Ways to Prep Lobster For Lobster Recipes

By: Elizabeth Gilley
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:54
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Lobsters are fantastic crustaceans, not to mention the most expensive. The costs of lobsters come with a good reason. Lobsters are harvested or sold only after they surpassed a certain weight mark. Sounds easy, but did you know that lobsters take a year to grow a pound? That seven-pound buttered lobster in your plate took seven long years to grow. Something that takes that long to grow is bound to be succulent and delicious. In this regard, lobsters don't disappoint. However, improper cooking destroys lobsters' flavor. It is therefore necessary to follow lobster recipes faithfully to preserve the good flavor.

These succulent crustaceans are generally cooked in three ways: boiling, steaming, and grilling. There are talks about how adrenaline in lobsters alters the meat's flavor, but that is yet to be proven. However, to be sure, some suggest hypnotizing lobsters before boiling to avoid the adrenaline rush. To hypnotize these delicious crustaceans, simply rub or massage their heads or abdomens. You'll notice that their tails will droop and their claws become more relaxed. Take advantage of this moment and add them in a big pot of boiling salted water. To do this, put them in the hot water claws first. Take them out as soon as their color changes to a bright, reddish orange. Serve them immediately with fresh butter or cool them slightly and pick their meat out for your favorite lobster recipes.

Another method to cook lobsters is by steaming. Since this method only uses the heat of the steam, the lobsters remain succulent even when fully cooked because tasty juices are not lost in the water. However, since the lobsters are not immersed in liquid, flavoring them requires correct technique. Kill the lobsters first before steaming to prevent these crustaceans from climbing out of the pot. You can shock them in hot water or freeze them. Take a big pot and a wide rack to place the lobsters on. It's better to steam the crustaceans singly to avoid crowding. Flavor the steaming liquid with salt, pepper, and herbs and bring it to a rolling boil. Put a lobster in and steam. Make sure that the liquid does not reach the rack inside or your crustacean will boil instead of steam. As always, take each crustacean out when red to prevent overcooking.

If you're brave enough to kill up lobsters, you can also grill them. This is a method not for the faint of heart. Take your knife and put it on the center of the crustacean's head. Slice through the head to kill the crustacean quickly. Slide the knife from head to tail to expose the sweet meat. Some lobster recipes suggest scooping out the meat and mixing it with other ingredients and stuffing the mixture back in the emptied lobster shells. Wrap them in foil and grill for a couple of minutes. Other recipes suggest giving the meat a crust of good Italian cheese and broiling them in the oven until the cheese melts. Enjoy!

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