The Grilled Seafood Platter is the ideal way to welcome summer. I made this generous seafood spread after a friend brought me a haul of fresh blue crabs from a trip off the Georgia coast, and it immediately became a favorite. If you haven’t tried tender blue crab meat, you’re in for a treat—sweet, delicate, and utterly satisfying.
While a simple squeeze of lemon highlights fresh seafood perfectly, this recipe builds on that brightness with a zesty lemon-herb sauce, a touch of heat, and bold seasoning—what I call Over-the-Fire cooking. The sauce doubles as a marinade and a basting glaze so every piece finishes with bright, layered flavor.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love the Grilled Seafood Platter
- Ingredients
- How to make seasoned butter
- How to Make the Grilled Seafood Platter
- Prepping the Seafood
- Grilling the Seafood
- Serving Time
- What to Serve With It
- Leftovers & Reheating
- FAQs for Grilled Seafood
- Grilled Seafood Platter Recipe
Why You’ll Love the Grilled Seafood Platter
Putting together an impressive seafood feast might seem like a lot, but this platter is straightforward and social. You can prep most of it ahead of time, and the actual grilling takes minutes. It’s perfect for entertaining because you’ll still have time to enjoy your guests instead of being stuck inside the kitchen.
The whole meal cooks quickly on a hot grill—crab, lobster tails, oysters, and shrimp each take just a few minutes when the heat is right. If you want to swap items, any firm, sweet seafood will work well. The lemon-herb sauce ties everything together, adding acidity, garlic, and spice without masking the natural flavors.
Ingredients
- Seafood – Blue crabs, shrimp (peeled and deveined), lobster tails (split), and shucked oysters.
- Lemon Herb Sauce – Fresh lemon juice, Italian-style dressing, Cajun and seafood seasonings, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, hot sauce for heat, and canola oil to bind. This makes a bright marinade and an excellent basting glaze.
- Sides – Seasoned boiled red potatoes and fresh yellow corn complement the seafood and add a classic, satisfying base to the platter.
- Garnishes – Grated Parmesan, sliced lemons, and a dollop of seasoned herb butter (chives or parsley) to finish.
How to make seasoned butter
Make seasoned butter by softening unsalted butter at room temperature, then folding in finely chopped fresh chives (or parsley), a pinch of kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Roll the mixture into a log using plastic wrap or parchment and chill until firm. Slice into rounds to top hot seafood and vegetables.
How to Make the Grilled Seafood Platter
Prepping the Seafood
Clean, devein, shuck, and split your seafood as needed. Keep everything chilled until you are ready to cook. In a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, Italian dressing, Cajun rub, seafood rub, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, hot sauce, and oil. Reserve a portion of this sauce for basting.
Marinate the shrimp and crabs in the sauce for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the marinade and discard any used marinade. Skewer the shrimp for easy grilling and season the lobster tails with Cajun and seafood rubs.
Grilling the Seafood
Preheat your grill to high heat, around 400°F (204°C). If you like a smoky note, add a small amount of hickory or another hardwood to the coals or smoker box. Grill each item according to its cooking time so everything finishes hot and juicy.
- Crab: Place shell side down and grill 8–10 minutes. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
- Lobster tails: Grill 2–3 minutes per side until the meat turns opaque white and firms slightly.
- Oysters: Spoon a little reserved sauce over each half and cook 3–4 minutes until bubbling.
- Shrimp: Grill 2–3 minutes per side, basting with reserved sauce as they turn pink and opaque.
Serving Time
Arrange the cooked seafood on a large platter with boiled red potatoes and seasoned corn. Add lemon wedges, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and slices of chilled seasoned butter for guests to add as they like. Serve immediately so everyone can enjoy the mix of hot seafood and bright, finishing flavors.
What to Serve with the Grilled Seafood Platter
This platter is a complete, crowd-pleasing meal: seafood, potatoes, and corn. Add crusty bread for soaking up juices and small bowls of extra virgin olive oil with red chili flakes or lemon wedges at the table for optional finishing touches.
Leftovers & Reheating Grilled Seafood
If you have leftovers, cool them completely and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 1–2 days. Reheat gently on the grill in foil over medium heat until warmed through. Leftover crab meat is excellent over a salad, and shrimp make quick sandwiches or rolls the next day.
FAQs for Grilled Seafood
Follow the suggested times, but if you’re unsure use a thermometer: lobster should reach around 135–140°F when done, while crab, shrimp, and oysters are safe at 145°F. Visual cues—opaque lobster, pink shrimp—are also reliable.
Snow crab legs, Dungeness crab, or king crab are all fine alternatives—each offers a slightly different texture and sweetness but will work well on this platter.
Classic blends like Old Bay are always dependable. A balanced seafood rub with salt, paprika, garlic, and citrus zest will also enhance natural flavors without overpowering them.
Grilled Seafood Platter
Ingredients
Seafood
- 6–8 fresh blue crabs, cleaned
- 2 lbs shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 3–4 lobster tails, split
- 10–12 oysters, shucked
Lemon Herb Sauce
- Juice of 4 lemons
- 16 oz Italian-style dressing
- 1 cup Cajun rub
- 1/2 cup seafood rub
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Platter
- Boiled red potatoes, seasoned
- Boiled corn, seasoned
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Seasoned butter with chives
Instructions
- Clean and prepare all seafood; keep chilled until ready to cook.
- Whisk the lemon herb sauce ingredients together, reserving some for basting.
- Coat shrimp and crab in the sauce and marinate for 10 minutes. Discard used marinade, skewer the shrimp, and season lobster tails with Cajun and seafood rubs.
- Preheat the grill to high (about 400°F).
- Add crab, shrimp, lobster, and oysters to the grill and cook by the times below, basting shrimp with reserved sauce as they cook.
- Oysters: cook 3–4 minutes until bubbling.
- Crab: cook 8–10 minutes shell side down; finish with Parmesan.
- Lobster: 2–3 minutes per side until opaque.
- Shrimp: 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
- Arrange on a platter with potatoes and corn, add seasoned butter and lemon wedges, and serve immediately.
Notes
Seasoned butter: soften unsalted butter, mix in chopped chives or parsley, salt and pepper, roll and chill. Slice and serve atop hot seafood and vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 784 kcal | Carbohydrates: 58 g | Protein: 61 g | Fat: 41 g (values are estimates).