Cooking Lobster Like a Pro (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook lobster like a pro? ›

Add 1 to 2 Tbsp of salt per gallon of water. Bring to a boil and add lobsters. Start the timer when the water comes back to a boil. You can figure 6-7 minutes for a 1.25-lb lobster, 7-9 minutes for 1.5-lb lobster, and 10-12 minutes for a 2-lb lobster.

Let the lobster tails steam for 8-10 minutes or until they turn bright red. Be careful not to overcook them, making them tough and rubbery. Once the lobster tails are done, take them out of the pot and let them cool for a few minutes. When ready to serve, carefully remove the shells from the tails.

Overcooked lobster becomes tough and chewy, no matter how you cook them. Avoid this by keeping a close eye on the cooking time, and when in doubt use a meat thermometer. Most experts agree lobster tail should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Boil the lobster for 10 minutes for the first 1-lb of weight and then 3 more minutes for each extra pound. A 2-lb lobster will be done in 13 minutes, a 3-lb lobster in 16 minutes. Once cooked, drain the lobster immediately and serve hot with some melted butter on the side for dipping.

For optimal tenderness and texture, lobster meat should come to around 135°F (57°C), or maybe 140°F (60°C) maximum, which ends up translating to just around four or five minutes of boiling for a one- to one-and-a-half-pound lobster.

Steaming lobsters is the preferred way to cook whole, live lobsters for a few reasons: you're less likely to overcook lobsters when steaming, the entire cook time is shorter and the process of cooking and removing the lobsters from the pot is a lot easier. Get a pot large enough to hold your lobsters.

Ways to Cook Lobster Tails

Broiling – Lightly browns the shell and meat for more depth in flavor. I personally prefer broiling as a quick and flavorful technique. Grilling – Adds a bit of smokiness and char to the meat and shell. Boiling – Quickly cooks the meat in hot water, but the flavor can get diluted.

Boiling lobster tails is a great choice because if stored and thawed your lobster tails properly, this is the cooking technique we recommend to minimize your tails sticking to the shell! Boiling is always a safe bet and if you are a first-timer or old-timer, this is the technique you can count on.

Overcooking the Meat

Most inexperienced cooks leave lobsters in the pot for far too long, resulting in dry, rubbery meat. Lobster meat is fully cooked when it reaches 140º.

Keep a close eye on the time. Don't Overdo It: The lobster is ready when it turns bright red and the meat is opaque. Too much boiling or steaming can cause the meat to become tough. Cold Plunge: Immediately after cooking, place the lobster in an ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve the texture.

Do you put lobster in cold water after boiling? ›

Lobsters will turn bright red when cooked. Par-boil lobsters in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the lobsters and immediately put into a large pot/bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. (You can drain the lobsters and store in the refrigerator if you do not plan to grill them right away.)

Keep lobsters moist with wet newspaper or seaweed that it was packed in. A dry lobster is an unhappy lobster. It's best to cook lobsters the day they're delivered. See below if you cannot cook your lobsters right away.

You want to choose a pot that will allow you to fill it halfway to two-thirds full of water while safely accommodating your lobsters without the water spilling over. Boil the water and add salt. Bring the water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat.

If you accidentally under-cook the lobsters, you can always heat them up a little until they're perfect. But if you overcook - well, they're tough and rubbery, and there's nothing you can do about it. Remember, even after you remove the lobsters from the pot, they'll continue to cook a bit as they cool down.

Boiling and steaming are the methods of choice when you want to serve diners a whole lobster. Boiling is a little quicker and easier to time precisely, and the meat comes out of the shell more readily than when steamed. For recipes that call for fully cooked and picked lobster meat, boiling is the best approach.

"Quickly plunge lobsters head-first into the boiling water... Boil for 15 minutes," the recipe then instructs.