Lobster Recipe

Chill lobster

Place the live lobster in the refrigerator or freezer for 15–20 minutes to sedate it (this reduces movement and makes handling easier). Keep it in a sealed bag or container.

Bring all cooking-broth ingredients (water, coarse sea salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, halved lemon) to a rolling boil in a large pot. Use a pot large enough to fully submerge the lobster.

Boil

Once the pot is at a full, rolling boil, grasp the chilled lobster behind the head and quickly but carefully lower it headfirst into the boiling broth. Cover the pot. Return to a boil and start timing once boiling again.

Cook times: for a 1.25–1.5 lb (550–700 g) lobster, boil for 8–10 minutes. The shell should turn bright red and the tail should curl. If cooking more than one lobster, add 2–3 minutes per additional lobster of similar size.

Using tongs, remove the lobster and transfer to a bowl or tray to rest for 3–5 minutes before cracking. Reserving a little of the hot cooking liquid to warm the finishing butter if desired.

While the lobster rests, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and gently warm for 30–45 seconds until fragrant (don’t brown).

Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm (you can briefly rewarm before serving).

Using kitchen shears or a lobster cracker and pick, separate the claws, knuckles, and tail. Crack the claws and knuckles to expose meat. Remove the tail from the body by twisting where it meets the thorax, then bend the tail to pop out the tail meat in one piece, or slice down the middle to present halves.

Check all cavity areas for tomalley (liver) and roe (if present). Tomalley is edible and can be served with the lobster or discarded according to preference.

Arrange lobster pieces on a warmed platter. Serve immediately with the warm garlic-lemon butter, lemon wedges, and bread or rolls for dipping. Use remaining cooking liquid to rewarm butter briefly if needed.