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Seafood: Cooking Lobster

Source of Recipe

Sidney Carlisle (excerpt)
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Whether you opt for a box of live lobsters or are dealing with lobster tails, the following should guide you through the cooking process. And for great grilled lobster, try the recipes by Dan Zawacki. He's known in culinary circles as Dan the Lobster Man and as the ultimate lobster cook. Enjoy!

TO BOIL LOBSTER:
Use a pot big enough to hold 6 quarts of water and two lobsters at a time. Bring the water to a boil. Drop the lobsters in headfirst and cover the pot. Once the water returns to a boil, cook 10 minutes for the first pound of lobster, and 3 minutes for each additional pound. (If the lobsters weigh 1-1/2 pounds each, they will be done in about 12 minutes. Base the time on the weight of one lobster, not the total weight.) Remove the cooked lobsters from the pot and drain before serving.

TO STEAM LOBSTER:
Place a rack in the bottom of a pot that will hold the lobsters without crowding. Add two inches of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Add the lobsters and cover the pot. Weight down the lid so the steam doesn't escape. Once the water returns to a boil, cook about 14 minutes for one-pound lobsters, adding 2 minutes per 1/4-pound on lobsters heavier than one pound. Base the time on the weight of one lobster, not the total weight.

TO COOK LOBSTER TAILS:
Thaw the tails in the refrigerator or in a bowl of cold water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lobster tails and bring the water back to a boil. Cook 7 minutes for 5-ounce tails, 7-1/2 minutes for 6-ounce tails, and about 8 minutes if the tails weigh 8 ounces.

RECIPES BY DAN ZAWACKI:

MAINE LOBSTERS ON THE GRILL:
For two grilled lobsters, fill a stockpot with enough water to cover the lobsters. Bring the water to a boil and plunge the lobsters headfirst into the water. Cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, cook for 6 minutes. Turn the lobsters on their backs, shell side down. Use a sharp knife to cut through the middle of the soft shell, but don't cut through the back shell. Pour melted butter and lemon right onto the meat. Crack the claws and pour additional melted butter and lemon on the claw meat. Grill the lobsters over medium-high heat with the shell side down for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

GRILLED LOBSTER TAILS:
Thaw the desired number of lobster tails. Insert a metal skewer into each tail lengthwise to keep it from curling. Drop the tails into a large pot of boiling water and set the timer for exactly 4 minutes. Remove from the water and lay the tails on their backs. Use a sharp knife to cut the soft top shell lengthwise down the middle without cutting through the back shell. Pour melted butter and lemon onto the meat. Grill, shell side down, over medium-high heat about 7 minutes for 6-ounce tails and 8 minutes for 8-ounce tails.