While I certainly can’t always afford it, good seafood is one of my favorite things to eat. I don’t much like places like that Long John that deep-fries everything they serve. But if someone doesn’t mind buying me dinner, I always order scallops or shrimp. I’ll also order lobster if it’s done a certain way. I don’t mind keeping it plain and dipping it in clarified butter. But lobster is such a delicious meal on its own; ask to play with other flavors. One of those flavors lobster loves is that smoky flavor you get from a grill. My gas grill is the perfect device for cooking fresh lobster.
Every once in a while, that meat truck that drives by my house will have some lobster that Mr. and Mrs. John Q couldn’t afford to afford that week. They will then take $3 off the price per pound and sell it to another customer while it is still fresh. I make sure to ask them weekly. When I’m lucky, they go straight to the grill for their date with destiny.
firecracker lobster
I doubt everyone gets their lobster from the meat guys, so you’ll have to go to the store. We’ll need some lobster (1 per person), a couple of lemons, a can of chipotle peppers, some garlic powder, and a stick of real butter. Don’t forget to take your kitchen essentials like salt and pepper with you while you’re there. We will need them too.
This recipe is really all about the dipping sauce. The lobster is just as good on its own; all I do is cut a slit in their tail, cut those bands off their claws, and grill them. But for the sauce we’ll need to melt that stick of butter in a small saucepan. When melted, add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, some black pepper, and just a pinch of salt. In a blender, take 2 chipotle peppers and about 2 tablespoons of adobe sauce and blend until smooth. Combine that with the butter and stir over low heat. Add the juice of one lemon to balance it all out.
Cut the grill to medium heat and let it heat up a bit. To make that cut in the tail, simply take a good relatively large knife and gently tap the tail until you feel it start to make an impression. After that, give it a healthy hit and it should open up. You can definitely skip this step. I just like how meat looks when cooked like this. Also, you get a bit of a smoky flavor in the meat itself.
After heating up the grill, simply place the lobster on it and close the lid. Come back in 10 minutes and take them off. Let them rest for about 10 minutes and you will have a perfectly cooked lobster. I don’t really have any tips for getting meat out without making a mess. But I know most people waste lobster legs. In fact, there’s a fair amount of meat in there. Just take them out, get a good grip on the bottom with one hand, grab the other hand and squeeze up. The meat comes out right away.
This sauce is perfect for dipping. I like to use only 2 bell peppers in the sauce; it doesn’t beat butter and garlic. If you want it spicier, add more to the lobster. The lobster flavor still comes through efficiently; the sauce just gives it a nice firecracker pop.