How to Kill A Live Lobster

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By blackswanst
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Article Rating: (2 Ratings)

Bamboo Lobster

Crustacean lovers! Check out how to handle a live lobster.

There’re 2 different types of lobsters – Maine & Spiny. The Maine or Clawed lobsters contain more meat while Spiny lobsters, also called Rock lobsters, have no claws. Hence, almost all of the meat is in the tail & there’re about 45 different species of Spiny lobsters all over the world.

Confronting a common culinary fear is the humanity issues of cooking a live lobster. Well, research indicates the lobster has no central nervous system to register stimuli, thus the crustacean will most likely feel no pain.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Chopsticks
Oven Glove
Cleaning brush

Step 1

Method of preparation before cooking:

It's gonna be a challenge if you haven't done it before. Putting the lobster in the freezer will do the trick, if you’re afraid of being “slapped” by the lobster. Temporary freeze it for about 10mins for easy handling. Do not leave it in the freeze for too long as meat will toughen & you do not want to kill it at this point.
Step 2

Insert Chopsticks

Use an oven glove to pick up a lobster, grab it by the back just above where the tail connects to the body. The shell on the underside of the tail has some sharp edges & may cut you if the lobster flips its tail.

*Remember: The lobster is only temporarily immobilized, it’s still alive & may move anytime.

Prepare by inserting chopsticks into the tail of the lobster to let “veins” (urinal thread) out.
Step 3

Cleaning the lobster

Clean thoroughly in cold water.

Boiling a lobster is probably the easiest way to cook a lobster but I prefer steaming as the meat is more tender, especially with larger lobsters. Steaming preserves the true flavour of the lobster because it does not penetrate the way water can. Besides, I don't have “gallons” of boiling water to waste & clean up after.