Buying and Preparing Lobster
How to buy and prepare fresh Lobster
Buying
Whether you are buying lobster directly from a pound or store or are having it shipped, it is important that the lobster is alive before you cook it. Shipped lobster should show signs of movement when lifted. In prime condition a live lobster will display movement in its claws and will snap its tail if it is disturbed. Any lobster with sluggish movement should be used immediately. Lobsters that are totally limp (dead) should be discarded.
Lobsters come in various sizes from canners (1/2 pound to 1 pound) to jumbos (over 2 1/2 pounds). A 1 1/2 pound lobster (hard-shell) will yield approximately 1 1/3 cups of cooked meat. In their natural state, Canadian Atlantic Lobsters are generally greenish blue to brownish olive. Regardless of the shell color they will all cook up red and have the same texture and excellent flavor. The key to successful preparation is to begin with a high quality hard-shell lobster.
Handling
Live to lobster will keep 36 to 40 hours out of water if they are kept in a cool damp environment (refrigerator) and their gills are kept moist. Since they are a salt-water creature, care should be taken to ensure lobster are not exposed to freshwater ice or melt-water. Lobsters should be placed in open containers and kept moist with dampened newspapers or towels. Live lobster come with bands placed around their claws to protect handlers. For protection these bands should be left in place until the lobster is cooked.
After the lobster is cooked they should be stored in airtight containers and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days if they are not to be eaten right away. If the meat is removed from the shell, it can be kept for up to four days in the refrigerator. Cooked lobster meat can also be frozen for use at a later time.
Cooking Methods
Benefits of Boiling
Boiling and steaming are the methods of choice when you want to serve diners a whole lobster. Boiling is a little quicker and easier to time precisely, and the meat comes out of the shell more readily than when steamed. For recipes that call for fully cooked and picked lobster meat boiling is the best approach.
Benefits of Steaming
In contrast, steaming is more gentle, yielding slightly more tender meat. It preserves a little more flavor and it’s more forgiving on the timing front. It’s harder to overcook a steamed lobster.
Benefits of Parboiling or blanching
When you need partially cooked lobster meat for a dish, parboiling is the way to go. Parboiling, or blanching, cooks the lobster just enough so that the meat can be removed from the shell. Then you can chill the meat down and reuse it later in a dish that calls for further cooking.
Boiling Instructions
Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Fill with water, allowing 3 quarts of water per 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of lobster. Add sea salt (to taste) to water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time, and start timing immediately. Do not cover. Stir the lobsters halfway through cooking. Let the lobsters rest for 5 minutes or so after cooking to allow the meat to absorb some of the moisture in the shell.
For timing, use the weight of individual lobsters, not total weight of all lobsters being cooked.
| If the lobster weighs: | Boil: |
| 1 pound | 8 minutes |
| 1 1/4 pounds | 9-10 minutes |
| 1 1/2 pounds | 11-12 minutes |
| 1 3/4 pounds | 12-13 minutes |
| 2 pounds | 15 minutes |
| 2 1/2 pounds | 20 minutes |
| 3 pounds | 25 minutes |
| 5 pounds | 35-40 minutes |
Steaming Instructions
Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Put 2 inches of seawater or salted water in the bottom of a large kettle. Set a steaming rack inside the pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the live lobsters one at a time, cover the pot, and start timing. Halfway through, lift the lid (careful—the steam is hot) and shift the lobsters around so they cook evenly.
For timing, use the weight of individual lobsters, not total weight of all lobsters being cooked.
| If the lobster weighs: | Steam: |
| 1 pound | 10 minutes |
| 1-1/4 pounds | 12 minutes |
| 1-1/2 pounds | 14 minutes |
| 1-3/4 pounds | 16 minutes |
| 2 pounds | 18 minutes |
| 2-1/2 pounds | 22 minutes |
| 3 pounds | 25-30 minutes |
| 5 pounds | 40-45 minutes |
Parboiling/blanching Instructions
Follow directions for boiling lobsters. Cook 2 minutes or as the long as the recipe indicates. It’s easiest to remove the meat while the lobsters are still warm. If you will be cooking them further in the shell, plunge the partially cooked lobsters into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and refrigerate until ready to use.