Lobster Tails , Saffron , Citrus Butter , Chives
Best for: A special New Year’s Eve dinner for four.
Lobster tails make the last dinner of the year feel like an occasion without keeping the cook away from company all evening. Saffron, orange, and lemon bring a warm golden finish to a simple grilled centerpiece.
Grill: Two-zone setup at 400°F, with tails cooked over indirect heat. Equipment: Covered grill, kitchen shears, small saucepan, brush, fine-tip instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
12–16 Minutes Total: 37–41 Minutes.
- 4 raw lobster tails, 6–8 oz each, thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Directions
Preheat the grill and steep saffron in the hot water for 5 minutes. Keep the lobster cold while gathering equipment.
Cut the top of each shell lengthwise to just before the tail fan. Gently loosen and lift the meat onto the shell, keeping it attached at the fan; remove any visible digestive vein and pat dry.
Melt butter gently in a saucepan on a side burner or stovetop. Add the saffron and its liquid, orange juice, lemon juice, and zest; divide into a small brushing portion and a clean serving portion.
Rub lobster meat with oil and season with salt and pepper. Set shell-side down over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for 8 minutes.
Brush with the cooking portion of butter and cook another 4–8 minutes, until the thickest meat reaches 145°F and is opaque and pearly. Check each tail separately; discard unused brushing butter that contacted undercooked lobster.
Transfer to warm plates, stir chives into the clean reserved butter, and spoon it over the lobster. Serve immediately.
Grilling tip: Similar-size tails finish together, and indirect heat protects the delicate meat while the shells support it.
Shared safety notes: Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb cook to 145°F with at least a 3-minute rest. Ground pork and other ground red meats cook to 160°F; poultry to 165°F. Cook seafood thoroughly, using the specified temperature and opaque-flesh cues. Keep hot party food at 140°F or above and cold food at 40°F or below. Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F; use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.
