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Is
it Done Yet?
Cooked lobsters will turn bright red, but that’s
not the best indicator of doneness, especially
for large lobsters. They may still be underdone
when the shell turns red. Jasper White recommends
cooking the lobsters for the recommended time,
then cracking one open where the carapece meets
the tail. If it's done, the meat will have changed
from translucent to white.
Stock
Up
Intense,
aromatic lobster stock is the foundation for
many luxurious shellfish sauces and soups. In
Maine Lobster
and Truffle Tortellini with Creamy Lobster
Broth,
you’ll find directions
for a lobster stock and creamy broth that you
can use in other dishes.
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Lobster boiled or steamed in sea water
maintains its characteristic ocean taste. But not every cook
has access to a few gallons of the Atlantic Ocean, so boiling
or steaming in well-slated water is the next best thing.
Boiling or steaming in well-salted water is the next best thing. Figure 1/4 cup sea salt for each gallon of water.
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, such as Maine Lobster and Truffle Tortellini
with Creamy Lobster Broth, boiling is the best approach.
In contrast, steaming is more gentle, yielding slightly more tender meat. It preserves a little more flavor and it’s more forgiving on the timing front. It’s harder to overcook a steamed lobster.
When you need partially cooked
lobster meat for a dish, parboiling is the way to go. Parboiling
kills the lobster and cooks the meat just enough to remove
it from the shell. Then you can chill the meat down and
reuse it later in a dish that calls for further cooking.
The following methods and recommended timings are from Jasper White’s authoritative Lobster at Home (Scribner, 1998).
Boiling: Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Fill with water, allowing 3 quarts of water per 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of lobster. Add 1/4 cup sea salt for each gallon of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time, and start timing immediately. Do not cover. Stir the lobsters halfway through cooking. Let the lobsters rest for 5 minutes or so after cooking to allow the meat to absorb some of the moisture in the shell.
| If the lobster weighs: |
Boil: |
| 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 |
Steaming: Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 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. Add the live lobsters one at a time, cover the pot, and start timing. Halfway through, lift the lid (careful—the steam is hot) and shift the lobsters around so they cook evenly.
| If the lobster weighs: |
Steam: |
| 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 |
To par-boil whole lobsters: Follow directions for boiling
lobsters. Cook 2 minutes or as the long as the recipe indicates.
It’s easiest to remove the meat while the lobsters are
still warm. If you will be cooking them further in the
shell, plunge the partially cooked lobsters into ice water
to stop the cooking. Drain and refrigerate until ready
to use.
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