June 15 is National Lobster Day!

Cooking a live lobster is NOT for the faint at heart!





When choosing a lobster you should look for:


•One that is alive and kicking. You want to make sure it is fresh. (I prefer one that has vision problems and can't look you in the eye which helps out later then you're getting ready to throw him into boiling water).

•The tender lobsters tend to be under 2 pounds.

•Females have a more delicate flesh and are lighter. The males have larger claws and narrower tails.

•A hard shell and long antennae.



The four classic ways to cook a lobster are:


•Boiling - Bring a large pot 3/4 full of salt water to boil. Put lobsters in and submerge, boil for 18-20 minutes. (General rule is 3 minutes per pound.)

•Steaming - Put lobsters in a large pot with about 2" of water, cover tightly and steam for about 20 minutes.

•Grilling - Either boil first and finish on grill (backside down) or split lobster in half and grill shell side down.

•Roasting - Quarter lobsters and saute on high heat. Put them in the oven for 2-3 minutes to finish off.

LOVE this helpful hint:   Lobster is done when it turns red and stops moving.  STOPS MOVING??!!   That is definitely a requirement if it's going on MY plate!!   I mean, it's bad enough that it SCREAMS when you toss it LIVE into boiling water, so for sure I want it dead before I start to pull off it's leg at the dinner table!  I'm just sayin'.


So go and grab a bib, because you are gonna want to drench these babies in some clarified butter!


ENJOY!