Grilled Lobster Recipe

Humanely dispatch and split

Chill the live lobsters in the refrigerator or an ice slurry for 20–30 minutes to sedate them. Place a large cutting board on a stable surface. Wearing a kitchen towel or using tongs to steady each lobster, position the lobster belly-side down and use a very sharp chef's knife to quickly split the lobster through the center of the head to the tail (or use kitchen shears to cut down the midline of the carapace). Twist and pry to open the shell so the meat is exposed. Remove and discard the intestinal vein and the sand sac (behind the head) if present; keep the tomalley (green liver) if you like its flavor or remove if preferred.

Rinse the split lobsters gently under cold running water to remove any debris. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Using kitchen shears, crack the underside of the tail shell slightly to allow heat and baste to penetrate. Lightly spray or brush the exposed meat with a thin coat of neutral oil to prevent sticking.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter gently without browning. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep the baste warm; transfer to a heatproof container and set near the grill. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the baste for serving melted butter, if desired.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). If using charcoal, bank coals for direct heat. Clean and oil the grill grates.

Place the lobsters meat-side down on the hot grill. Grill for 3–4 minutes until the meat gets good grill marks and is just beginning to turn opaque at the surface. Brush the exposed meat with the butter herb baste immediately after placing on the grill.

Flip the lobsters so they are shell-side down (meat up) and continue grilling for another 4–6 minutes with the lid closed, brushing with baste every 1–2 minutes. Total cook time will be about 8–12 minutes depending on lobster size; the meat is done when it is opaque, firm to the touch, and registers about 140–145°F (60–63°C) in the thickest part of the tail.

During the last minute of cooking, spoon or brush additional baste over the meat and allow it to sizzle and caramelize slightly. If you want a lightly charred finish, move the lobsters briefly over the hottest part of the grill for 15–30 seconds, watching carefully to prevent burning.

Transfer the grilled lobsters to a platter and let rest for 3–5 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute.

Brush once more with the reserved warm butter baste and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and extra melted butter on the side for dipping.

Provide nutcrackers or kitchen shears for guests to access claw meat. Discard shells after extracting meat or reserve for stock.