Now that summer is winding down, we have but a short time to get outside and enjoy the pleasant (albeit buggy) evenings before it begins to get too cold, too dark and filled with homework. So before these golden days are past, we thought we’d share a great grilling recipe from our adventures in the good ol’ state of Maine – Grilled Lobsters with Herbed Butter.
We again adapted this recipe from Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie by Rebecca Charles and Deborah DiClementi. Can you tell that I couldn’t get enough of this book while we were at the cabin? I think it’s actually the first cookbook that I read cover to cover. It’s full of wonderful family stories about summers spent vacationing on the coast of Maine.
Cooking from this book with my family on vacation somehow made me feel part of something bigger – part of a tradition; and traditions from around the world are, after all, what this whole cooking adventure with the kids is all about. I hope that it’s a way for them to experience old traditions, enjoy new traditions and to learn about the many cultures around the world. After all, food is such a large part of many traditions, making cooking a wonderful way to teach them, learn with them and most importantly spend time with them.
Anywho – on to the meal. We started by preparing the butter sauce. For this recipe we used sweet butter, rather than the unsalted variety. 
We melted it down and skimmed off the top, making a clarified butter which we set aside to keep warm. 
Now it was time to prepare the lobster. For grilling live lobsters, you can kill them by piercing the middle of their heads (between the eyes) with a knife. We couldn’t bring ourselves to do that, so we boiled them in the lobster pot for five minutes. 
Once they were cooked, we put them on a cutting board to split them. We started by making an incision between the eyes. 
Next we continued cutting down through their backs and tail until split all the way. 
Once split, we dabbed the lobster meat with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. They were then ready for the grill. We opted to follow the cookbook’s suggestion to grill them meat side up to retain the juices. 
While the lobsters grilled for about 7 to 10 minutes (the tails cook faster), we returned to the butter sauce. We chopped up some parsley, chives and tarragon to add to the sauce. 
We then added them to the sauce which we served on the side for dipping. 
And finally, once the lobster was done, we plated it with our grilled corn on the cob and cornbread. 
I think you already know that this dinner achieved our 4 spoon rating – all around. We couldn’t believe how much the kids enjoyed lobster on this trip. 
The lobster was sweet and succulent with a hint of smokey grill flavor. The herbed butter sauce was also a great choice for this dish. It was a fun meal and a nice twist on the lobster. I don’t know that the kids really noticed a difference in flavor from the boiled lobster, but they weren’t complaining. (Which is always nice when there’s no complaining at dinner!) So here’s to the last few lazy summer nights. Enjoy! 
Print this recipe: Grilled Lobsters with Herbed Butter
Eat, Play, Love 
I was looking for lump crab meat at my local grocery store to make Rufus’ crab cakes but all they had was claw meat so I had them steam a lobster for me (sale price $8.99 per pound) and thought I’d share. It was very nice … it’s been quite a while since I’ve ‘picked’ a lobster. Messy business but tasty result. Definitely NOT a first date dish. 🙂
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LOL! No not a first date meal – especially if you’re trying to look polite. On the other hand, if they can handle the finger lickin’ mess, they might be worth hangin’ out with. 😉
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Exactly. That and a crawfish boil. 😉
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oh my gosh, I’m so jealous!!!! That lobster looks amazing! It’s so hard to find that nice lobster around here in the midwest
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p.s. Im linking you to my post tomorrow for that 7 link challenge thing that’s been going around. hope you’re in!
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Thanks Casey!
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Agreed! And the stuff that comes in the “lobster grams” just doesn’t compare.
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That is one good looking plate..
it has to be amazing with all that butter
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You know I’m always torn to just eat the lobster plain – because I LOVE the flavor of the lobster. But then there’s the butter (happy sigh), so I usually end up eating a little plain and a little drenched in butter. 🙂
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You know I love that cornbread.. but the Lobsters look absolutely amazing. You and Chefdad did an amazing job. I am getting so hungry tonight lol. And who doesn’t love herbed butter ;). Great as always Kristy
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He’s getting to be quite the griller. And I gotta admit…I enjoy watching him grill. 🙂 Have a good weekend Kay!
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This post has inspired me! When I cook my boyfriend’s Comin’ Home Dinner I’m going to make lobster. I’ll use your post as my main guide. It’ll be my finest achievement yet!
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You’ll have to let me know how you (and your boyfriend) like it! That would be a fun dinner to come home to! Have a great weekend Erin!
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You are making me drool…seriously. I think my family needs replicate that meal down to the delicious looking cornbread. Thanks for sharing the tip on grilling shell side down. Did not know that but it makes sense.
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You guys have access to those delicious little pacific lobsters right?! Oh I love those! Lobster fajitas!!! You could definitely grill those. Now I’m hungry again. 😉 Have a great weekend Geni!
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I so love grilled lobster, and that butter sauce !! A great Summer nights dinner.
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The butter sauce was fantastic! What wouldn’t be good dipped in that?! Have a great weekend Yvette!
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This post has me in tears that I have no grill or lobsters, for that fact, in my near future- NYC can be tough times when it comes to grillin. This looks like Summer decadence at it’s prime; i’m going to live vicariously through you!
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I’m living vicariously through me too. LOL! Thanks for visiting. We’ll have a few more lobster recipes coming up…if you need another fix. 😉 Have a great weekend!
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Oh Kristy, that’s real gourmet grilling! I love getaways at cabins and you are definitely creating nice memories and traditions for your family.
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Thanks Linda! We love our getaways too. I cherish each and every one. Have a great weekend!
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You had me at that butter sauce. Just like I said with truffle oil, how can anything be bad when butter is involved!? Chef Dad did a great job grilling the lobsters…he’s a grilling machine! Looks delicious alongside the corn on the cob and cornbread. Definitely hungry for lunch now. 🙂
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A sweet butter sauce. It does speak to me. LOL. Hope you’r having a great weekend Caroline!
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What a decadent dinner! The gorgeous bright photos are making me crave lobster. Dinner is going to be expensive tonight!
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LOL! I know what you mean – I miss the price per pound of Maine. It’s just a wee bit more pricey in the Midwest. Have a great weekend!
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Be still my heart! The butter, the lobster and good times outside with family! Nothing could be better!
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Totally agree! Have a great weekend Jessica!
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Oh man, I knew this was going to be good when I saw all that butter. But I didn’t know it’d be Maine lobster good. Awesome!
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You can’t go wrong with butter. 🙂 Or lobster.
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What a perfect meal! A super way to enjoy one of your last summery evenings outdoors.
Have a happy weekend.
🙂 Mandy
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Thanks Mandy! You too! 🙂
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Never met a lobster preparation I did not like! Isn’t that amazing that not too long ago it was considered a poor man’s food? Things do change!
I’ve got a couple of frozen lobster tails – I know, not nearly as good as a fresh, live being – and might give your recipe a try this weekend, although Summer in this neck of the woods is not winding down at all! 😉
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Mike read somewhere that servants used to write in their contracts that they wouldn’t have to eat lobster more than so many times per week. I can’t even imagine! Things do change. That’s for sure! I hope you enjoyed your lobster tails this weekend. I wish summer wasn’t winding down here. Well, I’m hoping weather-wise we’ve got some time to go yet. I just don’t like how it’s already getting darker so much earlier. I suppose I do love fall though, so I don’t mind. I’m just going to miss the kids when they’re back at school. It always goes so fast!
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Your timing is impeccable. Our family heads to Maine next week for our annual end-of-summer (before school) fling. We are all completely excited and this gorgeous dish amplifies the mood! I’m all about the herb butter (with copious amounts of garlic), and love all the fresh herbs you’ve added here. I’ve never grilled corn – !! – must try.
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This time we just soaked the corn in water for a while and threw it on the grill–it was OK, but probably could have cooked longer. We’ve pulled back the husks, torn off the strings, seasoned it (with whatever you like, and a bunch of olive oil), then rewrapped it with the husks and grilled it that way, and I like doing that better. Turn often.
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Oh! Have a great time! What part of Maine do you go to for your fling? Have a wonderful time and enjoy the lobster. I’m missing it!
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Mm Lobstahhh! Reminds me of the gratinated lobsters my father-in-law makes from time to time. I’ve noticed that a lot of US based bloggers have similar corn cobs to you when they make corn on the cob – i.e. kernels in varying shades of yellow, while the ones I get here are all bright yellow all the way through. Do you know if it’s a specific variety or something?
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Locally, we have a variety called “Peaches and Cream” that’s quite popular with different flavours for the 2 types of kernels though there are other bicolour varieties without that special quality.
http://www.westcoastseeds.com/productdetail/vegetable-seeds/Corn/Peaches-and-Cream/
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There are a number of bicolour varieties around but the best of them is something called “Peaches and Cream” which actually has different tastes for the two different colours.
http://www.westcoastseeds.com/productdetail/vegetable-seeds/Corn/Peaches-and-Cream/
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You know I’m not sure on the corn. The ones I remember growing up with were always bright yellow too. Now I think there are just more varieties. There’s one particular variety grown nearby – a sweet corn – that is absolutely amazing. We didn’t get any of it this year…but oh, is it good! Melts in your mouth. 🙂
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Can I have some please?? It looks delicious!!
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Absolutely! 😉 Thanks Eftychia. Have a great weekend.
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The plate looks so colorful and summery! Do you know what the green stuff in the lobster is? I had a whole lobster once and there was green stuff in it and I haven’t tried it again. The cornbread sounds great. I love cornbread with real corn in it…and cheese… yum!
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You know I really don’t know what the green stuff is – I think just the lobster’s insides. We just avoid it and go for the tail and claw meat. 🙂 I’m a firm believer that cheese makes a good cornbread. Have a good one Laura!
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The green stuff is the lobster’s liver or tomalley. You can eat it but some people say not to since the liver filters out toxins and other bad stuff from the blood. It’s ok … a mild fishy flavour.
If you ever find firm red stuff in the end of the body and extending to the front part of the tail you’ve got a female lobster and that is the roe or fish eggs. Some people scoop it out and do things with it. I’ve eaten it as well. Doesn’t exactly blow you away (subtle flavour) but it’s edible.
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