Prevent Lobster Tails From Curling While Grilling: Cheap and Easy

Summers are for grilling. For a lot of people, this means pounds of sizzling meat over hot coals. If you're looking to try something new or like seafood more, you might want to exchange the beef for some lobster tails.

The problem with grilling lobster tails is that the tails tend to curl up, which can prove to be very annoying. Thankfully there are easy and cheap solutions to this. We will now consider all that you'll need for grilling lobster tails and an easy technique that can help prevent lobster tails from curling up while you grill them.

Look for the right tails

You may already know that the easiest way to get good tails is to get them prepackaged, frozen, and ready for grilling. The rest will be up to you to defrost the tails, season them and then grill them. The enormous tails you might find will probably be between 15 and 20 oz. This size is considered jumbo. You will find smaller pieces generally around 5 or 6 oz. There is no ideal size when it comes to lobster tails. It is perhaps a matter of personal preference. However, it is essential to remember that you will need good-quality lobster tails if you want to enjoy them and prevent them from curling up while grilling.

Gas or charcoal? Frozen or fresh?

Like the size of the lobster tails, the type of grill is also a matter of personal preference. However, everyone confused between gas and charcoal should know that there are some objective differences between the two methods. The charcoal grill makes it easy to give the meat that lovely smoky flavour. With any other medium of food preparation, this is nearly impossible. However, it is worth noting that charcoal grills are much less convenient to use than gas grills. It's not easy to control the heat, and the overall process of grilling could get very messy.

There is a slight difference in taste between raw and frozen lobster tails. However, when it comes to the level of convenience, the difference can be significant. While the frozen lobster tails can sit in your freezer for as long as two or three months, it is ideal to buy and consume fresh tails on the same day. There's absolutely no difference at all when it comes to skewering and grilling the tails.

How to prevent lobster tails from curling?

Preventing a lobster tail from curling while grilling is easier than you might have believed it to be. All you have to do is run a skewer through the lobster tails lengthwise to make the tails stay straight during the grilling process. If you've got extra-large lobster tails, you should cut them in half before skewering. This easy technique works even when grilling a whole lobster. Make sure that the skewer runs through its entire length. That's all you have to do. People use the same technique with prawns and shrimps.

How to grill lobster tails?

It is entirely natural for the lobster tails to curl up when you grill them. However, straightening the tails is vital for not only visual purposes but for practical purposes as well.

Remember these tips for grilling lobster tails. If you're using frozen tails, make sure you thaw them in the fridge, so the meat doesn't get spoiled. It's best if you let them defrost overnight. You can use kitchen shears to de-shell the tails. It will be easier than doing it with a knife. As the oil makes the tails slippery and harder to hold, you should skewer the tails before you season them.

The process requires just a few essential ingredients, and it is relatively simple and doesn't cost much either. You can use either fresh or frozen lobster tails of any size. You can prepare the grill once the tails are thawed (if you're using frozen lobster tails).

If you're using charcoal, light it up to medium or as close as possible to medium heat. Next, you can skewer the tails and season them while you wait for the grill to heat up.

For seasoning, you can use a teaspoon of olive oil for every tail and some salt. Next, if you do not have cooking spray, pour some cooking oil on a paper napkin and spread it over the grills. Make sure that the meat side is up when you place the lobster tails on the grill.

After placing the tails on the grill, close the lid. After three minutes, flip the tails. Give it another three minutes, then check the meat to see if it's done. The meat is cooked if it's opaque; if not, give it a minute or two more but be careful not to overcook them.