I have had this website for a couple of years now and I’ve never considered doing a post about cooking lobster because I assumed there were lots of websites and posts out there about cooking lobsters. And now that I’ve looked around a bit I know that there are, but honestly, a lot of them aren’t great and in my opinion, have cooking times that will overcook the lobsters. One site even said “stir the lobsters” halfway through the cooking time and I just don’t know how one might go about stirring lobsters.
I imagine if you haven’t cooked lobsters before that some of the instructions on various websites might even be kind of intimidating. They also are sort of severe, like if you don’t cook lobsters exactly according to their directions that they will be ruined. And guys, you’re not going to ruin your lobsters.
Cooking lobsters is fun.
You’re going to want to take a few photos and that’s ok! It’s actually encouraged. Pets + lobsters make for amazing photo ops. When you post them on your social media tag #mainelobster (Tag me too, please! I want to see lobsters + pets.)
While you’re doing your photoshoot, get a pot of water steaming. Most people have pots that range from 6-8 QT at home which fits about 4-6 lobsters. You only want about two inches of water in the pot. Cover it and turn the heat on high.
When you see steam start to eke out under the lid, that’s when it’s time to put the lobsters in the pot. Put them in claws first. (If you put the tail in first you risk the tail flipping hot water onto you.)
You do not have to salt the water but you can if it makes you feel better. The reason you steam them, and the reason you don’t have to salt the water, is because lobsters have saltwater under their shell and that’s what will help cook the meat. (Boiling them sort of dilutes their natural flavor.)
You do not have to take the bands off. Once upon a time, the bands were made of a rubber that could give the water, and therefore the lobster meat, a foul flavor but the bands are now a synthetic material and less likely to cause any changes to the flavor of the lobster meat. Also, for most people, it’s not super smart to take the bands off because if those bugs are still lively they might bite ya if you don’t know how to handle them. If you want to show off for your friends and take the bands off, cross the claws over each other so you have some control over the lobster.
Once the lobsters are in the pot, cover it, turn the heat down just a bit, and give it about 10-12 minutes (for 4-6 lobsters). Most websites suggest cooking times that are just insane. (Overcooked lobster is still edible but it will likely be pretty rubbery.) When the lobsters turn red (after about 5-8 minutes), just give them about 5 more minutes and then remove them from the pot. I put them in a layer on a baking sheet and then let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. (This also gives them a few more minutes to cook because they will still be wicked hot and much like every other meat you cook, they don’t stop cooking immediately after you remove them from the heat.)
Some might suggest that you can put them in an ice bath and you can, sure, but it’s an extra step that you can remove by just letting the lobsters rest and getting something else ready, like melting butter or making corn on the cob.
Once they are cool enough to handle they are ready to clean. When I clean a lobster I first rip off the claws and tail first. If you’re a Mainer or a die-hard lobster lover you probably enjoy drinking the liquor, which is the liquid inside the claws. (Try it!) Old-timers will pick every last bit of meat out of the lobster body and tiny legs. You can also use the bodies to make stock. You can use crackers if you have a tough time getting through the shells to the meat but we use a dishtowel and brute strength; put the claw in the dishtowel and use your fist or a mallet. (Or crackers and pickers are totally fine.) I break the tail by squeezing it until I can feel it crack and then I pull (or push) the meat out. You have to split the tail meat in two to remove any red bread* and poop, more politely referred to as the black vein. (My husband hates when we watch cooking shows and people clean lobster and just get after it without this kind of important step.)
Some people rinse off their lobster meat before they eat it but I believe that this is sacrilegious and removes flavor.
Serve lobsters with good butter (melted for dipping) like Kate’s, and some yummy bread. (We like Standard Baking Co.)
Also, remember the photo op from step 1? Here’s another one! Cleaning lobsters should be fun and sure, a little messy if it’s not something you’ve had a lot of practice at. And like Chef Chuck Hughes recalls from when he first started eating lobsters as a kid, “We had family in New Brunswick that would send lobsters and oysters and we would put newspaper on the table and rules were out the window.”
Other tips
If you want to get the meat out of the little legs you can do one of two things. You can suck the meat out or you can use a rolling pin. Sucking on the legs is sort of self explanatory. To use a rolling pin just put the little leg on a hard surface and use a rolling pin to roll the meat out.
Get some baking sheets from Goodwill to use for lobster plates. There are lots of cutesy lobster plates in local shops but honestly, a baking sheet is the best for holding any liquid and shells while you clean your lobster(s).
Seems pretty obvious but use dish towels instead of napkins and paper towels.
Relax. Lobster should conjure good vibes and be enjoyed with family and friends, outside or around a table, at home or on vacation.
Lobster for leftovers is THE BEST. You can make lobster rolls, eat lobster on a salad, serve surf-n-turf the following evening, lobster eggs Benedict for breakfast, have it with some pasta… you get the idea.
*(red bread) This is what we call the cooked roe found in the lobster tail. (Roe is black when it uncooked.) The green stuff is the tomalley. (Old-timers like to spread the tomalley on toast.) It is all edible so don’t worry about it, but not everyone loves the texture and flavor which is why most people remove the tomalley and red bread. I want to try making a tomalley compound butter.
See below for lobster nutrition facts and a super fun video from the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries featuring Leroy.
To buy Maine lobster in Maine visit Maine Fish Direct on Facebook to connect with a Maine lobsterman.
If you need lobsters shipped check out Chipman’s Wharf. Chipman’s Wharf is a family-run business in Milbridge, Maine.
