Life in Maine: The Lore of Lobster or How to cook a lobster

It may be hard to believe this: We really only eat lobster a few times a year here in Maine. Of course, I can’t speak for every Maine resident. Heck, I have heard of some Mainers who don’t even like lobster. Given the way the state is marketed to visitors, you would think that most meals in Maine homes have a lobster component. The truth is that eating lobster is usually reserved for an occasion. Unless you have a direct lobster connection, which I do not, lobster is expensive to buy, even if you’re living mere miles from the sea.

I have a confession to make. I’ve only had one lobster this year. It was a beauty, though. It was a hard shelled 1 ½ pounder whose claws required a hatchet to crack open. We brought two of them home to cook, against my better judgment. In the past, I have preferred to request that the lobster pound or fish monger cook the crustaceans for me. I don’t own a lobster pot. In fact, I wasn’t really sure HOW to cook it. Steam or boil? For how long? How do I know when it’s done?




Perhaps by this point you’re questioning my native Mainer status, thinking that I should turn in my resident ID card.

My husband apparently has done this before and said that steaming is what restaurants do as it preserves the flavor. He set about filling the largest pot we have. My daughter and I hung around the kitchen, poking the bag of live lobsters. When the water was boiling, my husband took one of the lobsters out of the bag and made him face his fate, head first into the pot. The lobster flapped his tail and kicked his little crawling legs. A claw tapped the glass cover. We decided that next time we’ll have the store cook it or at least use a cover we couldn’t see through.

I'm not much for killing.  I eat meat but don't want to lead the cow into the kitchen to prepare her for dinner.

Call me what you want.  I just winced and looked away when that lobster clamoured to get out.  Wimp.

The pot was too small for the two lobsters to be cooked at the same time. While the first one was changing colors, my daughter and I took the other one out to check it out. We set it on the kitchen floor. Our cat was cautious and curious. He sniffed the creature as it tried to creep across the floor. He got in pretty close, as did I to get this photo.

When cooked and cracked, they were packed with meat and very tasty with butter. My father tells me that this time of year – May and early June – is the best time to eat lobster. They haven’t molted so the shells are still really hard and full of meat. Late June to October the shells are soft. Hard shell lobsters are harder to eat, given that you need tools. Soft shell lobsters are usually less expensive. That won’t be the case in restaurants, but in the markets, the prices usually go down. The soft shell lobsters tend to get over cooked because people cook them for just as long as the hard shelled ones (another reason to have your lobster pound cook them) so the meat will be overcooked and tougher. If you’re coming to Maine and intend to have a lobster or two while you’re here, I suggest that you do so pretty soon. My friends Mitch and Dawn have a restaurant in Boothbay Harbor that’s awesome. It’s called The Lobster Dock. Here’s their website: http://www.thelobsterdock.com/. Tell them I sent you.

So that I – a Mainer –don’t find myself  not knowing how to cook a lobster, I looked up some of the major points. This was a very helpful website: http://www.lobsterhelp.com/

Lobster Cooking Times

For steaming a lobster

Lobster Weight Cooking Time

1 - 1 ¼ lb. 10 - 12 minutes

1 ¼ - 2 lb. 12 - 18 minutes

2-3 lb. 18 - 25 minutes

3-6 lb. 25 - 40 minutes

6-7 lb. 40 - 60 minutes

8 lb. and over 7 minutes per pound

How Do I Know When The Lobster Is Cooked?

Lobsters will turn their characteristic bright red color well before the meat is thoroughly cooked inside. Follow these easy tips to ensure that the lobster is cooked.

 Tug on an antennae or pull off one of the small walking legs. They both will come off easily when the lobster is done.

 The meat inside the lobster will be firm, white and opaque The tomalley, which fills much of the body cavity will be greenish-yellow.

 The roe in female lobsters will be bright orange-red and firm. If it is a dark greenish-black, with an oily tar-like consistency, the lobster is under cooked.

 The internal temperature should be 180 F (80 C)