Fire Up Fancy with These Grilled Lobster Tails

We partnered with Goose Island Beer Co. to share Sofie-approriate summer recipes from grilling maestro Paula Disbrowe. We're celebrating Goose Island beer all year long, so stay tuned for more recipes, tips, and stories to come.

There are nights when burgers and drumsticks will suffice, and then there are occasions that call for something more elegant. I love how a grill makes both options more enticing. As a kid growing up in the Midwest, celebratory dinners always meant steak—and a fat sirloin or T-bone charred on the grill still ranks among my favorite meals.

But, these days, when I want something lighter (or I’m cooking for pescatarians), grilled lobster tails are my favorite way to fire up fancy.

Lobster tails are far less fuss, and mess, than preparing a whole lobster. There are different ways to prep a lobster tail for the grill. The soft tissue underneath the tail shell can be removed (poultry shears would do well at this task) or the entire tail can be split in half, lengthwise.

My favorite approach is a hybrid of the two: Use shears to cut the shell up to the tail, and then use a knife to split the meat along the same line as the shell cut, being careful not to slice all the way through the lobster.

At this point you’ll spread open the lobster, exposing more of its luxurious meat to seasonings and smoke (while the remaining soft membrane will hold the sections intact). Brush the meat with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and then grill the tails shell-side down over direct medium heat for about 5 minutes. Use tongs to flip the tails and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat is cooked through (when the internal temperature reaches 135°F on an instant read thermometer). The rich, sweet meat will absorb a delicious, smoky flavor and needs nothing more than a drizzle of XVOO and a squeeze of lemon. However, as the tail finishes cooking flesh-side up, you can add another layer of flavor by brushing it with an herb butter, or cultured butter and a pinch of smoked paprika.

Round out the meal with a cold, crisp Belgian-style ale, garlicky potatoes (like Spanish Roasted Potato Salad) or roasted new potatoes served on a bed of arugula.

We partnered with Goose Island Beer Co. to share summer-appropriate crowd pleasers to eat alongside bottles of their Sofie Belgian-style Saison. We're celebrating Goose Island beer all year long, so stay tuned for more recipes, tips, and stories to come.