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Table for two, please! But let’s keep it at home this time and have a date night in with this Cedar Plank Lobster and Shrimp with Garlic-Herb Butter. This is one of my favorite special occasion meals to make during grilling season and I hope y’all fall in love with it.
Not only is this seafood dinner so impressive looking, but it’s also just about the easiest thing ever. I have to be honest — I got the inspiration for this recipe from a Red Lobster commercial, which was advertising a similar dish in their restaurant, and I’m so glad I decided to try and recreate it at home. Here, the cedar plank does all the work. As it’s heated, the wood gently cooks the seafood and infuses it with so much flavor.
I like to serve the grilled lobster and steak with a homemade garlic-herb butter for dipping, but feel free to also pair it with some crusty bread, a crunchy green salad, or some rice.
ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter
- Garlic Cloves
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Tarragon
- Fresh Parsley
- Lobster Tails
- Jumbo Shrimp
- Avocado Oil
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning
step-by-step:
step one: make the garlic-herb butter
Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic, then reduce the heat to a very subtle simmer. Continue to cook until the garlic is very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon, parsley, and salt. Cover and set aside while you prepare the fish.
step two: preheat the grill
Preheat the grill to medium heat (400℉ to 450℉).
step three: prep the lobster
To prepare the lobster, use a pair of kitchen shears and cut down the center of the spine (or the top of the tail) lengthwise.
step four: season the lobster and shrimp
Place the lobster tails and the shrimp in a large bowl. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Gently toss until coated evenly.
step five: grill the lobster
Place the cedar planks on the grill, about 3 minutes. Once hot, place a lobster tail on each plank. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
step six: add the shrimp to the grill
After 5 minutes, push the tails to the edge of the plank, then evenly divide the shrimp amongst both planks. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, flipping shrimp halfway through, until they are no longer opaque.
step seven: garnish and serve
Carefully remove the the lobster and shrimp from the grill and serve with the garlic-herb butter. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
recipe faqs:
I like to let mine soak in water for about 2 hours, which helps to prevent them from burning on the grill! They really make such a difference in terms of the overall flavor.
The next time you’re looking for a special occasion recipe to cook for date night at home, I hope you’ll try my Cedar Plank Lobster and Shrimp with Garlic-Herb Butter. Tag me on social @thedefineddish so I can see your final dish!
looking for more recipes like this one? try these!
Cedar Plank Lobster and Shrimp with Garlic-Herb Butter
Ingredients
For the Garlic-Herb Butter:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Lobster Tails and Shrimp:
- 2 lobster tails
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
For the Garlic-Herb Butter:
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic, then reduce the heat to a very subtle simmer. Continue to cook until the garlic is very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon, parsley, and salt. Cover and set aside while you prepare the fish.
For the Lobster Tails and Shrimp:
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (400℉ to 450℉).
- To prepare the lobster, use a pair of kitchen shears and cut down the center of the spine (or the top of the tail) lengthwise.
- Place the lobster tails and the shrimp in a large bowl. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Gently toss until coated evenly.
- Place the cedar planks on the grill, about 3 minutes. Once hot, place a lobster tail on each plank. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, push the tails to the edge of the plank, then evenly divide the shrimp amongst both planks. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes, flipping shrimp halfway through, until they are no longer opaque.
- Carefully remove the the lobster and shrimp from the grill and serve with the garlic-herb butter. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So exited to make this for New Year’s Eve dinner! I’ve never cooked lobster tail before, do you put it meat or shell side down on the cedar?
Shell side down 🙂
Had never tried using a cedar plank before – this recipe was absolutely amazing?! The flavor was simply incredible and the recipe itself was so easy!