How To Cook, Crack and Eat a Lobster
Many people love lobster but few know how to prepare it. Here’s a tutorial on how to cook, crack and eat a lobster.
How to Boil a Lobster:
1. Fill a large pot with three quarts of water per 1.5 pounds of lobster (lobster should be totally submerged in water)
2. Add 1/4 cup of salt for each 4 quarts of water
3. Bring the salt water to a boil
4. Place live lobsters into the water one at a time using gloves or tongs; do not cover
5. Stir the lobsters halfway through boiling
6. Time the cooking by boiling the lobsters for 8 minutes for the first pound, adding 2 minutes for each additional .25 pounds
7. You will know when the boiled lobsters are done when they are bright red
8. Place boiled lobsters in cool water or let stand for 3-5 minutes before serving
How to Steam a Lobster:
1. Pour 2 inches of water into a pot and add salt if using fresh water.
2. Bring water to boil
3. Using gloves or tongs, place the lobsters into the pot and cover tightly
4. When the water returns to a heavy boil, turn the heat down to a rolling boil
5. Time the cooking by steaming the lobsters for 9 minutes for the first pound, adding 4 minutes for each additional pound
6. You will know when the steamed lobsters are done when they are bright red
7. Remove the lobsters with metal tongs or gloves and place in cool water, or let cool for 3-5 minutes
How to Grill a Lobster:
1. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to make a marinade. Some people like to add the tomally (green substance found inside lobster – sounds gross but it is a delicacy) and the coral (which is ) to the marinade
2. Twist off the tail.
3. Cut the soft underside of the tail lengthwise with scissors.
4. Crack the shell to remove the tail meat and push a skewer through the tail to lay flat
5. Marinate the meat for a few hours
6. Turn on the grill and place the claws and tail meat on the grill about 4 to 5 inches above the flame
7. Grill for 5-6 minutes, basting the tail meat as it cooks with the marinade
8. Turn the claw and tail meat over and baste them before cooking another 5 minutes.
9. Grilled lobsters will be bright red when done!
How to Crack a Lobster:
1. Twist off the lobster claws at the point where they meet the body
2. Twist off the tail at the point where it meets the body
3. Crack each lobster claw and knuckle with a lobster cracker or cut with kitchen sheers
4. Crack the tail by squeezing or using a cracker or cut with kitchen sheers
5. Insert a fork into the tail shell and pull the tail meat out in one piece
6. Remove the black vein which runs the length of the lobster tail
7. Extract the meat from the legs by biting down and squeezing the meat out with your teeth or hands
8. The green substance you will see is called tomalley; try it if you dare (some people consider it a delicacy)
Enjoy your lobster! Or, if you’d prefer to add it to a dish, check out our great lobster recipes here.
