Whole lobster is a delicious dish that is enjoyed in many areas of the world. Sometimes you can buy it frozen and its preparation is not complicated at all. However, there are several methods that ensure that its meats turn into a delight. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Best Lobster
Step 1. Buy a frozen shellfish that has never been thawed
Check that it has also been blanched before freezing and that it has always been stored at very low temperatures, around -18 ° C.
- You don't always want to cook lobster right away. In this case, place it in an airtight plastic bag and place it in the freezer. If you keep it sous-vide, the lobster will last in the freezer for up to a year.
- Of course, you can also buy a fresh one, but keep in mind that preparing a live lobster is different.
Step 2. Choose a quality product
You can buy different types of lobster tails, hot water or cold water, the quality and flavor of which vary a lot; also, you can buy frozen tails or claws (but these will be lobster, not lobster).
- Hot water lobster tails are not very tasty and the meat tends to get soggy. These crustaceans are fished in South America, the Caribbean and Florida. Caribbean lobsters have yellow spots and stripes.
- Cold water lobster meat is much better. It is whiter, tender and obviously more expensive. These lobsters are fished in the waters of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. If the shopkeeper can't tell you which area his lobsters come from, they are probably the cheaper ones from warm waters.
- Frozen claws contain less meat and are not as much in demand as tails. You can buy them in almost any grocery store in the frozen food area.
- Don't buy tails that are gray or have black spots; probably these are specimens that died before bleaching.
- If you want a whole lobster it's best to cook it alive if you can get one.
Step 3. Buy enough lobsters
You need to know how many lobsters to serve to each diner to make sure you have food for everyone. The tails are particularly rich in meat.
- Take into account your guests' cultural and gastronomic differences when it comes to lobsters; for example, in Canada they are cooked longer than they do in France.
- In general, you need to calculate 500-750 g of lobster per person. You can cook both lobster tails and lobster claws.
Part 2 of 3: Preparing the Lobsters for Cooking
Step 1. Thaw the lobsters
This step is essential before cooking the claws or tails. If you don't, the meat gets too hard.
- You should refrigerate the shellfish for 24 hours, or at least overnight, before cooking. If you want a quicker process, then you should put the tails in a plastic bag and then immerse the plastic bag in a pot of water. Return the pot to the refrigerator and change the water at least once.
- If you're really in a hurry, you can use the microwave to defrost them. While it's a better option than cooking frozen tails, be aware that it's not ideal compared to slow defrosting. Never put frozen shellfish in hot water or at room temperature. Remember that the claws must also be completely thawed before cooking.
- Another alternative, if you are in a hurry, is to put the lobster in a plastic bag and soak it in cold water without refrigerating it. Change the water every 5-10 minutes, but don't leave it out for too long (about 30 minutes maximum). Then it finishes defrosting in the refrigerator.
Step 2. Cut the tail carapace
When thawed and before cooking, cut them lengthwise, in the center of the shell, using kitchen scissors.
- To proceed with this operation, insert the tip of the scissors between the shell and the meat and cut the shell. Leave the caudal fan intact. Lift the meat out of the shell through the incision you made earlier and place it on the shell itself. In Anglo-Saxon countries this type of presentation is called "piggyback lobster tail".
- Alternatively, you can start with the lobster tail and peel off the soft ventral part of the shell. Throw this part out and fold the tail back. You should hear a crunch of the various abdominal somites (the "plates" that make up the shell), this operation prevents the tail from curling on itself during cooking.
Part 3 of 3: Choosing the Cooking Method
Step 1. Boil the thawed tails
Boiling is one of the most common techniques for this crustacean. Start by boiling some water in a large pot. There must be enough water to completely cover the tails.
- Add a tablespoon of salt for every liter of water. Place the thawed tails in the water, cover the pan and let them simmer 5 minutes for each 120g queue (if the tails are heavier, add one minute of cooking for each extra 30g).
- Drain the lobsters from the boiling water, immediately put them in cold water to stop cooking and then remove them from the cold water; now they are ready to be served. Lobsters are cooked when the shell turns bright red and the meat is tender when skewered with a fork.
Step 2. Grill them.
Set the oven to grill function. Be careful as this is a very quick cooking method and you need to make sure you don't burn the tails.
- Arrange them on a grill pan. Place them with the shell up and cook for only 4 minutes. You need to keep the lobster meat 12.5 cm from the heat source.
- If you are cooking very large tails, you should cut them lengthwise to make two portions of each. Brush them with butter and cook the other side for another 5 minutes. At this point you can serve them on the table.
Step 3. Steam them
One of the healthiest methods for cooking lobsters is certainly steaming. Start by pouring 1.5 cm of water into a saucepan, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of salt.
- At this point, put the lobsters in the pot, close the pan with the lid and let the steam cook the shellfish for 15 minutes for half a kilo of meat; for each extra pound, calculate another 5 minutes.
- You can also put the lobsters in a steamer basket. Boil about 5 cm of water in a saucepan and insert the basket with the tails. Cook 20 minutes for every kilogram of shellfish.
Step 4. Boil the lobsters
This technique allows the flavor of the meat to be released, especially if you add aromatic herbs and seasonings to the water.
- Prepare the cooking liquid in a pan with lemon, chives, onion, celery and a little water. Let the mixture simmer.
- In another pan, bring the water to a full boil. Put the lobsters in boiling water for a minute or two and then drain them. Transfer them to the boiling liquid leaving the lid ajar. Let them simmer, making sure they don't boil.
- Lobsters are ready when you can detach an antenna or leg without feeling any resistance.
Step 5. Grill them.
To prepare them for this type of cooking, locate the cross behind the head of each crustacean and pierce it with a heavy knife. Move the knife down by cutting the tail in half lengthwise.
- Place the lobsters on the grill. The fleshy part must face downwards. Cook them like this for 8-10 minutes, no need to turn them.
- Before grilling, brush the tails with olive oil or butter. You can also skewer them with a skewer before placing them on the barbecue.
Step 6. Bake the lobster in the oven.
If you've found frozen lobster claws instead of tails, you can bake them. First, preheat the appliance to 205 ° C.
- Gather the claws all together. Wrap them in aluminum foil, place them on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- The claws are cooked when they turn pink. Many grocery stores sell them in the frozen food section.
Advice
- Cooking lobsters is a fairly quick process and shouldn't take more than 30 minutes; Defrosting, on the other hand, takes several hours, so plan ahead.
- To give lobsters a more intense flavor, add whole sea salt to the cooking water instead of regular table salt.
- Boiling is the quickest and easiest way to cook frozen lobsters.
