How to Keep Lobsters Alive Before Cooking

You want to buy lobsters for that special meal---but you may not be able to get lobsters on the same day that you want to cook them.You don't have to cook live lobsters immediately after buying them; you can keep them alive for a day or two, especially if they are healthy (see Tips for methods to check lobster health). Here's how to keep lobsters alive in your home kitchen until you're ready to cook them.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Live lobsters
• Seaweed
• Towel
• Newspaper
• Salt water
• Paper bag or open container

1. Place the lobsters in a paper bag or large bowl or baking dish.

2. Cover the lobsters with salt water-soaked seaweed.
   You can also use a towel or newspaper soaked in salt water to cover the lobsters.

3. Place the container or paper bag in the refrigerator. You can place the container or bag anywhere in the fridge.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the vitality of your lobsters. Active lobsters should curl their tails and move their claws, and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a day. If they're not as lively and their claws hang down and their tails don't curl, they should be cooked right away. You can get extra salt water or seaweed from your fishmonger or from the shop where you bought the lobsters.
• Make sure to use salt water on seaweed, newspaper, or towels---fresh water will kill the lobsters. Don't let your lobsters sit in melted ice or in bath or sink water.

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