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California Spiny LobsterMediumGrilled

Grilled California Spiny Lobster with Garlic Butter

California spiny lobster split live and grilled over high heat, basted with garlic-herb butter. Premium catch, premium treatment — keep it simple and let the lobster shine.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 15 min Total: 35 minServes
2

Ingredients

Garlic Herb Butter

  • •4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • •3 cloves garlic, minced
  • •1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • •1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped (optional)
  • •1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • •¼ tsp salt
  • •Pinch of cayenne

Lobster

  • •2 California spiny lobsters (1¼–1½ lbs each), live
  • •2 tbsp olive oil
  • •Salt and pepper
  • •Lemon halves for the grill
  • •Crusty bread to serve

Instructions

  1. 1Make garlic butter: melt butter in a small pan over low heat, add garlic and cook 2 minutes until fragrant (don't brown). Stir in parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Keep warm.
  2. 2Place lobsters in the freezer for 15 minutes to sedate them.
  3. 3Split each lobster in half lengthwise with a sharp chef's knife — cut from head to tail in one firm motion. Clean out the head cavity.
  4. 4Brush flesh side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  5. 5Preheat grill to high heat.
  6. 6Grill flesh-side down for 5–6 minutes until nicely charred.
  7. 7Flip to shell-side down. Baste generously with garlic butter. Close lid and grill 4–6 minutes until flesh is opaque and just cooked through.
  8. 8Place lemon halves cut-side down on the grill for the last 3 minutes.
  9. 9Serve with remaining garlic butter for dipping and grilled lemon.

Pro Tips

California spiny lobster has no claws — all the meat is in the tail and legs. Minimum legal size is 3¼ inch carapace length. Don't overcook — it goes from perfect to rubbery fast. 5–6 minutes flesh-side down plus 4–6 shell-side is plenty for a 1.5 lb lobster.