Cooking Your Lobster

When picking lobsters up, pick up by the body, never by the claws or tail. (Hold on tight, some of them are frisky). Do not remove the rubber bands around the claws.

While it is true that if you can boil a pot of water, you can cook a Maine lobster - you definitely want to avoid overcooking or undercooking. Here's how:

Steaming lobster

The ratio of lobsters to the pot is important; a 4-5 gallon pot is ideal for steaming 6-8 pounds of lobster. Put 2 inches of seawater or salted water in the bottom of a large kettle. Set a steaming rack inside the pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Put in the live lobsters, one at a time, cover the pot, and start timing. Re-arrange the lobsters halfway through cooking.

Cooking times - (based on the lobster-to-pot ratio mentioned above)

1 pound -- 10 minutes
1-1/4 pounds -- 12 minutes
1-1/2 pounds -- 14 minutes
1-3/4 pounds -- 16 minutes
2 pounds -- 18 minutes
2-1/2 pounds -- 22 minutes
3 pounds -- 25-30 minutes
5 pounds -- 40-45 minutes

Boiling lobster

Fill a large pot with water. Allow 3 quarts of water per 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of lobster. Add 1/4 cup of salt for each gallon of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Put the live lobsters in the pot one at a time, do not cover, and start timing immediately. Stir the lobsters halfway through cooking.

Cooking times - (based on the lobster-to-water ratio mentioned above)

1 pound -- 8 minutes
1-1/4 pounds -- 9-10 minutes
1-1/2 pounds -- 11-12 minutes
1-3/4 pounds -- 12-13 minutes
2 pounds -- 15 minutes
2-1/2 pounds -- 20 minutes
3 pounds -- 25 minutes
5 pounds -- 35-40 minutes

Grilling

Par-boil your lobsters in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the lobsters and plunge into a large bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the lobsters and store in a refrigerator if you do not plan to grill them right away.

Place a lobster on its back on a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife split the lobster down the middle. Remove the black vein from the tail, the tomalley from the body and the sand sac located near the head. Repeat with the remaining lobsters. Baste the lobster meat with some oil or butter.

Grill the lobsters flesh side down for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the flesh is just beginning to look opaque. Turn the lobsters over, baste with more oil and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until the lobsters are cooked through.