As a lobster lover I’m always curious to find out how much sweet, succulent meat I can get out of these tasty crustaceans. Lobsters are typically sold whole and they come in a wide variety of sizes, from 1 pound up to 10+ pounds for really giant specimens. But when it comes to meal planning and getting your money’s worth it’s useful to know how much edible lobster meat you can expect from different sized lobsters.
In this article, I’ll provide a detailed breakdown of the meat yield you can expect from a 4 pound lobster Whether you’re cooking lobster at home or ordering one at a restaurant, this info will help you estimate portions and get the right amount of lobster meat for your needs
Overview of Lobster Sizes
First, let’s do a quick overview of the common lobster size categories based on weight:
- Chick Lobster: 1.0 – 1.2 lbs
- Quarter Lobster: 1.2 – 1.4 lbs
- Half Lobster: 1.5 lbs
- Three Quarter Lobster: 2 lbs
- Jumbo Lobster: 3+ lbs
A 4 pound lobster falls into the jumbo size category. Lobsters this size are definitely on the larger end and would be an impressive showstopper for a special seafood meal!
Total Meat Yield from a 4 Pound Lobster
For a 4 pound lobster, you can expect a total meat yield of around 20-25% of the lobster’s live weight. That comes out to approximately 16-20 ounces (1 to 1 1/4 pounds) of lobster meat from a single 4 pound lobster.
The remaining 75-80% of the weight is made up by the inedible shell, gut, legs, and other body parts. While you can suck the juices from the legs and body, they don’t contribute much actual meat.
Here is a breakdown of where that total yield comes from on the lobster:
- Tail meat: 35-40%
- Claw meat: 30-35%
- Knuckle, leg, and body meat: 25-30%
So you’ll get slightly more meat from the tail and claws, but don’t forget about the knuckles and legs either if you want to maximize your meat.
Expected Meat from Different Lobster Parts
Based on the percentages above for a 4 pound lobster, you can expect approximately:
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5-8 ounces of tail meat – This is where the largest chunks of meat are found. The tail makes up about 1/3 of the total meat.
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4-7 ounces of claw meat – The claws contain slightly smaller chunks and pieces of meat compared to the tail.
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3-5 ounces of knuckle, leg, and body meat – This makes up about 1/4 of the total meat yield. Carefully cracking the legs and body takes some effort but results in more tasty morsels.
So for a 4 pound lobster, the tail and claws will make up 12-15 ounces of the total 16-20 ounces of meat. That’s where most of the large showy chunks are. But taking time to get the meat from the knuckles, legs, and body maximizes the total usable meat from the lobster.
Serving and Portioning Meat from a 4 Pound Lobster
Here are some guidelines for getting portions and servings out of a 4 pound lobster:
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A 4 oz lobster meat serving is good for an appetizer or salad.
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An 8 oz serving provides a hearty main course portion for one person.
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A 12-16 oz serving can feed two people nicely for a main lobster dish.
Given a 4 pound lobster yields about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds (16-20 oz) of meat, you have several options:
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Serve two people with 8-10 oz portions (half the meat each).
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Serve four people with 4-5 oz portions as appetizers or surf and turf.
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Serve yourself an indulgent 12-16 oz lobster feast!
Keep portion sizes in mind when preparing your lobster meal so you can buy accordingly and don’t end up with too much or too little meat.
Cooking Loss Is Minimal
One question you may have is whether the process of cooking lobster changes the amount of meat you end up with.
The good news is that cooking does not significantly change the meat weight. Lobster meat is already over 80% water before cooking. Any moisture loss during steaming or boiling only reduces the weight slightly.
So you can rely on the raw weights to accurately estimate how much cooked, ready to eat lobster meat you’ll get from a 4 pound lobster. Just be sure to extract all the meat cleanly from the shell after cooking for full yields.
Getting the Most Value from Your Lobster
If getting the most lobster meat for your money is the goal, here are some tips:
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Choose hard-shell lobsters when possible. They yield more meat compared to soft-shell.
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Pick female lobsters over males. Females tend to have bigger tails and roe, resulting in more meat.
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Select larger lobsters in the 3-4 pound range. The meat yield ratio increases slightly with bigger lobsters.
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Ask fishmongers for culls missing a claw that are discounted. The remaining meat will be just as good.
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Carefully crack all legs, knuckles, and the body to extract every last bit of meat. Don’t leave any behind!
Answers to Common 4 Pound Lobster Meat Questions
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions when dealing with 4 pound lobsters:
How many pounds of whole lobsters does it take to yield 1 pound of meat?
It takes about 4-5 pounds of 4 lb lobsters to produce 1 pound of cooked lobster meat.
How old is a 4 pound lobster?
A 4 pound lobster is estimated to be 15+ years old. Lobsters reach 1 pound size at 5-7 years old.
Which has more meat – 1 four pound lobster or 2 two pound lobsters?
The single 4 pound lobster will have slightly more edible meat. The meat yield ratio increases with larger lobsters.
What parts of a 4 pound lobster are edible?
All the tail, claw, knuckle, leg, and body meat are edible on a 4 pound lobster. The tail and claws make up about 2/3 of the total meat.
Time to Indulge in 4 Pound Lobster Goodness
Hopefully this breakdown gives you a good idea of how to take advantage of all the meat a 4 pound lobster has to offer.
Get your lobster cracker ready and try not to drool as you sink your teeth into sweet, succulent 4 pound lobster tail and claw meat! Whether shared as a feast or savored all on your own, a 4 pound lobster is sure to provide the ultimate lobster dining experience.
How Much Lobster Meat is in a One Pound Lobster? Is it Cheaper to Buy Lobster Meat or Live Lobsters?
FAQ
How many lobsters to make a pound of meat?
How many lobsters yield a pound lobster lobster meat? It would require about five 1 lb. live lobsters to make a pound of cooked meat.
How much meat do you yield from a lobster?
A Hard Shell lobster will generally yield 19-22% of lobster meat whereas a summer Maine New Shell Lobster – which typically have soft shells – will yield …
How much meat do you get out of a 1.5 lb lobster?
Know in the trade as “halves,” a 1.5-pound live lobster is a medium to large-sized lobster yielding approximately 6 to 8 ounces of meat. If lobster is the main event, then we recommend ordering one 1.5 lb. lobster per person.
How many lobsters are in a pound?
It depends on the type and size of the lobsters used. Generally, it takes either 5 to 6 pounds of soft-shell lobsters or 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 pounds of hard-shell lobsters to make a pound of lobster meat. Which has more meat, 1 two-pound lobster or 2 one-pound lobsters? In fact, the 1 two-pound lobster will have more meat.
How much meat is in a 1 lb. lobster?
A 1 lb. hard-shell lobster will yield 3.36 oz. of cooked meat (Based on a 21% yield). To get a pound of meat, divide 16 oz. (1 lb.) by 3.36 oz. So you will need 4.76 1 lb. lobsters for 1 pound of cooked meat. Four ounces of meat is considered a typical serving size for lobster.
What is the weight range of a 1 1/2 pound lobster?
A 1 1/2 pound hard-shell lobster will yield about 1 1/3 cups of cooked meat. 650-775 g (1 1/2 lb) lobsters are called halves because they’re one pound plus a half.
How much meat does a lobster eat?
The biggest lobsters can reach 20+ pounds and 100 years old! Manysources indicate that a 1.5 lb hard-shell lobster will yield about 4-5 oz of meat. That comes out to roughly 20-25% meat from a whole lobster. The remaining 75-80% is mostly shell, with some waste parts like guts. Here’s a breakdown of the total meat yield percentages:
How much meat does a 1 lb. hard-shell lobster yield?
A 1 lb. hard-shell lobster will yield 3.36 oz. of cooked meat (Based on a 21% yield). To get a pound of meat, divide 16 oz. (1 lb.) by 3.36 oz.
How many lbs of lobster do I Need?
• A 2 lb. lobster or deuce is normally reserved for special occasions. • A 3 lb. lobster is meant to impress or for the ultimate seafood lovers. • 1 ¼ lb. lobsters are better for combinations such as surf and turf. • 12 lbs of lobster meat would make enough rolls for 30 servings.