At the fish counter with a live lobster in your hand, you wonder: Is it going home? Does it know what’s about to happen to it as it squirms there, waving those antennae around? Do I weigh this thing? But wait, the scale won’t really give me all the information. How much actual flesh am I getting for my money?
That answer goes deeper then just whatever number pops up on the scale. Several factor affect that calculation. For example, a chart comparing total yield to carapace length will help you feed people. The common misconception among most home cooks is that the bigger the better when it comes to lobsters. It makes sense until you think about how fast lobsters grows. In other words, they add weight faster than flesh.
How to Pick and Cook Lobster
It takes a lobster 40 years to get up to ten pounds. In those 40 years there are also many times where the lobster molts. So by the time that lobster gets up to that weight, its shell becomes much thicker and the meat inside become denser. At this stage you’re paying for a lot of shell. Typically, a two-pound lobster is best for most family meal; it’s got just enough tail meat to be filling but isn’t so tough like an older lobster.
Another thing is being able to assess what’s good before buying. Examine the carapace (hard shield above its thorax). That’s where size regulations is measured. For instance in Maine, a lobster cannot be less than three and a quarter inches from the rear of its shell to the back of its eye socket. It protects breeding stock. Any lobster with a V-notch on its tail flipper means a fisherman marked that lobster because it was carrying eggs. Those has to go right back.
Why? Because that protects the population so there will be lobsters for years down the road. It also enforces the law. Many mistakes come from not knowing how long to cook the lobster. The problem lies with guessing based off how big the claws look rather than weighing the whole animal. For example, you need about 10 minutes to boil a one-pound lobster. Add two minutes per each additional half pound.
It sounds easy enough, but remember: larger lobsters has more shell and can have more fibrous meat. This is why folks tend to undercook their lobsters, which makes the meat unappealingly gooey. On the other hand, overcooked lobster leads to tightened proteins squeezing the juice out of the muscle fibers. Dry, tasteless chunks are the outcome. When the tail tucks firmly into its body and the shell brightens to a vibrant red, you’ll have your finished product.
And then there’s what to expect in terms of flavor. Because American lobster has dense meat with a sweet taste and large crusher claws, whereas spiny lobster found in warmer waters has no claws at all and is mild and firm in comparison. Use whichever you’re working with to its best effect: If steamed or boiled, be patient; boiling will still wash out some of that briny sweetness while steaming keeps it just a little more subtle.
Immediately plunge the cooked lobster into an ice bath for five minutes to stop the cooking process and avoid any toughening due to the carryover heat. It is a small step but a big one when it comes time to eat it. While it’s still warm, pull the meat out. Lobster meat doesn’t retain quite as much smell once it’s cold so you’ll enjoy it best either straight from the pot or soon after chilling.
But I think we make lobsters seem like some sort of mystery creature… Something we’re not accustomed to seeing before finding it on a platter. Learning about the growth cycle and the size chart take the guesswork out of it. You should of looked at a moddern chart first. We stop wondering and instead cook with intention. The next time you pick up a lobster, you’ll be able to say, “I know what that’s gonna be!” It will be just like any other thing in your pantry.