When live lobster for delivery shows up on your doorstep know you are in for a treat. Use care when picking up live lobsters and look to check that all claws have bands on them for your protection. Without these bands the claws can actually break a finger or two. You can take these off once you have cooked the lobsters and it is dead.
Defrosting frozen lobsters or their meats should be avoided as it detracts from their flavors when cooking. Do not overcook when heating they should only be warm not hot to the touch. The meat will become a lot tougher if it gets to hot or is cooked to long.
Boiling fresh live lobsters is done by placing them into a pot of boiling salted water for approximately 10 minutes a pound. Water should immerse the entire lobster within the big deep pot.
Lobsters heads hold much of the water they were boiled in so making a slight hole in them will drain out the cooking juices and seal the flavors in. The meat will be tender and mouthwatering when removed from the shells.
The water that you cook the lobsters in can be used as a base for seafood soups, pasta dishes and casseroles. It will only add to the flavor of these dishes. You can also freeze the broth until it is needed.
Healthy lobsters will put up a fight with you when you pick them up. Never cook a lobster whose tail is straight this means he died in transit or before cooking. You should always take a sniff of your lobsters before cooking to make sure they all smell of freshness. If there is a strange unrecognizable scent to them then never cook them as they could make you and your family sick. They are best cooked as soon as you receive them.
The harder shelled ones still taste great but are a little tougher and they take a longer amount of time when boiling. The softer shelled are considered to be the most tender of the two.
Grilling lobsters is another great and healthy way to prepare them. Whole lobsters are placed onto a hot grill and then left on one side til it turns bright red then turned and left on opposite side until that is the same in color. Serve with delicious garlic butter and gumbo if you have it on hand.
You can split live lobsters for delivery and cook on the grill too if a whole one is too much for just one person to eat. Place split sides down first and cook three minutes then turn to shell side and cook about 6 minutes longer. The shell will be the shade of bright red as it is when boiling when done. Add some lemon juice squeezed on it and of course butter and your ready to eat.
