What Are the Best Tips for Cooking Lobster?

Some tips for cooking lobster include letting the water boil for an appropriate amount of time before removing it as well as not allowing it to sit too long in the freezer or refrigerator before preparing it, to ensure the freshest taste. It's also a good idea for one to pierce the lobster's head just after removing it from the water so the excess water can drain out. After cooking, it's additionally necessary for one to use a meat thermometer to make sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Many people start measuring cooking time when boiling lobster beginning with the moment that it is dropped into the pot. It's actually better for one to allow a pot of water to come to a rolling boil, place the lobster inside and then wait for the water to begin boiling once again before measuring the cooking time. Cooking lobster using the boiling method generally means allowing about 12-15 minutes of total boiling time. It's usually necessary for lobster to be cooked for 20 minutes when steaming and at least four minutes when grilling.

Seafood is typically considered best when it is fresh, and lobster usually is better when it is cooked within two days after purchasing. It's also important for lobster not to sit in the refrigerator for more than 48 hours before it is prepared, because food poisoning is a possibility when the meat starts to decompose. Most lobster tastes fairly sweet, and cooking it quickly after purchasing it should help ensure that it will retain this taste.

It might be inevitable for water to get down inside lobster when it is being boiled. Failing to drain this water out after cooking lobster can negatively affect the test and texture of the meat. The water can be easily drained by puncturing the head and holding the body upside down until all of the water has dripped out. There's a good chance that the water will be extremely hot, so a person should take care not to let the water touch his or her skin as it drains out.

The meat usually is considered done when it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius), and a meat thermometer can be used to confirm that the internal temperature has reached this number. Consuming almost any type of meat that has not reached the minimum temperature could result in bacterial food poisoning. It's also generally recommended for lobster not to be cooked for too long, because this could cause the meat to become very tough and thus not enjoyable to eat.