How To Cook Lobster

Wnat to know how to cook lobster? Nothing says decadence like cooking lobster. Whether you’re planning a romantic evening, or you’re just gathering with good friends for a summer seafood feast, cooking lobster will elevate any event with a sense of indulgence. There are several ways of cooking lobster, and while purists will say it should be steamed or boiled and served whole, lobsters are also fantastic on the grill. No matter which method you select, it will be easier than you think, and you’ll have a trick up your sleeve to turn any occasion into a special occasion.

To cook lobster, you will need:

• A whole lobster (you’ll need to know how much it weighs)
• A very large pot in which you can submerge your lobsters, with a lid
• A steaming rack (for steaming)
• Sea salt
• Water
• A grill (for grilling)
• Shallow roasting pan or pie plate (for grilling)
• Melted butter (for grilling)
• Lemon juice (for grilling, optional)

1. Before you cook a live lobster, put it in the freezer. According to CNN, a recent study conducted at the School of Biological Sciences at Queen's University, Belfast, proves that crustaceans do in fact feel pain. “The Atlantic Monthly” recommends killing a lobster in a “humane-approved” way by placing it in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes, then using a large kitchen knife to split the main section of the lobster in half in one quick stroke.
2. To boil a lobster, fill a large pot with enough water to cover it completely. Add 2 Tablespoons of sea salt for every 2 liters (about 8 cups) of water, and bring the water to a full boil. Drop your lobster headfirst into the water, and cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, start timing, and boil the lobster for 10 minutes for the first pound of weight and 3 more minutes for each additional pound. When the time is up, the shell should be bright red. Drain the water and serve your lobster hot.
3. To cook a lobster with steam, place a steaming rack in the bottom of a large pot. Add 1 Tablespoon of sea salt to the pot, and fill the pot with 2 inches of water. Place the lid on top and when the water boils, put the lobster onto the rack, then recover the pot. When the water begins to boil again, begin timing, and steam the lobster for 14 minutes for the first pound of weight and 3 more minutes for each additional pound. The shell should be bright red when it’s ready. Drain the water and serve your lobster immediately.
4. To cook a lobster on the grill, preheat the grill to a medium heat. Prepare the lobster by following the directions above to boil a lobster, but remove it from the boiling water after just five minutes. Place the lobster on its back and use a sharp knife to cut the lobster down the middle, pulling out the black vein along the tail, the green tomalley and the sand sac behind the eyes. Put the lobster on the grill, shell-side down, and baste the meat with melted butter and lemon juice. Cover the lobster with a shallow roasting pan and cook it for 8 - 10 minutes or until the lobster meat is white and opaque in the thickest part of the tail. Serve it immediately.
5. Be careful not to overcook your lobster. This will cause the meat to get tough, and it may even make your lobster stringy or mushy. A lobster is ready to eat when you can gentle pull an antennae and it comes off easily. The meat should be firm and white, and the green tomalley inside the body cavity will be greenish yellow.

SOURCES:

CNN