As if it were a dream, suddenly that whole crustacean is placed in front of you on a massive plate, and you realize you have absolutely no idea how to eat lobster!
How to Prepare and Cook a Lobster
For New Englanders, especially in Maine and Massachusetts, eating lobster is a way of life, but for the rest of us, basic instruction on how to prepare lobster is in order.
Remember, once you've picked your first lobster (I use that phrase since I'm from Maryland, where we pick crabs), you'll know how to do it forever and will become more efficient. It's similar to riding a bicycle.
Alternatively, if you just need to steam and choose lobster flesh for another dish, you may follow the same set of steps.
You should be aware that there will be water and a lot of mess before you begin. Prepare a supply of paper towels and work on a surface that can withstand a little spillage, such as a big chopping board or a well-drained plate, before beginning.
Getting Lobster Meat from the Lobster Trap
Jump to:
1. Remove the huge claws and lay them away
I like to remove all of the flesh before eating it, but you may eat it as you go if that's what you want.
2. Remove the tail by twisting it
Without the need for special equipment, it should be easy to remove with only a little wrist motion. You should now have four huge pieces: the body, the tail, and two claws (if you have them).
It is customary for me to begin with the tail since it is the biggest piece of complete flesh available. Placing the tail with the bottom side down, smooth side up, and lovely side up is recommended. Squish the bottom, thinner shell together with both hands, if possible.
It should simply collapse, and the top of the shell should easily separate from the flesh, leaving you with a whole piece of tail meat. You should be aware of a large amount of black, which is the gut and may be removed.
There might be green and black things in there. Tomalley is the green substance in question, and it is edible; in fact, it is utilized in various delicacies, but it should only be consumed in moderation. The dark substance is called the "poop chute," and it may be thrown away.
3. The claws are important because they transport a significant quantity of meat
To separate the claws, wiggle the tiny hinged section of each claw. It normally comes out with a tendon and, on rare occasions, with flesh.
Break open claws using a cracking tool, breaking 1 side and then turning them to crack another side, and remove the flesh. It may be necessary to use a pick, skewer, or fork to break up the larger bits.
4. Now it's time to talk about the legs
The legs contain the least amount of flesh, and some people don't bother with them at all, but true lobster enthusiasts don't waste any of them. It is best, to begin with, the long legs that were linked to the claws since they provide the most bang for your money.
Pierce the flesh from each knuckle with a skewer or seafood fork, and squeeze out as much as you can before discarding the bones. If you're cooking at home, you can roll smaller legs using rolling pins, and the meat will press out the end as the legs are rolled.
5. And last, the body
A lot of people are going to throw the corpse away, and I don't blame them. Sometimes you'll strike the jackpot, and other times you'll walk away with nothing in your pocket. If you want to prepare a seafood stock, it is also a good idea to save the carcass.
This is similar to choosing blue crabs in that you should avoid the feathery appearing portions on the side that are the lungs and are thus inedible. Look between the little cartilage-lined portions on the side to see if there are any pockets of flesh hiding there.
Looking for more information about lobsters? Look no further. Here are a few amusing facts about yourself!
- During Colonial times, lobster was regarded as "poor man's food," and since it was a bottom-feeding crustacean, it was given to animals to supplement their diet.
- Maine lobsters are the only ones that have claws; spiny lobsters, which are found in the Caribbean, do not.
- Lobsters may live for up to 100 years in the wild. They are seldom "ill" and die, thus they must be preyed on in order to survive.
- Lobsters continue to develop throughout their lives, and a lobster may grow to be as large as 40 pounds in weight! That puts your 7-pound lobster to disgrace, which was rather expensive. Ha!
- In addition to providing high levels of protein and omega 3 fatty acids, lobsters are also low in fat and calories (unless you add the butter...).
- Lobsters shed their shells throughout their lives, earning them the nickname "soft-shelled lobster," which is similar to soft-shelled crab. From July through October, they are in plenty.
- Lobsters in the wild are not red; instead, they are blue, yellow, or brownish in color.
