Grilled Lobster Tails with Herbed Butter and Baby Potatoes

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Of all the culinary adventures I’ve shared with my dad’s New Jersey family, whole grilled lobsters enjoyed on the northeastern end of Long Island will always hold a special place in my stomach.

I’m not (yet) at the point in my adult life where I can treat a dozen of my closest relatives to a seafood extravaganza at the Hamptons, but this recipe where luxurious lobster tails and buttery baby potatoes are kissed with smoke certainly comes close.

Gatherings with my extended family were always food-centric, but there wasn’t much variation in the dishes. Hey, we like what we like.

Friday afternoon get-togethers were branded by exquisitely triple-stacked deli sandwiches on rye with velvety Russian dressing, slaw, and turkey. Late morning Sunday spreads consistently featured crackly, chewy bagels accompanied by chive-dotted cream cheese, paper-thin mounds of smoked salmon, and heaps of capers.

One year for the 4th of July, we all assembled at my aunt and uncle’s house in the Hamptons for a cookout. If you’re picturing cheeseburgers and store-bought potato salad, you’ve clearly never met my dad’s sister and her husband.

They’re known for throwing quite the fiesta, and the fireworks they planned for this heat wave of a holiday were whole grilled lobsters served right on the beach. I was in my early 20s and hadn’t yet fully explored my passion for the epicurean arts, but I knew a memorable meal when I saw one.

With my toes in the warm sand and my sister by my side, I’ll never forget the gorgeous crimson crustacean that was slid under my nose. I showered it in bright lemon juice to cut through the smokiness and successfully finished the meal with melted butter running down to my elbows.

There are all kinds of ways to cook lobster from dropping the whole thing in a steamer pot to turning the claws into finger food.

Come on. That was kind of funny…

Today’s recipe, in my humble opinion, takes advantage of the best part of the spiny seafood. Who needs the Hamptons when you have firm, juicy lobster tails and potatoes infused with smoke and saturated in butter to enjoy at home?

The tail meat has a creaminess to it that – while splendid if enjoyed solo – is made even richer when it’s paired with melted butter. I mean, who wouldn’t be?

And since the only cooking required is gently tossing the curvy tails and potatoes (protected in their foil package) on the barbecue grill, I figured: why not step it up a notch?

If the idea of making compound butter sounds even remotely intimidating, let me put you at ease.

Can you soften butter? Can you chop herbs? Can you mash things together? Great! You can make compound butter.

In this version, ours relies on grassy parsley, oniony chives, and licoricey tarragon – a classic pairing for lobster.

Fragrant garlic is also pounded into the mixture, adding a savory undertone.

You’ll find more uses for this herbed butter than you could ever imagine, so I recommend doubling the recipe – especially since you can prepare it ahead of time and store as much as you like in the freezer.

Smear it onto an English muffin for an epic breakfast sandwich. Drop it onto a steak as it develops a nice crust in a cast iron pan. Swirl it into pasta. Trust me, you’ll never get bored with this butter.

The fiery grill turns it into a bubbly flavor bath for the potatoes and onions inside their protected little bundle – which, P.S., requires almost no babysitting once placed over the grate.

Opening it up to test for doneness will feel like tearing into the best package you’ve ever received.

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Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Gather, Measure, and Prep Ingredients

Lobster and fresh tarragon make a classic pairing, but if you can’t find tarragon, fresh basil will work as a substitute.

Allow the butter to soften by leaving it out at room temperature for 1 hour.

Reserve a few parsley sprigs for garnish. Mince the tarragon, parsley, chives, and garlic.

To incorporate the garlic even more thoroughly into the butter, once it’s minced, you can turn it into a paste on your cutting board by sprinkling it with salt and smashing it with the flat side of your chef’s knife.

Halve the potatoes, or quarter any especially large ones so they’re all about the same size. Slice the onion. Cut the lemon into wedges for garnish.

Take your lobster out of the fridge, and don’t forget to grab your olive oil and salt and pepper mills!

Can’t find 8-ounce lobster tails? That’s OK! Keep in mind that if you are cooking smaller tails that only weigh 4 to 6 ounces apiece, they’ll only need about 5 to 6 minutes total to cook.

Step 2 – Split the Lobster Tails

Unless this has already been done for you, you’re going to need to split the lobster tails. Place them on a cutting board flat-side down, with the curved side facing up.

Using a large, sharp chef’s knife and starting at the tip of the tail, firmly rock the knife up and down lengthwise, applying pressure with the palm of your free hand to the back of the blade.

Press down to slice through the shell and meat, butterflying the tail down the center so it opens like a book, without cutting all the way through. Open it up so it lays flat, but still attached.

Step 3 – Make and Chill the Herbed Butter

Place the softened butter in a small mixing bowl and add the tarragon, parsley, chives, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Using a fork, mash the butter, garlic, and herbs together until thoroughly combined.

You can use wax paper, plastic wrap, parchment paper, or butter molds to shape the butter. I love these delicate silicone sunflower molds, which are available on Amazon.

Fill the molds, or transfer the herbed butter onto a sheet of paper or wrap. Shape into a 1-inch-thick log by rolling and forming it in the paper. Fold the end flaps under to seal and then refrigerate or freeze until firm enough to slice.

The herbed butter will set in the freezer in about 20 minutes, or it will take about 1 hour in the fridge.

Step 4 – Prep the Potato Package

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high, about 350 to 400°F.

Place the potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Toss everything together until the potatoes and onions are evenly coated.

You can use your hands (if you’re fine with a little mess!) or a sturdy spoon for this step.

Spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Transfer the seasoned  potatoes and onions onto the foil, making sure you leave enough room around the edges so you’re able to pull up the outside corners and seal the package.

You can also use two smaller pieces of foil so the potatoes aren’t stacked on top of each other. This way, they remain in a single layer, allowing them to become more browned and crispy on the bottom as they grill.

Slice off an inch of the herbed butter, cut it into quarters, and scatter it over the potatoes and onions.

Enclose the vegetables in the package by folding up the corners of the foil and pinching them together to seal.

Step 5 – Add the Potatoes to the Grill and Prep the Lobster

Gently place the potato package on the grill and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Carefully open the package, being mindful of the hot steam that’s released, and gently toss everything to make sure it’s cooking evenly. The butter should be bubbling away in the bottom, and tossing will help to redistribute it. Re-seal and return to the grill.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the remaining olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the lobster tails all over with the oil and season the meat with the remaining salt and pepper.

Step 6 – Grill the Lobster, Top with the Butter, and Serve

When the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes, add the lobster tails to the grill meat-side down and cook for 5 minutes.

Using tongs, flip the tails over so the meat is facing up. Place a generous pat of herbed butter on a thicker part of each tail, so it doesn’t slip off.

Cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is firm and opaque, for another 3 to 5 minutes. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 140°F when it’s done.

Continue cooking the potatoes until they’re knife-tender, for about 20 minutes total. Taste for additional salt.

Transfer the potatoes and lobster tails to a serving platter, making sure to drip any butter that remains in the foil package back onto the potatoes.

Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve immediately with extra herbed butter.