Before getting started with the recipe, we’ll need to prep the lobster tails. As I found out in my Internet research, lobster tails tend to curl up on themselves when they’re cooked. To avoid this, many recipes recommended spearing a wooden skewer through the center of the lobster meat. I tried this and it worked out perfectly! But first, we need to pop the tail meat out of the shells for easy access. To do this, cut a long slit along the middle top of the lobster’s shell, much like you would to peel a shrimp. Stop the slit just short of the end of the tail so it stays intact. Next, run your fingers along the sides, between the shell and the meat, to get the meat loosened up and ready to pop on top of the shell itself. You may need to be a little rough with the shell…Don’t be afraid if you hear it cracking! Once the meat is loosened, pull it up through the slit you cut and simply lay it on top of the shell. This makes it sooo much easier to eat! This is the point where you want to run the wooden skewer through the meat. Simply thread it through the middle and then trim the skewer so that the lobster tail still fits in the steamer insert.

Now that we have the lobster ready to go, let’s make the grits. Combine grits, chicken broth, water, salt and pepper in a large saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat, using a whisk. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat slightly and cover saucepan. Let grits cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Grits will take on a porridge-like consistency once they are done.

Once grits are cooked, stir in butter and cheese. You still want the saucepan on under medium-low heat, in order to avoid having the grits get “gummy.” Keep grits over low heat until lobster is ready.

While the grits are cooking, prep the steaming pot for the lobster tails. I used my saucepan/steamer like this. Add salt and garlic cloves to the saucepan and cover with enough water that it hits about two inches below the bottom of the steamer basket when inserted. Bring to a boil.

Once mixture is boiling, turn heat down slightly and place steamer insert over saucepan. Place lobster tails in steamer insert and then pour Old Bay-butter mixture over the tops of the tails. The extra sauce will trickle into the boiling water/garlic/salt mixture and make it even better! Cover the pan and steamer insert with a tight-fitting lid, and let cook for 5-10 minutes, or until shells become pink and tails are white and opaque.

To serve, scoop grits into shallow, individual bowls, then top each bowl with a lobster tail. Garnish with an extra pat of butter or more cheese, if desired.