How to Cook a Lobster: 9 Steps (with Pictures)

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2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Although lobster dishes are usually the most expensive ones listed on fine dining menus, lobster can be prepared in the comfort of your own home, quickly and easily. You can choose to buy a whole lobster, live, and then boil it, or prefer to buy a ready-made and clean tail, just to be cooked. In this article you will find the recipes for both preparations.

Ingrediants

Whole Boiled Lobster

One live lobster per person
A large pot of salt water
Melted butter to accompany

Grilled Lobster Tail

6 Lobster Tails
115 g of melted butter
1 clove of minced garlic
Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Extra virgin olive oil

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Boiled whole lobster

Step 1. Buy live lobsters

Look for them in your local fish shop or in the supermarket near your home. Choose the ones that seem healthier to you. Avoid buying animals that move little or that even remain immobile, also stay away from those that have holes or spots on the carapace.

Step 2. Fill a large pot with water, for ¾ of its capacity

Add 2 tablespoons of salt to every liter of water and bring it to a boil.

Step 3. Immerse the lobsters in the water

Grab the animal, one at a time, by the body and immerse it in boiling water, starting from the head, with a fluid and fast movement, then cover the pot with the lid.

Do not let the water come out of the pot. If it's not large enough to cook all the lobsters at once, do it in two or more steps

Step 4. When the water has started to boil again, set the cooking time

A 500g lobster should cook for 15 minutes, a 750g lobster for 20 minutes and a 1kg lobster for 25 minutes. The lobsters will be cooked when the shell has taken on a bright red color. After cooking, remove them from the water and put them to dry and cool on a plate.

Controlling the cooking time is very important, as the carapace may turn red before the pulp is fully cooked

Step 5. Serve the lobster whole

Put them on serving plates, accompanying them with a small cup of melted butter, add the pliers necessary to break the claws and a large bowl for the scraps. Enjoy your meal!

Method 2 of 2: Grilled Lobster Tail

Step 1. Turn on your barbecue and set it to a medium-high temperature, make sure that the entire surface of the grill is adequately heated

If you are going to use the grill of your oven, preheat it well in advance

Step 2. Prepare the lobster tail

Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise, start from the underside of the tail, where the carapace is softer. Thread each half lengthwise with iron skewers. Brush each skewer with extra virgin olive oil on all sides.

Step 3. Grill the lobster

Place the tail on the grill, on the exposed pulp side, and cook it for about 5 minutes, or until the shell turns bright red. At this point, turn the lobster to the other side and sprinkle it with the minced garlic, add salt and pepper and sprinkle it with a spoonful of butter. Grill for another 5 minutes or until the meat turns translucent.

If you are using the oven grill instead of using a barbecue, complete the cooking as follows: cook the lobster with the engraved side facing the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the lobster upside down and season it as explained above (for cooking on the barbecue), continue cooking in the oven for another 5 minutes

Step 4. Serve the lobster tail accompanied with melted butter and lemon wedges

Enjoy your meal!

Advice

Add some salt while cooking the lobster, you will reduce the loss of minerals from the meat, due to the concentration gradient.
You can purchase both fresh and frozen lobster tails. Obviously frozen tails will require longer cooking.

Warnings

The green substance that you will find inside the lobster is produced by the activity of the liver and pancreas. It can be eaten and is considered a real delicacy thanks to its flavor. However it is also the part of the lobster that can contain substances that are toxic to human health. Avoid eating this treat if it comes from lobsters that have been caught during red tides, they will most likely contain a high level of toxins.
To avoid being pinched by a lobster claws, do not remove the rubber bands holding them until the animal is fully cooked.

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