For those new to lobster, we have pulled together easy-to-follow instructions for steaming, one of the best ways to cook both live and frozen lobster. For many lobster lovers, steaming lobster is a rite of passage -- the final step in the time-honored process of lobstering and all its rich tradition. You, too, can partake in the comfort of your own home, by ordering fresh lobster delivered right to your door.
Prepare to steam your lobsters by gathering all of the equipment you'll need to cook and serve your lobsters. Whether you're using frozen or live lobsters, you'll need the following:.
Purchasing frozen lobster is a great way to keep lobster on-hand for your next impromptu gathering. The process is simple:. Thaw the lobster. First, thaw the lobster by placing it in the refrigerator overnight. Once the lobster has thawed, you can start steaming the lobster. Prepare the pot : Fill the pot with two inches of cold water. Then place the steamer basket on top of the pot. Next, cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.
While the water is heating, start preparing your lobster. Prepare the lobster : On the cutting board, use the knife to remove the lobster's head. Discard the head, and skewer the tail. Cook the lobster : When the water reaches its boiling point, place the skewered lobsters in the steamer basket and cover. While steaming, gently shake the pot occasionally to ensure that the lobster cooks uniformly. The cooking time will vary by portion size:. Then, use your hands to remove the claws, knuckles, and tails.
Next, to prepare the tails, lay them on a work surface and press with your hands to crack the shells. When you boil lobster, the shell retains a lot of water. Pierce the body and tail with a knife to help drain the water and keep you from making a mess. Hold the underside of the body away from you, because the lobster have a tendency to flip the jointed tail, splattering water.
You can cook more than one lobster in a pot as long as there is enough room and water to cover the lobsters. If you do not have a big enough pot use two smaller pots or cook your lobsters in batches. For boiling timing, use the weight of your individual lobsters , not the total weight of all lobster being cooked.
Yup, you can zap them in the microwave. It actually steams the lobster in its own shell — not the most elegant way to get the job done, but it works well in a jiffy. First things first, humanely dispatch the lobster immediately before microwaving. Second, only microwave one lobster at a time! Does microwaved lobster taste the same? Microwaving a lobster cooks it in its own juices and the shell imparts extra flavor.
It also stays hotter longer since it cooks in a thick shell and the bag. No problem! Broiling lobsters achieves a thin layer of sear atop the lobster, giving it something like a crisp smoky flavor. Broiling is also a great option if you plan on adding a flavorful crust to the top of the meat.
This simply is not true. It is very easy to overcook seafood, especially big lobsters. The issue we see again and again is the recommended cooking times are often too long. Overcooked lobster will be tough and chewy no matter if you steam or boil them.
Bonus points for using your reheated lobster in a lobster roll check out this recipe! Cooking lobsters at high altitude takes more time since water boils at a much lower temperature, and evaporates faster. At high altitude the air has less oxygen and the atmosphere becomes much drier. To compensate for the lower boiling point of water, the cooking time must be increased — but not the heat. How many minutes should you increase the time? Try adding about 2 minutes to our lobster cooking times.
Also, cover the pot tightly when cooking. To avoid overcooking and undercooking your lobsters, use an instant read food thermometer to check internal temperature. Many people will mistakenly boil a two and half pound lobster twice as long as a one and a quarter pound lobster.
For timing, use the weight of individual lobsters, not the total weight of all lobsters being cooked. Unlike white fish, lobster meat has longer muscle fibers, and does not flake when cooked.
Lobster is cooked when the shell is entirely red. When properly cooking lobster, the meat becomes a creamy white color all the way through—no translucent areas. Some chefs say when the antennae pull out easily, lobsters are done, but this is not always the case.
The most foolproof method to check lobster doneness is to use an instant read thermometer. Insert thermometer in the underside of the tail closest to the body.
The internal temperature should read about degrees F. It is important to note when you take your lobsters out of the pot they will continue to cook. To stop the cooking process, put your lobsters in a big bowl of ice. If you overcook them, you will be eating tough lobster. If you under-cook them you can always heat them up. The reason many people believe larger lobsters are tough is simply because they overcook them. Just remember to bring your pot back to a rolling boil and regulate the heat.
The tail is a good indicator of freshness. It will contract and curl when cooked; and the tail meat will be somewhat firm, not mushy. Happy cracking! While boiling and steaming are the most well-known ways to cook live lobster, grilling is another great option.
See our step-by-step guide for grilling live lobster in your backyard. Checkout our tips for boiling, steaming, and grilling frozen lobster tails. Get the Main e ingredient — fresh, live lobsters shipped to your front door no matter where you live!
Shop all live lobsters. You will also find instructions for lobster tails, steamers, mussels, shrimp, scallops, steaks and more. Lobsters come in just about every color but red.
The shade varies a little from lobster to lobster, but they are a dark blue-green or a greenish brown-black color uncooked. On rare occasions, one is landed that is orange, yellow, or blue. When the lobster is cooked, all of the color pigments are masked except the red background color. Learn more about how lobsters get their colors. Lobster meat does not take long to spoil after the lobster dies.
However, there are a couple of things to watch for to be certain. If the Lobster is safe, the tail will be curled tightly after cooking, and the meat inside will be firm. The hard red substance is the roe or the eggs of the female lobster.
It is also called the coral because of the deep red color. The roe will be black and will appear gelatin-like if your lobster is under-cooked. It is edible but can also be rinsed out.
The green substance is the liver, also known as tomalley. It can be rinsed out of the cooked lobster. The best Shellfish takes very little time to cook. Cooking a lobster for too long will make it tough and rubbery. Lobster meat should be white, opaque, not translucent. Walking legs will pull out easily from the body.
Tomalley liver will be green and firm. Roe from a female lobster eggs will be bright red and firm. When in doubt, use a meat thermometer. If you need to hold them until later in the day it is best to keep them in their packaging and refrigerate them. Please do not put them in the water! Without proper salinity and temperature control, the lobsters will die.
The bands are easily removed after cooking. Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time, and start timing immediately.
Do not cover. Stir the lobsters halfway through cooking. Let the lobsters rest for 5 minutes or so after cooking to allow the meat to absorb some of the moisture in the shell. Put 2 inches of seawater or salted water in the bottom of a large kettle.
Set a steaming rack inside the pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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