Whole Lobster Recipe

Prepare pot

Fill a large pot with 6 liters of water. Add 3 tablespoons of sea salt and bring to a rolling boil over high heat with the lid on to speed heating.

Humanely and safely handle lobster

Keep lobsters chilled in the refrigerator or on ice until ready. Handle by the body, not the claws. If you prefer, place lobsters in the freezer for 10–15 minutes to gently sedate before cooking.

Cook lobster

When the water is vigorously boiling, grasp a lobster with tongs and plunge it headfirst into the pot. Repeat for the second lobster. Cover the pot and start timing once the water returns to a boil. Boil 8 minutes for the first 1 lb (450 g) lobster, then add 3 minutes per additional 1/2 lb. For 1.25–1.5 lb lobsters, boil 10–12 minutes total. Adjust time: 8–10 minutes for 1–1.25 lb, 10–12 minutes for 1.25–1.5 lb. (Cook until shell is bright red and meat is opaque.)

Cool briefly

Using tongs, transfer lobsters to a large bowl or tray and let rest for 3–4 minutes to cool slightly for handling. Do not submerge in cold water — that leaches flavor.

Split and portion

Place lobster on a cutting board. Twist off the claws and knuckles. Using kitchen shears or a heavy chef's knife, split the tail in half lengthwise (or crack the tail and claws) to expose meat for easier eating and presentation. Remove the small intestinal vein (dark thin line) from the tail and discard the stomach sac behind the eyes if desired. Keep shells and meat arranged attractively on warmed plates.

Clarify (optional)

For a clearer drawn butter, melt 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not let it foam vigorously. Once melted, skim off the white foam (milk solids) that rises to the surface with a spoon. For fully clarified butter, pour the clear golden butterfat off the top and leave solids behind; reserve a small spoonful of milk solids if you like a classic drawn-butter taste.

Warm and flavor

Keep the butter warm in a butter warmer or small heatproof dish set over gently simmering water (or low heat on the stove) so it’s pourable but not bubbling. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust lemon and salt to preference.

Serve

Transfer the warm drawn butter to a small dipping bowl per guest. If you clarified the butter, you can spoon a small amount of reserved milk solids back in for traditional flavor, or leave fully clarified for a clear sauce.

Cut the lemon in half and slice into wedges. Place lemon wedges and a small sprig of parsley on the serving plates. Arrange the split lobster with claws and tail meat exposed. Place the bowl of warm drawn butter on the plate and serve immediately so lobsters are hot.

Leftover lobster meat can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat gently by steaming or briefly warming in the drawn butter. Discard any butter left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Adjust cooking time for lobster weight; undercooking will leave translucent meat while overcooking makes meat tough.