Name: Grilled Local Spiny Lobster
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 spiny lobster (live); Butter (or olive oil); Salt and pepper; Lemons (or limes, quartered (optional)); Tortillas (optional); Salsa (optional); Beans (optional)

Spiny lobsters cooking on the grill. — Photo: Rob Bilson

Whether you are participating in the Eat Local Challenge or whether you just like lobster, our local California Spiny Lobsters are better tasting and fresher than their cousins from the East Coast. Lobster season starts in October. For information on fishing regulations and how to get a license go to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website. Or visit the Saturday morning fisherman’s market at the Santa Barbara Harbor to buy lobster straight from the fishermen. Then prepare your lobster the classic California way: by grilling it.

Ingredients

1 spiny lobster, live
Butter, or olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemons, or limes, quartered (optional)
Tortillas, optional
Salsa, optional
Beans, optional

Instructions

Heat your grill to medium-high, preferably using red oak coals. While the grill is heating up, kill the lobster by pressing the point of a large sharp knife into the head just above the eyes. Make sure the knife goes all the way through the lobster’s head all the way to the cutting board. This will kill the lobster as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Cut the lobster in half from head to tail. Remove the stomach and the intestinal vein that runs between the tail and stomach. You can also remove the tomalley (liver) and the smaller legs.
Brush each half with melted butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill, meat side down, and grill for 3–4 minutes. Turn and brush with more melted butter or olive oil and grill until slightly opaque in the center, about 5–10 minutes. The time will vary depending on the size of the lobster and the heat of the coals.
A delicious way to serve the lobster is Puerto Nuevo style: place on a platter with more melted butter and quartered lemons or lime. Serve with freshly grilled corn tortillas, salsa and beans.

Nutrition

Grilled Local Spiny Lobster