If you’re new to lobster eating, the experience can be intimidating. There’s no easy way to dig in and the shell may be difficult to break with your hands or nutcracker. However, once you do start enjoying lobster, don’t be intimidated!
Steve Kingston of The Clam Shack in Kennebunk, Maine assures you that lobsters are relatively straightforward to consume once you know how. Here are a few simple tricks for decomposing your freshly-cooked lobster:
Claws
For those of you who have never eaten lobster before, it can seem intimidating to dive in. But rest assured – it’s actually quite straightforward and all you need are some simple tools for an effortless experience!
First, ensure you have a sharp chef’s knife and some sturdy kitchen shears handy. Next, crack open the shell of your lobster.
Lobster claws consist of two sections, a thumb-like bottom section and larger top one. To break off the meat from these claws, you have two options: use a lobster cracker (or your hands if you don’t have one) to bend them back and forth; alternatively, you may crack them using either tool.
It’s essential to remove all lobster meat from each claw and knuckle before cooking it. Doing so will give you an accurate measurement of how much succulent lobster meat there is inside.
Once each claw has been cracked open, use a small oyster fork or seafood pick to scrape away any meat in tight places. Be gentle not to pierce the shell as this could result in damage to your lobster.
Finally, scrape away any tail and any roe that’s attached. Female lobsters produce jet black roe while males have green tomalley–this is the lobster’s liver and pancreas–from underneath.
The tail may not be as tasty as the claws, but it’s still worth eating. The meat is tender and delicious – making it a great addition to a seafood pasta dish.
Lobster claws are perfect for dipping into creamy sauces and salads, but you can also cut up the lobster tail to use as a garnish on dishes like lobster linguine or Eggs Benedict. The fatty, succulent tail meat tastes especially delectable when dipped in butter with some lemon juice added.
Tail
There are several ways to prepare lobster tail. The most elegant and impressive method is butterflying it – cutting the tail down the middle, opening it up, and leaving a small part of its shell attached at one end of its fin.
Another way to prepare a lobster tail is by splitting it in two. This method works great for prepping the meat for butter poaching or gentle steaming.
Kitchen shears or a sharp knife can be used to gently separate the tail from the large end of a shell. Be gentle as not to break it when handling this delicate shell.
Once the lobster tail has been split open, use your hands to crack it open gently with slow and gentle pressure. Be sure to get all of the meat out during this step.
When you’re ready to serve, place the tail on a plate. Drizzle with either melted butter or lemon juice and season as desired with salt, pepper, or any other desired seasonings.
Once your lobster dinner is prepared, serve it with a refreshing salad like coleslaw. This will add an extra layer of flavor and freshness to the meal.
Finally, you can serve the lobster tail with either a cocktail sauce or homemade lemon garlic butter sauce – both are simple to make and absolutely delicious.
Legs
Lobsters are an incredibly delicious and nutritious meat, but it can be challenging to get the most of their sweet, succulent flavor. Luckily, we have some tips and tricks for breaking down lobsters at home that will help you maximize your meal.
Before you even take a bite of your lobster, make sure it’s clean and fresh. Check its color and give it a sniff if possible to determine this.
When purchasing fresh produce, look for a neutral or slightly sweet aroma. If the item is frozen, give it a quick thaw before cooking.
Once the lobster has cooled, break it into anatomical parts: body, head, tail, claws and legs. These shell, claw and leg pieces can be kept for making shellfish stock or frozen until needed.
Once the shells have been cracked, place the meat on a platter and drizzle with some butter, lemon juice or garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For an elegant presentation, serve the lobster legs with a hollandaise or beurre blanc sauce. Garnish your plate with a lemon wedge and some fresh parsley or thyme for stunning visuals!
Before you dive in to your lobster, it’s essential to know how to butterfly its tail. This straightforward process allows you to easily remove the lobster tail in one piece before cooking, making it simpler for you to consume.
Knuckles
Lobsters are renowned for their sweet, tender meat. Experienced diners appreciate eating the lobster’s knuckles – connected to its front claws by large joints – which are known for their distinctive flavor.
Lobsters possess four pairs of walking legs in addition to their claws and knuckles. Each pair contains tender strips of meat that are submerged in lobster juice for easy consumption.
Martha suggests cracking the knuckles with a nutcracker and scraping away any meat with a tiny fork or fingers. Additionally, keep some damp rags nearby so you can wipe down your hands and surface area when breaking down lobster meat.
After taking out the claw and knuckle meat, she suggests you focus on taking out both the body of the lobster and its tail. “Carefully twist off the tail and pull it gently so you get all of its meat,” she advises.
After trimming away the tail of a lobster, she suggests quickly washing it to eliminate any green tomalley attached (this includes its liver and pancreas). Though often thought of as waste material, tomalley can actually add richness and texture when mixed into the body of the animal.
Before eating a lobster, Martha suggests washing out its body and any meat inside such as veins, intestines or roe (or eggs). Remember, all parts of a live lobster decay rapidly when exposed to air; thus it should always be cooked before consumption for safety.
Once all the meat has been removed, it’s time to wash and shell your lobster. You can either use shelling tools to break open the shell, or lightly tap on its claws and knuckles with the back side of your knife until they crack open.
Tomalley
The green paste you often see on lobster meat is tomalley, an enzyme gland found within the body cavity of shellfish that works like a liver and pancreas combined. It can be eaten alone as a side dish or combined with other ingredients for extra flavour and texture.
Though it may sound gross, people have been eating this part of animals since ancient times – cows and chickens being two common examples! While it can be eaten raw or cooked properly, it adds an incredible flavour to meals when properly prepared.
Before cooking this gooey green substance, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, it may contain toxins filtered out of the lobster’s body.
Another reason you might want to steer clear of this green stuff is its strong flavor, which may be similar to vinegar or mustard. This is due to a chemical called dimethyl sulfide which may cause serious gastrointestinal distress if consumed.
Raw or improperly cooked lobster can lead to bacterial infections. To minimize your chances of contracting such an illness, cook your lobster quickly and chill it before consumption.
Finally, be aware of the high potential levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) present in lobster tomalley even when cooked. This may cause symptoms such as numbness, weakness and tingling in your face and neck.