There are three traditional methods of cooking lobster: steaming, boiling and grilling.
Steaming
- Pour 2 inches of seawater or fresh water into a pot.
- Over high heat, bring water to an energetic boil. (If not using seawater, add 1/4 cup of salt to the boiling fresh water.)
- Place lobsters in the pot, cover tightly.
- When the water returns to an energetic boil, turn the heat down to a gentle rolling boil and start the timer.
Do not to overcook.
- Steam 9 minutes for the first pound. Add 4 minutes for each additional pound. (For example, a 1.5 lb. lobster should be steamed for 11 minutes.)
- Serve with melted butter and/or lemon wedges.
Boiling
- Fill a pot two-thirds full with fresh or sea water.
- Over high heat, bring water to an energetic boil. (If not using seawater, add 1/4 cup of salt per gallon to the boiling water.)
- Place lobster headfirst into the water, completely submerging them.
- Cover the pot tightly and return to a boil as quickly as possible. When the water reaches an energetic boil, turn the heat down to a gentle rolling boil and start counting the time.
- Do not overcook. Boil for 8 minutes for the first pound. Add 4 minutes for each additional pound. (For example, a 1.5 lb. lobster should be boiled for 10 minutes.)
- Serve with juices from the lobster pot, melted butter, and lemon wedges.
Grilling
- Prepare a marinade of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- With a sharp knife, sever the head at the base of the neck. Cut off the claw arms. Crack the body and twist off the tail.
- Mash the coral, if any, and the tomalley and add it to the marinade. [DEFINE]
- Dispose of the carapace and walking legs.
- Lengthwise, cut the soft under-cover of the tail with scissors. Slightly crack the hard upper shell so you can remove the tail meat. Skewer the tail meat so it lies flat.
- Marinate the meat for a few hours.
- When the fire's hot, place the claw arms and the tail meat on the grill (about four inches above the heat source.)
- Baste the tail meat lightly with marinade as it cooks.
- Grill about 5 minutes.
- Turn the claw arms and the tail meat. Baste the tail meat lightly with marinade as it cooks for another four or five minutes.
- A lobster is fully cooked if: its shell has turned bright red AND you can easily pull out an antenna.
For instructions on how to eat a lobster, click here to watch this video!
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