How Long It Takes To Cook Lobster

Updated on May 4th, 2024

Lobster is often regarded as a culinary treat, especially when ordered at a fine dining establishment. However, for a fraction of the price in restaurants, you can make your own fresh lobster at home. This may appear very daunting, but it’s actually fairly simple to achieve once you get the hang of it.

If you’re interested in what goes into making these tasty seafood delights, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll take you through a process that will deliver mouthwatering results to your plate, and you’ll probably never pay a cent to eat lobster at a diner ever again.

Tips for Cooking Lobster

Pay attention to these helpful tips when cooking up your lobster recipes:

Freeze the lobsters – Freeze your live lobsters for around 20 minutes before cooking them. The lobsters are put to sleep due to this, making them much easier to handle.

Remove bands after, not before cooking – The bands on the lobster claws should be removed after the lobsters have been cooked. When the lobster is alive, removing the bands can be difficult.

Buying live lobsters – Choose active live lobsters with good long antennae that aren’t broken when buying live lobsters.

Your lobsters aren’t screaming – Due to the absence of vocal cords in lobsters, they cannot actually scream when they are cooked. Steam is being released from the shell, so any noise you hear is just that.

Poke some holes – Poke a few holes in the body and tail of a boiled lobster with a small knife to allow any surplus water to drain out.

Cooking Lobster

Boiling or steaming a whole lobster are the two most common preparation methods.

Boiling a Lobster

To boil a lobster, follow these easy steps:

• Start by heating salted water in a big saucepan over high heat.
• Place whole, live lobsters head down in the water once it has reached a boil.
• Cook the lobsters according to the cooking periods stated below, depending on the lobsters’ weight.
• Remove the lobsters from the boiling water once they have turned brilliant red and are fully cooked.
• Allow the lobsters to cool somewhat before serving or with melted butter on the side.

Cooking lobsters in the boiling method ensures that they are cooked uniformly and is one of the quickest ways to prepare this seafood delicacy.

Steaming a Lobster

To steam a lobster, these easy steps should help you:

• Bring 3-4 inches of water to a boil in a big pot.
• Cover the saucepan with a lid and add the lobsters.
• Depending on their size, the lobsters should be steamed according to the cooking times listed in the table below.
• Remove the lobsters from the pot with care. Allow for some cooling time before serving with butter or other condiments.

Steamed lobster is more tender than boiled lobster, but it takes longer to prepare. Ultimately, the method you choose should depend on your preference and degree of patience.

Cooking a Lobster Tail

When cooking a lobster tail, the recommended process is outlined below:

• Use kitchen shears to chop down the top of the lobster tail before cooking it.
• Use your fingers to release the lobster meat from the shell by gently prying it apart.
• Brush the lobster with butter after placing the lobster meat on the shell.
• Broil the lobster tails for 8-10 minutes, or until opaque and red in color.
• Serve with a parsley garnish.

Removing the Meat from the Lobster

Removing the meat from the lobster may be a tad tricky to accomplish, and you can follow these steps to get it done:

• The first step is to separate the tail from the body, which you can do with a knife or by firmly grabbing the tail and twisting it away.
• To extract the meat from the tail in one piece, cut through the shell with a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
• Remove a black vein running along the top of the tail flesh with a paring knife if you see it.
• The claws, as well as the knuckles that are attached to them, must be removed next. To readily extract the meat, use a lobster cracker to crack open the knuckles and claws.

Cooking Time for Lobster

The rate at which a lobster cooks is determined by the lobster’s size and the cooking method you use. Steamed lobster generally takes longer to cook than boiled lobster. To determine the appropriate cooking duration for your lobster recipes, simply follow the timing guidelines in the table below:

Lobster Recipe (4 Servings)

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• Author: Bobby

Ingredients

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• 4 live lobsters about 1 1/2 pounds each
• sea salt
• melted butter to serve with
• lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish

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Instructions

1. To put the lobsters to sleep, place them in the freezer for 20 minutes.

To steam the lobsters,

1. In a big saucepan, fill with 4 inches of water and heat to a boil.
2. Cover the pot after placing the lobsters in it. Cook for 11 minutes, or until the lobsters’ shells are brilliant red and the meat is done.
3. Take the lobsters out of the kettle. Allow 5 minutes for cooling before serving with melted butter on the side. As desired, garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

To boil the lobsters,

1. Boil a big pot of water. Per gallon of water, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
2. Place the lobsters in the boiling water making sure that they go in headfirst. Cook for 9 minutes, or until the lobsters’ shells are brilliant red and the meat is cooked through.
3. Take the lobsters out of the boiling water and set them aside. Allow 5 minutes for cooling before serving with melted butter on the side. As desired, garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

Notes

With little effort, this lobster recipe yields soft and tasty meat. After being cooked, the lobster meat can be eaten on its own or added to sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes. The time it takes to make this recipe is 30 minutes, including a prep time of 20 minutes and a cook time of 10 minutes.

If you’d like more ideas on how to cook lobsters, then you should definitely check out this video recipe.