How to Boil Lobster

Do you know how to boil a lobster? You don't need to pay exorbitant prices to eat lobster in a restaurant. You can enjoy a lobster dinner with friends on your own back porch! Boiling a lobster is a simple, straightforward process. Read on to learn how to boil lobster at home.

How to Boil a Live Maine Lobster

This comprehensive video demonstrates how to boil live lobsters. "Dan the Lobsterman" provides tips such as make sure you have enough boiling water, as the temperature will decrease when you add the lobsters. If you don't use enough water, it won't continue to boil after adding the lobsters. Dan does not use salt when boiling his lobsters, and cooks them for a slightly shorter period of time than suggested in the recipe below.

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Introduction

Lobster is one of the pure simple joys of summer. It doesn't need elaborate preparation; boiling allows the sweet taste of the meat to shine on its own. The key to boiling a lobster is using enough water and making sure that the lobster is neither undercooked nor overcooked. Before starting, you may want to review mahalo's pages on How to Buy Live Lobster and How to Store Live Lobster to make sure you're starting with the perfect lobster.
What You Will Need to Boil Lobster
1. Lobster pot, with lid
  1. You'll need a pot large enough to cover the lobsters with water.
  2. If you're only cooking one or two you may be able to get by with a stockpot, but for more than that, you'll want to invest in a lobster pot.
  3. Plan on 1 1/2 quarts of water per pound of lobster, so to cook 8 1 1/2 pound lobsters, you'll need at least an 18 quart pot.
2. One live 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pound lobster per person
3. Water
4. Salt
5. 1/4 cup of melted butter per person
Boiling Lobster Instructions
1. Fill the pot with 1 1/2 quarts of water per pound of lobster.
2. Add 1/3 cup of salt per gallon of water.
3. Bring the water to a boil.
4. Add the lobsters to the water headfirst. There's no need to remove the elastic bands around the claws.
5. Place the lid on the pot and return the water to a boil.
6. Lower the heat to just below a boil, and beginning timing. Plan on 8 minutes per pound of lobster. A 1 1/4 pound lobster will take 10 minutes, a 1 1/2 pound lobster will take 12 minutes, and a 2 pound lobster will need 16 minutes.
7. Turn the heat off after the allotted time, and remove the lobsters from the pot immediately, to prevent overcooking.
8. Serve the lobsters with melted butter.
How to Boil Lobster Hints and Tips
1. Make sure you purchase lobsters that are alive and vigorous, as close as possible to when you'll be cooking them.
2. Keep the lobsters refrigerated until just before you add them to the boiling water.
3. Hard shell lobsters give you more meat for your dollar.
4. Some people feel a court bouillon adds flavor to the lobster.
5. You can add vinegar, white wine, lemon juice, or beer to the boiling water, if desired
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