How to cook lobster

Lobster buying, cooking and preparation can seem daunting. However the basic steps to preparing delicious lobster can be undertaken by any novice cook. This guide will give you the basics to select, cook and serve delicious lobster.

What you will need:

• Live lobster weighing 1.5 pound
• Large boiling pot
• Water
• Salt
• Lemon wedges
• Butter
• Pickles
• Cooking knives

Instructions:

Buying Lobster

1. Select frisky lobsters that are moving around the tank.
2. Try to touch it yourself to ensure the shell is very hard.
3. Lobster should be heavy (the best size is 1.5 pounds each).

Storing lobster

1. Store live lobsters for up to a week at the bottom of the refrigerator and covered with a damp cloth.
2. Check them regularly; if in doubt of their freshness cook them immediately.
3. Once cooked, treat it like any other cooked meat and store covered in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

Cooking Lobster

1. Using a large pot, half fill with fresh water and add plenty of salt; bring to a vigorous boil.
2. Drop the lobster in and bring back to the boil.
3. After the water starts boiling, leave for between 12-15 minutes for 1.5 pound lobsters. Add 5 minutes per pound over that weight.
4. When cooked, strain water into sink and wash off lobster in cold water.
5. Refrigerate if not required immediately.
6. Remove claws and crack them to remove white meat.
7. Flatten tail and use a large pointed chef’s knife to split in half, ensuring that it is still attached to the body.
8. Claw and knuckle meat are the most flavourful (use a chef’s knife to crack the lobster’s claws).
9. Serve lobster with lemon wedges, melted butter and pickles.

Tips and Warnings

• Do not buy lobster that is already dead or during lobster off seasons.
• When you pick up the live lobster, its claws should point straight out and the tail should be waving. The claws should not be drooping, this is a sign of weakness and the lobster is most likely close to death.
• Buy lobsters with the hardest shell. Compare lobsters of similar size; the heavier ones have more meat.
• Signs that a lobster has been stored for too long are short antennae or algae. This lobster’s taste when cooked will be less than desirable.
• When selecting lobster from a tank, ensure it is not overcrowded or is filled with cloudy water. Check for algae or any dead lobsters.
• All live lobsters will not look the same–their appearance varies depending on sex, age and tank conditions.
• Buy a lobster weighing no more than 5 pounds, 1.5 pounds being the ideal. Lobster meat from bigger lobsters will not be as sweet tasting.