Instructions for how to cook lobster: boiled, broiled, baked or simmered. This holiday or special occasion meal is delicious and easy.
Lobster dinner signals special occasion. It is a treat for most people. Cooking the whole lobster is intimidating for many cooks who are frightened of having to contend with a live lobster. Serving only the tails is one way to avoid that problem. For the brave, there are instructions here on how to cook a whole live lobster, whether you choose to boil, broil or cook in sauce. There's also instructions here for getting your market to help do the dirty work so you can serve an elegant lobster dinner without doing the dirty work yourself. Great for any special occasion or holiday dinner.
Whole Boiled Lobster
If you'd prefer to serve the whole lobster and are willing to bring a live one home, kill the lobster just before cooking. Keep the rubber bands holding the claws in place. The most humane way to do this is to insert a sharp knife on the top side of the lobster about an inch away from it's eyes. Put the point of the knife quickly all the way through the other side, then bring the blade down between the eyes splitting the head in half. Now that the lobster has been killed, you can slip it into a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes per pound. Serve whole and hot to each person with melted seasoned butter for dipping and lots of napkins.
Broiled or Seared Whole Lobster
Another way to serve the whole lobster without having to do the murderous part of the job yourself is to ask the market to partially steam it, about half to three quarters of the normal time. Before serving, cut each lobster in half, brush with melted butter or olive oil and broil about five minutes or cook cut side down in a hot skillet. Serve with a seasoned sauce.
Lobster Meat in Sauce
You can also partially cook lobster in a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Then remove from water and separate the claws. Continue cooking the claws another 5 minutes in boiling water. Remove meat from lobster body and tail and cover with a sauce of your choosing (cream based, garlic butter, olive oil and wine) and heat all the way through in a skillet, about 5 minutes.
Baked Lobster Tails
These baked lobster tails are more tender than broiled lobster tails. You could also steam the tails, but be forewarned they will curl when steamed, unless you use a skewer to hold them open.
2 lobster tails
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and mix together with olive oil. Brush mixture over the meaty portion of tails and bake about 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté shallot in remainder of olive oil/butter mixture, add tarragon, salt, pepper and wine. Reduce heat and let sauce reduce slightly. Serve with hot lobster tails. Makes 2 servings. Can easily be doubled. Count at least one tail per person.
