster Tails
Take a good pair of kitchen shears and cut down the center of the top from the exposed front end and stop when you reach the rear tailfin.
Flip the lobster tail over and gently crack the abdomen from the cut end down towards the tail fin.
These will feel like tiny rows of ribs cracking.
These need to be cracked in order to be able to open up the shell completely.
Turn the tail back over and carefully pull the lobster meat up and out of the shell, leaving the rear part attached and then rest the meat on the top of the shell.
You may have to work your finger along each edge to separate the meat from the inside of the shell before pulling it out.
Remove any roe as well as any dark digestive tract that you might see running down the middle of the tail if present.
We like to place the butterflied lobster tails on a rack set over an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. This helps with airflow and cleanup.
- 🍒4 Pieces Baking Set - Including 2pcs baking sheet 17.3 x 12.2 x 1 inch and 2pcs cooling rack 16.8 x 11.22 x 0.67 inch
- 🍒Made of high quality 18/0 stainless steel without chemical coating or any other materials. Rust resistant.
Oil and Season the Lobster Tails
Rub a thin layer of olive oil all over the exposed lobster meat and also the underside where it sits in the shell. You can even oil the shells a little too.
This will keep the delicate lobster meat from sticking to the shell while it cooks.
Because lobster tails are so delicate you will also want to go VERY gentle with your seasoning.
Do not marinate them in anything acidic or they will pre-cook (this is known as ceviche and not what we are going for here.)
A pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper work best for simple seasoning.
If you want to go bigger with your seasonings, try a Cajun spice rub, a sweet BBQ rub, or a seafood seasoning like this one we like from Chef Paul.
Basting with Lemon Garlic Butter
After seasoning, go ahead and prepare the lemon garlic butter.
You'll want to have this prepared BEFORE you put the lobsters on the smoker.
This adds TONS of flavor AND keeps the lobster tails moist during the smoking process.
Ingredients:
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste, or 2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon Lemon Zest, from about ½ a lemon.
- 2 tablespoon Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Minced Chives
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
Whisk in the other ingredients and once incorporated, set aside about ½ of the mixture to serve with the lobster later so it does not get contaminated by the raw lobster.
Brush some of the mixture on the raw lobster tails and save some to brush on abut ½ way through cooking as well.
A silicone basting brush works well for adding the lemon garlic butter to the lobster.
- BPA Free
- Temperature Resistant -104℉~660℉(-40℃~315℃).
- Dishwasher safe one piece design
Best Smoking Wood
Because we are smoking the lobster tails for such a relatively short period of time, you may want to choose a stronger scented wood in order to get a good amount of smoke flavor.
We like mesquite on lobster and this will definitely give a you a strong flavor.
If you don't care for Mesquite, try hickory or oak.
If using pellets, we like using a pellet tube smoker like this one to get extra smoke flavor on our lobster tails. Check out our article How to Light a Pellet Tube Smoker for more details.
You also have the option of cold smoking the raw lobster tails BEFORE starting up your smoker if its a cold day outside.
Simply light the pellet tube smoker and let it run in your unlit grill or smoker for 20-30 minutes before starting it up.
If you prefer the flavor of real wood chunks, see how we created a small firebox with wood and charcoal.
Cooking Temperature
Because lobster tails are so lean and delicate, they do not hold up well to traditional "low and slow" cooking methods.
The only way to effectively cook lobster tails low and slow is to butter poach them, which is delicious, but not what we we are doing here today by trying to add smoke flavor.
Instead, we want to set up the smoker or pellet grill to cook with INDIRECT heat at 350°F.
Ideally add a water pan to the smoker as well to keep the cooking chamber as moist as possible.
If you set up the grill to cook the lobster tails directly you are grilling them rather than smoking them.
Since the lobster tails will cook relatively fast, make sure you have plenty of smoke going form your smoker or pellet tube BEFORE you put them on.
Cooking Time and Internal Temperature
You HAVE to use a good instant read meat thermometer to know where the internal temperature is of your lobster tails, especially because they cook relatively FAST!
There is very little room for error when smoking seafood, especially shellfish.
So do yourself a favor and watch the internal temperature closely so you don't end up with a batch of rubbery lobster tails and disappointed guests.
We are particular fans of this one from ThermoPro because of its durability and affordable price.
Everyone from beginner smokers to competition cooks need to use instant thermometers to consistently make great food.
So keep it handy and use it often.
At 350°F, small lobster tails will take about 10-15 minutes to cook, and larger ones may take around 20 minutes.
You can baste with more lemon garlic butter as the tails cook, but try to milt how much you open and close the lid to your smoker.
When the internal temperature of the smoked lobster tails reads 140°F, remove them from the heat.
Serving Suggestions
Your lobster tails should be served immediately after removing them from the smoker.
No need to rest shellfish.
You can serve them with a side of drawn butter or more of the set aside garlic butter mixture and also. a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Try serving the smoked lobster tails with an herb salad, a fresh baguette, or even hearty vegetables like Brussel sprouts or asparagus that you can smoke right along side the lobster.
To truly up your game, serve the smoked lobster tails "Surf and Turf" style alongside a filet mignon or a smoked ribeye steak.
Alternatively, put out a seafood feast of smoked lobster, smoked scallops, and smoked oysters for your guests to enjoy.
They all cook at relatively the same temperature on your smoker. Just make sure to watch your times and temperatures for each one closely.
For drinks, a crisp white wine like chardonnay or Riesling pairs nicely with the sweet smoked lobster tails.
For beer drinkers, stay away from heavy dark beers and instead go for an American pale ale or a Belgian White Beer to balance and cut through the richness of the lobster.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Lobster Tails with Lemon Garlic Butter
Equipment
- Kitchen Shears
- Smoker or Grill
- Smoking Wood Chips or Chunks
- Instant Read Thermometer
- Smoker Box or Pellet Tube Smoker optional
Ingredients
- 8 Lobster Tails frozen
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Squeezed Lemon to finish
Lemon Garlic Butter
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste or 2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon Lemon Zest from about ½ a lemon.
- 2 tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Chives minced
Instructions
- Thaw the frozen lobster tails overnight in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes.
- Start up your smoker or set up you grill for indirect cooking at 350°F.
- Add a water pan if possible to the smoker or grill as well.
Prepare the Lobster Tails
- Wash, rinse and dry the thawed lobster tails well.
- Cut the lobster tails down the middle of the top shell from the wide exposed end stopping at the tail fin with a sharp pair of kitchen shears.
- Flip the tails over and crack the abdomen to make it easier to get the meat out.
- Remove any dark looking digestive tracts running down the center of the tail and any roe you may find.
- Turn the tails back over and run your fingers along the inside perimeter to gently separate the meat away from the inside of the shell.
- Carefully pull most of the meat out of the shell, do not detach the rear end from the shell, and then let it rest on top of the butterflied shell.
- Dry the lobster tail meat well and apply a thin coat of olive oil all over each tail. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
Prepare the Garlic Lemon Butter
- In a saucepan, melt the butter of medium low heat. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, and chives.
- Set half of the lemon garlic butter aside to serve with the finished lobster tails. Brush the remaining on the raw lobster tails You can save some to baste on as they cook too.
Smoke the Lobster Tails
- Once your grill or smoker has reached 350°F add your wood chips to the smoker box, smoker tray, or place 1 chunk on the hot charcoals. If using a pellet tube smoker, make sure it is well lit and already producing smoke.
- Place your lobster tails in the smoker or on the grill away from the direct heat.
- Baste more of the lemon garlic butter on the lobster after about 7-8 minutes.
- After about 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of your lobster tails, once the they reach 140°F internally, remove them from the smoker.
- Plate and serve immediately with the extra lemon garlic butter and a squeeze of lemon.
Brian E. says
Yeah...its gonna be tough to make these any other way after this. Loved the smoky flavor and the meat just melted in your mouth. So good. Thanks for the tips!
Ted says
These were great, thanks for sharing!