There are a lot of people who enjoy eating lobster. But the most common method for cooking this is through boiling. The reason why there are a lot of people who settle with just boiled lobster is due to the fact that they get intimidated by it. Contrary to the common belief, lobster can easily be cooked. The most basic things that are needed for cooking lobster are water and large pot.
Many make use of seawater to cook their lobsters. However, this is not easily attainable by a lot of people. As a result, they end up adding salt to fresh water. The reason why salt is important is because it helps retain the flavor of the lobster’s meat. After that, other ingredients can already be added such as bay leaves, peppercorn, white wine, bay leaves, thyme, onions, garlic, or celery.
Aside from boiling lobster, there are also other methods that can be used. These include steaming and grilling. Here are some tips on how these cooking methods can be used:
Steamed Lobster
- Place 2 inches of salted water into large pot.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil.
- Place lobster into water. Cover pot and let water boil once more.
- Once the water starts boiling, start timing it. Cook a 1 pound lobster for 13-14 minutes. For every additional pound, add 3 minutes to the time.
- When lobster has been cooked, carefully remove it from the pot before serving it.
Grilled Lobster
- Boil lobster for five minutes only.
- Remove from pot and drain.
- Facing upside down, place lobster on cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the lobster down to its middle. Extract the black vein, sand sac (found in the head area) and the tomalley (green stuff).
- Baste semi-boiled lobster with oil, melted butter or melted seasoned butter (with garlic and herbs). With its shell side facing down, place the lobster halves on a preheated grill with medium temperature.
- Grill for around 10 minutes or until meat has cooked thoroughly.
Identifying Cooked Lobster
If you are unsure whether or not lobster has already cooked properly, here are some tips:
- Its shell turns into a bright red color
- The front antennae can easily be removed when gently pulled
- The meat is tender, firm and with a white color. It also has a distinctive and slightly sweet taste
Other Tips
- Make sure that you don’t overcook lobster. This is because the lobster meat can turn stringy and tough.
- If serving lobster without any accompaniment, prepare some melted butter, mayonnaise or other sauces that you prefer.