These lobster tails are cooked on the Blackstone griddle in under 20 minutes for a rich, indulgent dinner that rivals any steakhouse. Whether you choose to steam the whole lobster tails on the griddle, or cook the split tails poached in garlic butter, you’ll love how easy it is to make restaurant-quality lobster tails on a Blackstone!
The Outdoor Griddle Secret to Foolproof Lobster
Cooking lobster tails on a Blackstone griddle might sound unconventional, but it’s an excellent way to prepare this luxurious seafood at home. In fact, I find that it’s much easier and more foolproof than other cooking methods.
Whether you’re planning a special Valentine’s dinner, date night, or celebration, griddle-cooked lobster tails deliver restaurant-quality results at a fraction of the cost. Even if you’ve never cooked lobster before, I’ll show you how to do it quickly and easily to impress your dinner guests.
This method gives you two delicious options: steamed whole tails or butter-poached split tails, both resulting in tender, flavorful lobster that rivals any steakhouse. Serve with this easy asparagus on the Blackstone for a full meal that feels special but costs a fraction of the price of a fancy restaurant.
Video Overview of Both Methods
Why You’ll Love Blackstone Lobster Tails
- You can avoid overcooking – Because the griddle is open (versus an oven), you can easily monitor the lobster tails as they cook, ensuring that you cook them perfectly to temp.
- Lobster shells act as an insulator – Since the Blackstone has bottom side heat like a skillet, you can cook the lobster with the shell side down. The shell acts as a buffer between the hot griddle surface and the lobster meat, helping the tails to cook slowly and evenly.
- Cook lobster tails alongside side dishes – The large cooking surface of the griddle makes it easy to cook lobster tails on one side of the griddle while your side dishes cook on the other side, eliminating extra dishes.
- Easily steam lobster tails – Adding a few squirts of water to the hot griddle surface creates steam, and you can trap the steam with a melting dome to cook the lobster tails. The whole cooking process is very easy and beginner-friendly.
Supplies Needed
- Kitchen shears or chef’s knife – These are essential for splitting the shells to expose the meat, no matter which cooking method that you choose.
- Melting dome – If you’re going to steam the whole lobster tails on the Blackstone, then a melting dome is mandatory to trap in the steam for cooking.
- Instant read meat thermometer – I recommend a good instant read thermometer to make temperature monitoring much easier. The last thing you want is to overcook your lobster tails, and a probe thermometer will help.
Preparing the Lobster Tails
For Butter-Poached Split Lobster Tails
- Cut each lobster tail in half lengthwise directly down the middle, creating two equal halves.
- Carefully pull the lobster meat out while keeping the tail end attached to the shell. This creates a cavity in the shell for the garlic butter.
For Steamed Lobster Tails
- Use kitchen shears to cut down the top middle of each lobster tail shell, taking care not to cut too deep into the meat.
- Place your thumbs on the cut area, and carefully pull apart to expose the tail meat. *Be careful, the joints of the shell can be sharp!
- Starting at the end of the tail that would be closest to the lobster’s middle, carefully slide your thumb in between the lobster meat and the shell. Carefully pull the lobster meat out while keeping it attached at the tail.
- Close the shell back up and set the meat on top, fanning it out a bit so that it steams evenly on the griddle.
How to Cook Lobster Tails on the Blackstone Griddle
I have cooked lobster tails on the griddle many times, and they’re always delicious! You have two main cooking methods to choose from for your lobster.
The steamed method delivers pure lobster flavor that truly tastes like the sea, with no added salt or butter interfering with the natural taste. The butter-poached method creates a richer, more indulgent experience with garlic and butter infused throughout. Both are equally delicious, just different flavor profiles.
Method 1: Butter-Poached Split Lobster Tails
Make your garlic butter by melting half a stick of butter in a small saucepan with about 3-4 pressed or minced garlic cloves.
Step 1: Place split lobster tails on the Blackstone. Place the split tails on the griddle surface with the shell side down. Carefully lift up the tail meat and pull it back, exposing the empty shell half. Use a pastry brush or spoon to add some of the melted garlic butter directly to the shell (like a boat). Replace the tail meat. The split lobster tails will begin to poach directly in the shell on the griddle.
Step 2: Brush the tails with garlic butter. After cooking for a few minutes, brush some of the melted garlic butter on top of the lobster meat, allowing it to seep down into the shell underneath. Continue to cook another few minutes.
Step 3: Griddle the tails flesh side down. This is optional, but to speed up the cooking time a bit, you can briefly flip the lobster to allow the meat to touch the griddle. However, don’t leave it meat side down for too long to avoid toughening – 1-2 minutes tops.
Step 4: Cook until done. Continue cooking shell side down, occasionally basting with the garlic butter, until cooked through. The lobster meat should be opaque and firm but still tender, with an internal temp of about 135-140°F.
Method 2: Steamed Lobster Tails on the Blackstone
Step 1: Start steaming the lobster tails. Heat the griddle on low to medium-low heat. Place a cooling rack on the griddle surface. Position the lobster tails meat-side up on the rack, add a squirt of water to the griddle surface, and immediately cover with a dome to trap the steam.
Step 2: Continue adding water to steam until done. Continue cooking the lobster in this steamy environment, adding more squirts of water to produce more steam as needed. You can also transfer the lobster tails, still shell side down, directly to the griddle surface to speed up the cooking process. Steam until the tails reach the target temperature of 135-140°F, about 10-15 minutes.
How do I know when lobster tails are done?
Use a probe thermometer and pull them at 135-140°F. The meat should be opaque and firm but still tender. *NOTE – The FDA recommends cooking lobster tails to an internal temperature of 145°F, but many chefs will cook to 135-140°F for a more tender texture.
Recipe Tips
- Temperature Control is Critical: Keep your griddle on low heat when cooking lobster. High heat will burn the butter and make the lobster nearly inedible. The edges of most griddles run cooler than the center, so use this to your advantage for gentle cooking.
- Timing Matters: Always start your lobster tails before other proteins. They take longer to cook than you might expect, and you can hold them warm in a low oven or place them in a microwave covered with plastic wrap (without turning the microwave on) while finishing other components.
- Skip the Wire Rack (if Needed): The wire rack is optional for steaming lobster tails on the griddle, but it can help to slow the cooking process if you’re worried about overcooking. As an alternative, set the lobster tails with the meat facing upward directly on the griddle, add water to steam, and cover with the dome.
Lobster Tails on the Blackstone Griddle
Equipment
- Blackstone griddle or other flat top grill
- kitchen shears
- melting dome for steaming method
- squirt bottle of water for steaming method
- instant read meat thermometer recommended
Ingredients
- 4 lobster tails
- ½ stick butter
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Heat your Blackstone griddle on low to medium-low heat.
For Steamed Whole Lobster Tails:
- Butterfly the lobster tails – Use kitchen shears to cut down the top middle of each lobster tail shell, taking care not to cut too deep into the meat.Place your thumbs on the cut area, and carefully pull apart to expose the tail meat. Carefully pull the lobster meat out of the shell while keeping it attached at the tail end. Close the shell back up and position the meat on top of the shell.
- Place a wire rack on the heated griddle surface. Set the prepared lobster tails meat-side up on the cooling rack.
- Add a squirt of water to the griddle surface around the rack. Immediately cover with a dome to trap steam.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 135-140°F, adding more water to create more steam as needed.
- Remove from the griddle and serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.
For Butter-Poached Split Lobster Tails:
- Use a good knife to cut each lobster tail down the middle, creating two equal halves. Remove the meat from the shell, leaving it attached at the tail end to create a cavity in the shell.
- In a small saucepan on the griddle, melt half stick of butter with fresh minced or pressed garlic cloves. Stir the butter occasionally as it melts.
- Place the split lobster tails shell-side down directly on the low heat griddle, so that the shell cavity is facing upwards.
- Carefully pull back the lobster meat from each halved shell, and spoon a generous amount of garlic butter into the shell cavity. Replace the lobster meat back into the buttered shell.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes, occasionally basting with additional garlic butter.
- Optional: Briefly flip the lobster to let the meat touch the griddle surface directly, but don't leave it this way long to avoid toughening. This can help to speed up the cooking time just a bit.
- Pull from heat when internal temperature reaches 135-140°F (see notes). Serve with fresh lemon wedges.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: Serve with lemon wedges and extra garlic butter for dipping if using the steamed method.
- Griddle Zones: Remember that griddle edges run cooler than the center. Use this to your advantage for gentle, even cooking.
- Cooking Temperature: Cook lobster to an internal temperature of about 135-140°F. The meat should be opaque and firm but still tender. *The FDA recommends cooking to an internal temp of 145°F.
- Cooking Times: The times in this recipe are provided as a guide only. Always cook to the correct internal temperature, NOT to a specific time.
Pinterest user? Do us a favor and PIN this to your board for Blackstone recipes. This is a GREAT way to support us!
Get More Griddle Recipes!
Follow The Flat Top King on YouTube for more recipes and tips for mastering your griddle!