How to Handle Lobster?

Often, handling lobsters after bringing them home can pose challenges. The key is to act quickly and decisively. Insert a knife directly into the lobster's central nervous system (located in its head) to minimize its pain as much as possible. If the lobster is very lively when purchased, you can first refrigerate it for 1-2 hours to reduce its immediate sensitivity.

if you feel unsure or lack confidence, there's no need to force yourself. Using frozen lobster instead of fresh is also a viable option. Especially with advancements in modern flash-freezing technology, many imported frozen lobsters are preserved optimally, ensuring their texture and flavor are comparable to fresh ones. Whether steamed, stir-fried, boiled, or deep-fried, they can be delicious in their own right (though not suitable for sashimi, of course)!

Do lobsters need to be "bled"?

Many people hesitate whether to bleed lobsters. Some even use chopsticks to poke the lobster's tail to "bleed" it. However, BigBoy strongly advises against doing this! This method is essentially animal cruelty. Since the lobster will eventually be dismembered, it's best to swiftly dispatch it by cutting directly into its head, allowing it to lose consciousness quickly and painlessly. Additionally, many people misunderstand that lobsters urinate from their tails. In reality, lobsters urinate from their heads, where their vital organs are concentrated. Lobsters use urination to attract mates and expel toxins from their bodies.

Therefore, chefs recommend bleeding lobsters before cooking them. If urine remains in the lobster's body, the cooked meat may have a strong urine odor, and diners might inadvertently consume harmful substances from the urine. In any case, since lobsters will eventually be prepared for cooking, it's best not to poke their tails with chopsticks to bleed them, minimizing unnecessary pain and fulfilling the responsibilities of a chef.

Next, let's see how to properly handle lobsters and extract all the meat without wasting any.

Steps

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1. Refrigerate the lobster for half an hour to an hour. After taking out the lobster, use a knife to quickly cut off the lobster head 3-4 inches below the top. This will reduce the pain of the lobster struggling when it is boiled.

2. Bring water to a boil. Put the lobsters into the water immediately after cutting them and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Take out the lobster and twist out the two clamps.

4. Hold the lobster head firmly with one hand, and use the other hand to twist open the lower part of the head and pull out the lobster meat completely.

5. Use a pair of scissors to cut open both sides of the shell to remove the entire lobster body.

6. Use the back of a knife to hit the pliers, peel the shell and take out the meat.

7. Don’t waste the lobster’s legs. After cutting off the joints, squeeze out the leg meat from bottom to top using the same method as squeezing toothpaste.

8. You’re done! Remember to save the lobster shells, we’ll use them to make a simple lobster soup!

Now that you know how to prepare lobster, let’s take a look at two of BigBoyRecipe’s most popular lobster dishes: Lobster Pasta and Lobster with Ginger and Scallion and Pan-Fried Rice Noodles <-- Just click on the links to read them!