The complete lobster guide – Storage & Cooking

We have gathered a few handy tips to enjoy our fresh lobsters at their best! This is the first part of our 2-part guide. In this part, we cover the storage and cooking.

If this is your first time cooking lobster, do not be afraid. It is actually way easier than you might think and our tips will make the experience much easier.

How to store your lobster:

Our lobsters are fresh and should be eaten on the day you receive them. It is important that the lobster is still alive and should be dispatched just before cooking.

Until you cook it the lobster should be stored wrapped in damp newspaper or tea towel and kept in the fridge.

Keep cooked lobster in its original packaging in the fridge, and eat as soon as possible.

LobsterHow to cook your lobster:

There are many different ways a lobster could be dispatched but here are a few foolproof methods you can follow:

  1. Keep your lobster in the freezer for one or two hours before cooking. This will slow down the metabolism of the lobster and make it unconscious. If you want to be extra safe, keep the rubber bands on the claws.
  1. A common way to cook lobster is to boil it alive. If you have used the freezer method your lobster should not be moving a lot. Make sure you plunge it in boiling water head first to avoid it thrashing water.
  1. If you wish to dispatch your lobster just before cooking, you can do so by cutting the spinal cord. Plunge the tip of a cooking knife straight down right behind the lobster’s eyes.

Cooking time:

This table will give you an indication of how long you should be cooking your lobster. This is valid for boiling and steaming.

Lobster weight (Pounds)Lobster weight (Kilos)Cooking time
1lb to 1 ¼lb

1 ¼lb to 2lb

2lb to 3lb

450g to 520g

520g to 900g

900g to 1.35kg

 

12-15 min

15-20 min

20-25 min

Boiled-lobster

How to know when your lobster is cooked:

The lobster will turn its characteristic bright red colour well before the meat is thoroughly cooked inside. Follow these tips to ensure that the lobster is cooked:

  • Tug on an antennae or pull off one of the small walking legs. If the lobster is done, they should both come off easily.
  • The meat inside the lobster will be firm, white and opaque The tomalley, which fills much of the body cavity will be greenish-yellow.
  • The roe in female lobsters will be bright orange-red and firm. If it is a dark greenish-black, with an oily tar-like consistency, the lobster is under cooked.

In the next part, we will share the techniques to prepare the lobster as well as a recipe for you to try!

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