Grilled Lobster Tail Over Live Fire

Lobster doesn’t have to be complicated 🦞🔥

This week we’re grilling lobster tails over live fire on the Santa Maria grill, proving that one of the most decadent meals you can make is also one of the simplest.

⚠️ FIRE SAFETY DISCLAIMER ⚠️

This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Open-fire cooking indoors is extremely dangerous and should NOT be attempted in a home or uncontrolled environment. This cook was performed using commercial-grade equipment, controlled conditions, proper ventilation, fire safety precautions, and experienced operators. Fire, hot surfaces, and accelerants are unpredictable and can cause serious injury, death, or property damage. Always follow manufacturer guidelines, approved fire-starting methods, local laws, and fire safety regulations when cooking with live fire. Stay smart. Stay safe!

Ingredients

For the Lobster

• 5oz Lobster Tails
• Smoke ’n Magic Pork Rub
• Kitchen shears to cut the shells open

For the Garlic Butter

• 2 sticks of salted butter
• 2 spoonfuls of minced garlic

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Instructions

1. Prep the Lobster
   • We’ll be essentially “butterflying” the lobster tails, keeping the shells intact and attached to help protect the meat inside from the high heat of the Santa Maria grill
   • Open the shell of the lobster tail by cutting straight down the middle using kitchen shears
   • Carefully cut the meat away from the shell with a sharp knife
   • Lay the lobster tail down on the cutting board, and use your fingers to pry each half of the shell open, trying to keep as much of it intact as possible.
   • Sprinkle a light to medium coat of Smoke ‘n Magic Pork Rub over the top.
     • Fun fact, our Pork Rub actually won First Place, Best on Seafood from the 2025 National BBQ and Grilling Association!

2. Build the Fire
   • In your Santa Maria grill, build a fire using wood or charcoal
   • For this video, we used mesquite hardwood, which burns hot
   • Pro tip: Use this opportunity to clean your grill before cooking, by getting the grill hot from the fire, then soaking a scrub brush like the BBQ Daddy by Scrub Daddy® in ice water, and scrubbing any char or debris from your grill
   • Let the wood or coals heat up until your grill is around 500-600°F
     
3. Melt Garlic Butter for Basting
   • In a small cast iron pan or oven-safe container, add 2 sticks of salted butter and 2 spoonfuls of minced garlic. Place onto the Santa Maria grill to begin melting

3. Grill the Lobster Tails
   • Place your lobster tails on the grill, meat-side down, and flip regularly every 2-3 minutes to cook evenly
   • Once the garlic butter has melted, baste it onto the lobster tails for amazing flavor and added moisture while cooking.
     • Warning: At this heat, the butter will ignite after it drips down to the coals, so please use caution!
   • The optimal finished temperature for lobster tail is 140°F. Because carry-over heat will add an additonal 5°F after removing from the grill, cook until the lobster tails reach an internal temp of about 135°F
   • Remove the lobster tails from the grill, and rest for 5-10 minutes for them to come up to temperature.

Serve your lobster tails, use a fork to remove the meat from the shells, and enjoy! We told you this one was simple 😉

With just a few ingredients and the right technique, you can create tender, flavorful lobster with a beautiful kiss of smoke and flame that takes it to another level. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just treating yourself, this is a recipe that’s guaranteed to impress!

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