How to Select a Lobster

Lobster is one of the most popular kinds of seafood. Whether it's buttered tails or a steaming bowl of bisque, lobster is a succulent and flavorful ocean treasure. If you're not fortunate enough to live on the East coast and have a fisherman's wharf nearby, you're probably left getting your lobster from a grocery store or your local fishmonger. Here are some tips to help you select a lobster.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Opt for fresh catch. While frozen seafood should taste about the same as fresh seafood, it will simply not be the same quality as a fresh catch. Fresh lobster is more tender and moist, whereas frozen lobster is a bit tougher if not frozen quickly or properly and might not be as flavorful.
2. Look for active lobsters. Lobsters in a tank that are active and moving around are probably younger and healthier. Sedentary or sluggish lobsters might be older, sick or injured or could have been left in the tank for a long period of time so they will not be as fresh.
3. Note color variations. Lobsters don't turn their distinctive bright red color until after they've been cooked; while still alive they are usually a grayish brown or dull brick red color. The older the lobster, the darker its color will be. Older lobsters tend to be tougher when cooked so look for lobsters with more color and lighter shades to their shells to help you find a younger and tender selection.
4. Avoid injured lobsters. When selecting a lobster, examine its antennae, legs and claws. Do not purchase lobsters that have cracked shells or any broken body parts. These lobsters are injured and not healthy and may not be safe for consumption.
5. Know how to prepare your lobster. The tenderest lobster can be turned tough and rubbery by overcooking it or preparing it wrong. If you've never cooked lobster, do your homework before selecting a lobster so that you will know what to look for and what to do with it. Knowing how you plan to serve your lobster will also help you find a lobster that will suit your plans; if you are planning on serving lobster tails, ask your fishmonger to find you younger lobsters with large tails that have a lot of meat. Older and larger lobsters are more suitable for bisques and stews, as they have more meat on their bodies that will be tenderized during the cooking and stewing process.