Everything You Need To Know About Cooking Lobster, According to a Seafood Expert

There’s something about cooking lobster that can make even the most confident home cook pause for a beat. The ruby red shellfish has a fancy, white tablecloth reputation and is often reserved for special occasions, like holidays, anniversaries or a romanticValentine’s Day dinner for two. Plus, if you’re cooking whole lobsters, you have to buy them live and bring them home—and then what?

Being a little intimidated by making lobster at home is reasonable, but whipping up a restaurant-style meal in your kitchen is easier than you think. All you need to succeed is a little information, plus some guidance and reassurance, all of which will give you the confidence you need to turn that lobster into a dinner that you’ll be proud to serve.

That’s why we enlisted the help of Gülsün Akdemir Evrendilek, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor and Seafood Technology and Food Safety Specialist at The University of Maine. (After all, folks in Maine know a thing or two about lobster, right?) Her tips and expert advice will help you learn exactly how to cook lobster at home. From buying the best shellfish to prepping it correctly, she’s got you covered. And when you’re ready to cook, her clear instructions will help you boil, steam or roast the lobster to perfection.

Once you master the basics, there’s no shortage of lobster recipes and cooking methods to try, all of which are sure to impress your guests (and maybe you’ll impress yourself, too). Here’s your no-fuss guide to buying and cooking lobster like a pro.

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5 Tips for Buying a Good Lobster

There are certain things to look out for when buying lobster to ensure you’re getting the freshest seafood possible. Your senses (sight, smell and even touch) can be a useful guide in this process, so trust your instincts and follow these tips for the best results.

1. Do your fish market research

“Fresh is best” is a good motto to live by when it comes to many ingredients, but especially when buying lobster. Research reputable fish markets near you where turnover is high, so you can feel confident the seafood hasn’t been sitting around.

2. Look for lively lobster

“First things first: liveliness matters. A good lobster should be active and responsive, twitching its legs or antennae when you handle it,” Dr. Evrendilek tells Parade. “If it just flops around or barely moves, that’s a red flag that it might not be so fresh anymore.”

3. Inspect the shell

Next up, take a good look at your prospective dinner. “You want a lobster with a clean, healthy-looking shell. Sure, shells come in a mix of dark greens, browns, or even reddish tones, but they should look intact and free from big cracks or damage,” says Dr. Evrendilek. Dull or banged-up shells indicate lobsters that may have been sitting out for too long, so it’s best to avoid those.

4. Your nose knows

As with most types of seafood, smell can be a useful guide in determining which lobsters are fresh and which are past their prime. “Smell is another giveaway. A fresh lobster should remind you of the ocean—briny, clean and crisp,” Dr. Evrendilek explains. “If you get any sharp, fishy or ammonia-like odors, steer clear.”

5. Give it a lift

A lobster’s weight or heftiness can also be an indicator of quality. “A lobster that feels heavy for its size usually means it’s packed with sweet, delicious meat rather than being all water,” says Dr. Evrendilek. Unless you’re picking up the lobster yourself, you won’t know how much it weighs or how hefty it is, but you can always ask the counter attendant.

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How to Humanely Kill a Lobster

Cooking lobster at home is a hands-on activity, for better or worse, and there’s some debate on how to dispatch a lobster humanely. If you’re a bit squeamish about hearing about the demise of a crustacean, feel free to jump to the next section.

If you’re still with us, let’s start with the most important part: The best method for killing lobster should minimize suffering and be as quick as possible.

Dr. Evrendilek has an ethical way that’s swift and thorough. “If you want to cook lobster at home and keep things as humane as possible, the best way is a quick, decisive action,” she tells Parade. “Using a sharp knife to sever the lobster’s brain brings about immediate death. After that, you can plunge it straight into boiling water to make sure there’s no lingering movement.

“Some folks recommend chilling or freezing the lobster first to numb it a bit, which might make the process feel less harsh,” Dr. Evrendilek adds. “But in most kitchens, the fast knife technique is considered the quickest and kindest way to do it.”

If you’re still unsure about how to do it, this video from chef Andrew Zimmern helps illustrate the approach that Dr. Evrendilek mentions. In the video, Zimmern places the live lobster on a kitchen towel to soak up the liquid and to prevent the lobster from sliding around. Next, he sticks a sharp, broad chef’s knife between the first joint at the back of its shell and its eyes. Press the knife straight down (all the way to the cutting board) and the lobster will die immediately, making this the most humane way to go about it. From there, you can proceed with your preferred cooking method.

If live lobster isn’t an option, a decent alternative is frozen lobster tails or claws. Just make sure they’re vacuum-sealed and sourced sustainably.

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3 Common Ways To Cook Lobster

Now that your lobster is ready to cook, you have to figure out exactly how to cook it. Boiling, steaming and roasting are three of the most common ways to prepare lobster and all three methods take roughly the same amount of time: only 10 minutes. Here’s how to cook things up at your house.

How To Boil Lobster

The boiling method is good for large batches. The pot should be large enough to comfortably hold the lobster(s). If you’re cooking average-size (say 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) lobsters, an 8-quart pot will hold one lobster, and a 16-quart pot will hold 2 to 3. If you’re cooking for a crowd, you’re either going to need a bigger pot or will need to cook a few at a time.

When boiling lobster, you’re looking for a bright red shell and opaque meat. But the color isn’t a sure indicator of doneness. For tender lobster, you’re looking for a temperature of around 135°-140°F in the tail meat, so this is a good time to have your instant-read thermometer handy. Ready to go? Here’s what to do.

1. Start by filling the pot about 3/4 of the way full and adding about 1 tablespoon of salt for every quart of water. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Place the lobsters in, head down and one at a time, and cover the pot.
3. Cook for about 8–15 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster. A 1-pound lobster takes about 8 minutes, while a 2-pound lobster takes roughly 15 minutes. Add 1–2 minutes for each additional quarter pound. Start the timer once the water comes back to a simmer. When you think it might be done, check the temperature of the tail.
4. Using long tongs, remove the lobster from the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

How To Steam Lobster

Steaming is a more gentle cooking technique than boiling and locks in flavor. According to Dr. Evrendilek, steaming “helps the lobster meat stay moist and tender, and preserves more of that fresh-from-the-sea flavor.”

Steamed lobster also tends to pull away from the shell more easily, so this method could save you some frustration when it’s time to get cracking. “If you really want to showcase the lobster’s natural taste, steaming is usually the winner,” Dr. Evrendilek says.

1. To steam lobster, start by adding 1–2 inches of salted water to the bottom of a large stockpot.
2. Place a steaming rack or basket at the bottom of the pot, just above the water level. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Keep the bands on the lobsters and place them into the pot, one at a time, in a single layer. Cover the pot. 
4. Carefully lift the lid halfway through cooking to rotate the lobsters so they cook evenly. A 1-pound lobster takes roughly 10 minutes to steam; a 1 1/2 pound lobster will take about 12 to 13 minutes. If the lobster’s shell isn’t bright red, let it steam for a couple more minutes and check back. Again, remember that you can use a thermometer to check for doneness in the tail. (You’re looking for 135°-140°F.)
5. After cooking, run the lobster under very cold water to stop the cooking process.

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How To Roast Lobster

Roasting a live lobster requires them to be killed first, either by partially boiling, steaming or humanely killing them with a knife. This cooking method adds a slightly smoky flavor to the meat. Follow the steps that Dr. Evrendilek has outlined, starting with the prep work.

1. Humanely kill the lobster, then carefully split it in half from head to tail with a sharp knife. If you’d like, separate the claws because they often take longer to cook.
2. Next, clean up the lobsters a bit. You’ll want to remove the green tomalley (which is the lobster’s digestive gland, found somewhere in the chest area, that looks like green paste) and the dark intestinal vein in the tail, and give the whole lobster a rinse if needed.
3. Then it’s time to season. Lay the lobster halves shell-side down on a baking sheet. Brush the exposed meat generously with melted butter, salt, pepper and maybe add some garlic or lemon.
4. Transfer the seasoned lobster to a preheated oven (at 400–425°F) and cook for about 10–15 minutes, depending on its size. When the tail meat hits around 135°-140°F and turns opaque and the shell is bright red, you’re good to go.

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5 Good-To-Know Lobster Handling and Cooking Tips

With this handy, detailed guide, hopefully, you’re feeling a bit more confident about cooking a lobster. Here are a few more tips and suggestions to help you make the most of this tasty shellfish.

1. Don’t skimp on flavor

Season your cooking liquid. Add wine, lemon slices or a complementary seasoning blend, like Old Bay. 

2. Choose your lid wisely

Make sure the lid fits onto your pot tightly. Lobsters have been known to crawl out. 

3. Don’t forget your tools

When it’s time to cut open the shell, you’ll need some kind of cracker and picker. Also have a kitchen towel ready to protect your hand while opening the lobster.

4. Use a thermometer to test doneness

If you’re concerned about the lobster not being fully cooked, Dr. Evrendilek suggests sticking an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the tail (avoiding the shell). “You’re looking for 135–140°F, and remember it’ll keep cooking a touch after you remove it from the heat,” she says. She also notes that if you “tug gently on a small antenna near the head [and] it comes off easily, the lobster is likely cooked through.”

5. Respect the species

“Lobster is a precious resource, so try not to waste any of it,” Dr. Evrendilek stresses. “Buy only what you need, cook it with care and make sure to serve reasonable portions so nothing ends up in the trash.” She adds, “Choosing lobster from responsible, well-managed fisheries also helps protect ocean ecosystems for future generations.”

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Source:

• Gülsün Akdemir Evrendilek, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor and Seafood Technology and Food Safety Specialist