How to Prepare Live Lobster Before Cooking: The Ultimate Guide

Preparing live lobster before cooking is crucial to ensure delicious tender meat. However many home cooks find working with live lobster intimidating. This complete guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from choosing the right lobster, to storing it properly, to humanely dispatching it before cooking. With these simple tips, you’ll gain confidence handling live lobster and serving up restaurant-quality shellfish at home.

Selecting the Best Live Lobster

When buying live lobster, you want specimens that are lively and energetic Avoid lobsters that seem lethargic or have limp limbs Look for lobsters with muscular tails that curl tightly under the body. The shell should be slick and free of cuts or abrasions. For the sweetest flavor, choose lobsters that are 1 to 2 pounds. Larger lobsters tend to be tougher.

Storing Live Lobster Correctly

Once home with your lively lobsters, it’s crucial to store them properly until ready to cook. Keep lobsters in a container or bag with damp seaweed, newspaper, or paper towels. This keeps their gills moist so they can breathe. Refrigerate lobsters at 40°F or below. Do not store them in fresh water, which can kill them. With proper storage, live lobsters will survive 1-2 days. Cook them as soon as possible for best flavor.

Preparing the Lobster for Cooking

About 30 minutes before cooking remove lobsters from refrigeration. Rinse them briefly in cold salt water or rub with salt to remove debris. Using kitchen shears or scissors cut rubber bands off the claws. This prevents the bands from melting and fusing to the shell during cooking. Next, it’s time to humanely dispatch the lobster.

Dispatching the Lobster Humanely

Many home cooks are hesitant to dispatch live lobsters themselves. However, a swift cut to the lobster’s central nervous system is the most humane method before cooking. Here is the most accepted technique:

• Place the live lobster in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to anesthetize it.

• Lay the lobster on its back on a cutting board. Locate the cross-shaped area where the head meets the tail.

• Position a large, sharp chef’s knife at the cross-section, with the blade facing the lobster’s eyes.

• In one quick, firm motion, plunge the knife straight down through the head, splitting it in half.

This severs the central nervous system and kills the lobster instantly so it doesn’t feel pain when cooked. Some twitching may occur but this is only reflex muscle movement.

Separating the Tail

For easier cooking, many recipes call for removing the tail from the body. To do this:

• Twist and pull the tail away from the body. It should release where it connects to the torso.

• Using kitchen shears, cut lengthwise along either side of the underside shell, where it meets the tail flesh.

• Lift off and discard the bottom shell. The tail meat should now be exposed.

• Remove the dark intestinal vein if desired. Rinse the tail under cold water.

The tail is now ready for recipes like grilled lobster tails or broiled lobster tails with lemon-garlic butter.

Cracking the Claws

The meaty claws contain a good portion of lobster meat. Cracking them allows easier access to remove the meat:

• Twist each claw where it attaches to the body to remove it.

• Cover claws with a kitchen towel to contain cracking debris.

• Place claw on a solid surface. Use a lobster cracker, hammer, or rolling pin to crack the shell. Apply controlled pressure to the shell without crushing the meat.

• Separate shell pieces and remove meat as desired. Rinse to remove small shell fragments.

Cracked lobster claws make excellent additions to pasta, salads, and more.

Preparing the Legs and Body

The legs contain smaller amounts of meat:

• Twist legs to remove them from the body.

• Use thumb and forefinger to push meat from narrow end of leg.

• Alternatively, snip off narrow section with scissors, then squeeze meat from wider end.

While not as meaty, the legs and body yield sweet morsels for picking. Serve with drawn butter, lemon wedges, or aioli for dipping.

Ready to Cook

You now have a humanely dispatched lobster, claws removed, tail separated, and legs detached. Your lobster is prepped for delicious recipes from boiled or grilled lobster to lobster bisque. With proper preparation, you’ll enjoy tender, juicy meat cooked to perfection.

Following these simple steps will build your confidence working with live lobster. You’ll impress dinner guests with your skills and savor the stellar flavors of fresh lobster cooked at home. So grab a lively lobster and get ready for a phenomenal meal from one of nature’s tastiest treats.