How To Eat A Lobster

Lobster-eating experience is difficult mainly because of the hard shell. Additionally, the tiny meat pieces that reside in areas like legs also are tricky to extract. So, to make the process easier, a few essential tools will come in handy. 

A lobster cracker or a nutcracker is a must to break open the hard shells of the claws and knuckles. A seafood fork is also useful for extracting meat from the smaller parts like the legs and body.

For the tail, you might need a seafood pick or a small fork to help with delicate extractions. In addition, lobster shears can help with cutting through tough shells, and a bib is a great addition to keep things clean while you dig in!

Sauces

Plain lobster is okay to enjoy but with the proper sauce, the lobster-eating experience gets enhanced greatly. Some sauces that are preferred by a huge proportion of seafood lovers include:

Clarified/ Drawn Butter: It is the classic choice for eating lobster. The melted butter as a dip is generally served warm. It best complements the lobster as it doesn't overshadow the sweetness of the lobster meat.

Garlic Butter Sauce: The classic butter dips are also infused with garlic for aroma. This sauce is rich, but still, it would let the lobster meat take center stage. It’s a favorite go-to sauce to enjoy lobster for many.

Cheese Fondue: Melted cheese adds creaminess to lobster, taking its richness to a new height. Overall, with this sauce, you are set to enjoy an even more luxurious lobster-eating experience. 

Wine-based Sauce: A wine-based sauce, like Beurre Blanc, is perfect for making lobster sophisticated. Some shallots, lemon and white wine into the butter and this sauce gets ready. The acidity of the wine works harmoniously with the richness of the butter.

Cooking lobster at home is straightforward. The different ways to cook lobster that brings out the best flavors and textures are as follows:

For Boiling:

Take a large pot, as large as the lobster, and then fill it with enough water. As the lobsters are completely submerged, add salt to the pot and then bring whole mix to boiling.

Typically, despite of the larger size, lobsters won't require much time to cook. After 8 to 12 minutes of boiling, the shells would start to turn bright red and the meat gets opaque, signaling lobsters are perfectly cooked.

For Steaming:

Take pot of any size, fill it with water and bring the water to a boil. Add seasonings and salt to the boiling water.

Next, lobster is dumped to the steaming basket and placed on top of the pot. The lobster should be then allowed to steam for 10 to 15 minutes. The visual cues, to distinguish cooked lobster remains the same, the shells turn red when the meat is cooked through.

For Grilling:

Grilling is for those who like lobster-rich, smoky, and slightly caramelized. Additionally, the most natural flavor comes from grilling rather than other methods that use water to cook them.

The lobster is prepared by splitting it in half lengthwise. Before placing these halves on the grill, brush the meat side with butter and season with your preferred ingredients like salt and pepper.

Now, in the preheated grill, the lobster halves are placed, making sure that the flesh side faces downwards. Let this side cook for 5 to 7 minutes, and then flip it and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until the meat seems opaque and slightly charred.

For Poaching:

One of the easy fine recipes to cook lobsters is poaching. This simple recipe includes melting butter in a pan, to which lobster is added. The lobster is then cooked in a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.

The lobster can be properly cooked and kept moist, by basting the butter on the top in between the cooking time. The lobster is done when the meat is opaque and tender.

One of the highlights of lobster feast is eating its tail. Meaty, sweet, firm and with minimal fishy odor, lobster tail is also quite easy to eat, as compared to the other body parts. Here are steps on how to eat the tail:

1. Start by detaching the tail from the lobster body. A gentle twist is what works here. Holding the lobster with one hand, rotate the tail in a clockwise motion with the other. As the connection between the tail and the body loosens, you’ll feel a slight break or pop. Once the tail gets separated from the body, it will be ready for the next step.
2. After the tail is detached, it's time you get to the meat. The hard shell that covers the meat is easy to crack open. Just place the tail on a sturdy surface and with your hands, apply gentle pressure along the top of the shell. As you press, you will be hearing a satisfying crack sound. This signals the successful shell breaking.
3. Now it's turn to peel off the meat. You can either use your fingers or a small fork to help lift the shell off. The meat inside should come out in one solid piece.

The claw should be separated from the knuckle joint by twisting it off, with a gentle pressure. Using hammer or a cracker, crack the shell open. If the meat is too small to be pulled off by hand, use the fork for meat picking.

Claw meat is known to be tender and more rich, sweeter, in flavor.

Lobster knuckle may seem small, but you will find this part packed with delicious meat inside. The knuckle meat is on the firmer side as compared to the tail meat, however, the rich flavors is what makes it worth the effort. Here’s how to enjoy it:

1. Pull off the knuckle from the lobster's arm. You won't require too much force to detach them from the legs.
2. The small shell of the knuckle does require an extra effort, so it's better to use nutcracker or lobster cracker to break it open.
3. As the shell cracks, you can extract the meat out with the help of a seafood fork.

After you've tackled the tail and claws, it's time to focus on the lobster's legs. While the legs, a total of 8 in number (walking legs), contain less meat than the larger sections, they still hold delicious morsels.

To begin, grasp the lobster's legs and tear them off one by one using your fingers. You should feel the joints release with a slight tug. Once the legs are detached, you can proceed to the fun part - extracting the meat.

For the most part, the meat inside the legs is a bit more delicate and requires a bit of work to get out. One method is to suck the meat out directly from each leg, one by one.

You can also break open the knuckles of the legs and wiggle out the small amount of meat inside using a seafood fork.

Finally, it's time to move on to the body. The meat in the lobster’s body is less abundant than in other sections, so it is mostly avoided in cases where the lobster is too small.

To remove the lobster's shell, you can pull apart the top section from the underside, exposing the body. Inside, you'll notice the rib cage and the meats surrounding it can be pulled off with a fork.

Though there is minimal meat, you can enjoy the liver part, called tomalley, present in the lobster body. It is yellowish in color and has a rich, creamy texture and a distinct flavor.

Make sure to avoid the lungs, the spongy part as they are inedible.

Lobster is a luxurious addition to any dish. Some recipes to transform simple meals to indulgent experiences include:

Lobster Roll

Lobster roll is a classic New England dish. The combination of lobster meat mixed with creamy dressing and buttery, toasted roll makes a perfect crunchy, warm and sweet contrast.

The dressing made of mayonnaise and lemon juice works perfectly here. If you want a more refined touch, the lobster can be garnished with fresh herbs or a sprinkle of paprika, giving it just the right hint of spice and color.

Lobster Thermidor

Lobster meat when cooked in a rich, creamy sauce makes a indulgent dish named lobster thermidor. The white wine sauce used in the recipe is made from wine and cream.

What's unique in the preparation is, the lobster meat is removed from its shell, cut into pieces and then returned to the shell before being broiled. The reduced sauce is spooned over the lobster before heading it to broiling.

The dish is served in lobster's shell, garnished. Lobster thermidor is generally prepared for special occasions.

Lobster Bisque

Another recipes that perfectly complements the sweetness of the lobster is lobster bisque. This luxurious preparation highlights a creamy soup made by blending ingredients like onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, lobster stock, white wine and sherry.

The lobster meat is added back into the bisque, along with seasonings like thyme, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and the whole mix is simmered for a while. The bisque is often pureed to a silky smooth texture, and for creaminess, heavy cream is added to it.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

A decadent dish, mac and cheese combined with tender lobster chunks is too flavorful to be true. Here, the recipe is nothing quite different, you just need to add lobster meats to your daile mac and cheese.

What you all need to do is fold the lobster into the cheese sauce. The pasta is then coated in this rich sauce before being baked. The result is a comforting, luxurious take on a classic favorite.

Lobster Salad

Lobster salad is perfect for warm weathers. The sweet, delicate flavor of lobster in a vibrant mix of fresh vegetables, what else can be perfect to beat the heat!

A simple vinaigrette will do the work here. Rest, add veggies and greens depending on your preference.

Several characteristic signs denote the lobster is spoiled. Some key signs to look and tell if the lobster is bad are:

1. Smell

Fresh Lobster: The fresh lobster has an ocean-like, fresh smell without any hint of off-putting or sour odors.

Spoiled Lobster: People who have been consuming seafood regularly can easily identify bad lobster. If the meat smells sour, ammonia-like, or rotten then the lobster should be avoided.

2. Appearance

Fresh Lobster: When fresh, the lobster’s shell is firm and intact. Talking about meat, fresh meat is white, slightly translucent, and firm.

Spoiled Lobster:  The appearance of a bad lobster is quite distinct. In such lobsters, the meat tends to be discolored and also may have an unusual gray or greenish hue. Also, if the shell is cracked, then the meat may not be safe to consume, especially when cold storage conditions are not met.

3. Texture

Fresh Lobster: Lobster meat is characterized by a firm and springy texture.

Spoiled Lobster: Mushy or slimy meat means lobster has gone bad.

4. Color of Lobster Meat

Fresh Lobster: The meat should be a clean white or creamy color, with no gray or brown spots.

Spoiled Lobster: Bad lobster has an off-white color or is fully translucent. You may also observe dark spots or discoloration in such lobsters.

5. The Lobster’s Legs

Fresh Lobster: Fresh lobsters have firm legs intact in their original position.

Spoiled Lobster: But in cases where the legs or claws appear loose, limp, or detached from the body, you may be dealing with a spoiled lobster.

Yes, it is possible to cook a dead lobster, however, it does not necessarily mean the ones that have been stored haphazardly. The safety of such lobsters can be guaranteed by strictly following handling and storage guidelines.

Actually, the lobsters are meant to be cooked while alive so as to be safe from food poisoning. But in cases where they die, cook them within 12 hours of death. And for storage, the best practice is to place it on ice as soon as possible. This would delay the breakdown process and keep the lobster at a safe temperature. The temperature at which these lobsters are stored should not exceed 38°F (3.5°C).

Storing Cooked Lobster

The cooked lobsters are more shelf stable. In cases you don't want to eat them immediately, you can store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. While storing, use an airtight container.
The freshness can be further extended for 1 to 2 weeks by storing the cooked lobster in a vacuum-sealed bag.

Maine lobsters also called North American lobsters are commonly found in the Maine region. These lobsters are a paradise for lobster lovers and are distinguished by their large claws, which are approximately half of their body weight.

Unlike Maine, spiny lobsters have long, spiny antennae and are found in southern California and the Caribbean coast. Maine lobster is available year-round, however, the best time to harvest/buy them is in late spring and fall. Due to the superior quality and flavor of the meat, Maine makes the most value in the commercial seafood landings.