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Moreton Bay bugs
Grilled Queensland slipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 raw Moreton Bay bugs, halved lengthwaysor 8 raw lobster tails
- 2 ⅞ oz buttersoftened
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 pinch chilli flakes
- 1 lemonzest and wedges
- ½ tsp salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mash 2 ⅞ oz butter with 3 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 pinch chilli flakes, the zest from the 1 lemon and ½ tsp salt.
3 minStep 2: Check the 8 raw Moreton Bay bugs, halved lengthways: the flesh should be translucent and smell clean and sweet. Throw away any that smell of ammonia. Remove the dark vein along the tail if present.
3 minStep 3: Heat a griddle or barbecue to high. Brush the cut sides with a little of the butter and cook flesh side down for 2 minutes. Turn, spread the rest of the butter over the flesh and cook 3–4 minutes more until the meat is white and opaque all the way through.
6 minStep 4: Serve hot with lemon wedges and the melted butter from the pan.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moreton Bay bugs take?
- About 18 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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