KINGHAT BEST WAY TO EAT LOBSTER

Nothing can stand between you and the lobster of your dream, other than the fear of public embarrassment. This is not the sort of skill you can fake. If you are shelling out for the good stuff, you want to be able to extract every precious bits. The real challenge is to be able to do all this at a table without spraying yourself or anyone else seated with you. Perfection comes with little practice. The most important part is to have fun and enjoy your lobster.

When buying your parboiled lobster from your local fishmonger, look for one with a brightly coloured shell, and a tail that is tightly curled under the body. That means it was live when it was cooked.

If you buying a live one, look for a lobster that smells very fresh and which are still lively. When you pick them up, if you straighten out its tail, they should swiftly curve back under the body.

Preparing a live lobster

In a large pot ¾ full of water, add 2 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to boil. Keeping the rubber band on the lobsters’ claws. Lower the lobster upside down head first. Cover the pot and boil the lobster for 15 -20 min. The lobster should be bright vivid red colour when done. Remove the lobster from the pot and cut out the rubber band from the claws. Put on a plate to drain and cool.

Every one prefer to eat their lobster, the way it suites them best. I like to have mine

Dismantle = pull to pieces

Extract = remove all the meat

Consume= eat all meat (enjoy eating it all in one place).

All you need now is

A cooked lobster
A nutcracker
A lobster pick
A bowl
Extra napkins
Melted butter to dip or (mayonnaise).
A clean plate for the lobsters’ meat.

Dismantle the lobster

The tail

Grab the body in one hand and the tail in the other, twist in opposite direction. The tail will break off. You probably see this green running paste like-substance comes out of the body “tomalley”, Do not panic it’s not going to kill you. I will explain more at the end. Then break off the tail flippers. Set the tail and flippers aside.

The Claws

Using you hand, twist off the claws at the closest knuckle joint.

Knuckles

These are sections between the claws and the body, and there are four in total. Pull off the knuckle with your hand and break. Set aside with the tail.

The legs

Snap off all eight legs with your fingers and set aside with the rest.

Now you have every part in front of you.

Extract the lobster meat

The tail

This is the meatiest part of the lobster, it is the easiest to handle. Roll the tail onto its side and push down with both hand until the shell cracks.

It will loosen the meat and it comes out in one chunk.

Peel off the dark vein that runs through the tail and discard with the empty shell in the bowl. Place the extracted meat on to a clean plate.

The Claws

Rip off the thumb of the claw, the slimmer half part, and remove the meat inside using the lobster pick.

With a nutcracker on its flat side, crack at the widest part, pull out the meat with your fingers. It should come out in one piece. Put all the meat onto the plate with the rest.

Knuckles

Push the meat out of the shell with a pick and lay with the rest.

The legs and flippers

Extract the meat from the leg joints by biting down on the leg and squeezing the meat out with your teeth. As for the flippers, insert your thumb into the flipper end of the tail, pushing the meat out the other end and squeeze the meat out with your teeth.

Now you have the lobster meat all in one place. Enjoy the feeling of pride. Dip the meat into the melted butter and eat your well done achievement. Now you are a lobster cracking pro.  Go out and explore what lobsters has to offer and impress your mates.

Important information

Let’s now talk about the lobster’s body. If you look into the cavity of the lobster that you dinning on. If you see a red tube-like structure, that means you have a female lobster. What you see is the coral as it is called lobster roe or egg. The roe is edible and quite delicious.

We talked about the “tomalley” that is deep into the body of the lobster. Tomalley is the green paste like substance. It acts as both the liver and pancreas in every lobster. Many people consider it a delicacy and scope it all out and eat along with the rest of the lobster. It is often used as dipping sauce or lobster dressing. But while some people find the tomalley delicious, sweet and salty.

Recently there have been concern about finding dioxin in the tomalley. However, consumers are advised not to eat tomalley, much like the liver of other animals. The lobster’s tomalley is the natural filter for contaminants like dioxins, from entering the system. It is also a reassuring indication of the lobster’s natural defence system at work, keeping the lobster meat wholesome, nutritious and delicious.

With that being said, it is generally safe to consume the tomalley, but whether or not you want to take the risk is a decision only you to make.

separate the roe from the Tomalley. And eat the eggs. The icing on the cake in lobsters.

You also can find bits of meat with in the body where the legs join. If you think it is worth going for and got more time to dig through.

If you having the lobster at home. Make sure you take out the shells and Dispose of far away from your house and bin. As the odour the next day will be unbearable.

Kinghat