Select & Prepare Lobsters - Cook & Serve Lobsters - Lobster Recipes

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Throughout New Brunswick lobster meals are enjoyed immensely and fresh lobster is eagerly anticipated with ever fishing season.  From the traditional boiled lobster to tasty lobster recipes, enjoy a lobster meal cooked at home.

Choosing a Lobster

Buying lobster straight from the wharf in any of the New Brunswick fishing villages will heighten the lobster experience and there are excellent fish markets all along the Acadian coast and Fundy.  Buying from the Fish Market in town or the grocery store is a simpler option - just choose lobsters that show movement as they have to be alive immediately before cooking.  Straightening out their tail to see if it springs back is good test. Lobster needs to feels heavy for its size. Squeeze the sides of the lobster's body for a firmness that doesn't yield to pressure.

Until the cooking stage the lobster will last up to 24 hours if kept cool and damp.  Until cooked, lobsters must not be kept on ice or, in ordinary water; the salinity and temperature of the water has to be near perfect.

Preparing Lobster

YouTube video clip -
Preparing and grilling lobster tails: This clip gives a good idea of how to extract raw meat from a lobster tail.

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Writer & author Heather Ferguson comments "If lobster is being used in dishes that require additional cooking, it’s often better to parboil it at the outset, so it won’t be overcooked ... Many people boil lobster in seawater and add some seaweed for that extra touch of the ocean in the taste. Often, the carcass of shells is put back into the water after the meat is extracted to be boiled down into a stock that is excellent for sauces used in other fish dishes."

Cooking Lobster

Also from Heather Ferguson: "Boiling fresh, live lobster is the most common form of cooking:

1. Measure enough water to cover lobster
2. For each gallon of water add ¼ cup of salt
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Place lobsters in boiling water (claw bands may remain)
5. Bring water back to a rapid boil.
6. Begin timing your lobsters: 1 lb lobsters – 15 min.; 1½ lb lobsters – 20 min.; 2 to 3 lb lobsters – 25 min.; 3½ lb or larger lobsters – 30 min. (if the antenna of the lobster can be pulled out easily, the lobster is cooked. This should be tested towards the end of the cooking time.)
7. Once the water has been returned to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil.
8. When cooking is finished, remove the lobsters from the water, allow to drain, and serve immediately"

- Heather Ferguson

Also, it's possible to follow this simple rule: Boil 3 minutes per pound plus an extra 4 minutes.  A small, 1lb lobster will  give about 2/3 cup of meat.  Cooked lobster shells are bright orange and the meat will be sweet-smelling and snow white.

Serving / Eating Lobster

To serve lobster, the shell can be broken apart with lobster crackers to get at the meat, or the lobster can be cut in half down its centre with a strong knife.  The claws can be cut open with a strong knife too. All of the lobster is edible except for the shell, the small stomach behind the head and the dark vein, running down the back of the tail. The red matter - roe - of the female lobster is considered a delicacy.

Heather Ferguson writes "The art of lobster eating is definitely a skill – no knives and forks please – only the hands-on approach will work!"

The lobster tail and two front claws hold the most meat so definitely start there:

First, twist off the claws. Each of these can be cracked with a lobster cracker, nut cracker (or strong knife on a chopping board.) - Enjoy the meat that each claw holds.

Second, separate the tail from the body - arch until it cracks - and bend back the flippers to break them from the tail. Enjoy the meat by inserting cutlery where the flippers were and pushing the meat out.

Thirdly, separate the back from the body. The tomalley - which has turned green during cooking is the liver.

Fourthly, crack and twist the remaining part of the body for more meat.

Finally, the small claws can have their meat sucked out by sipping as if through a straw.

Lobster Recipes

Lobster eaten at home - whether as a family meal or with guests - is mostly enjoyed for its own delicious flavour without adding many other ingredients at all.  However, when eating lobster all summer long, a couple of recipes are useful!

For a local recipe, Judy Nic of Chaleur Bay, New Brunswick posts this excellent recipe on the net at AllRecipes:

New Brunswick Lobster Casserole - Judy says that this recipe is perfect for left over meat.

Well known recipes appreciated the world over with lobster are:

Lobster Newberg

This rich dish can simply be served with fresh bread.  A crisp salad and / or rice goes well too.

1. Cut lobsters in half, remove flesh and cut into pieces
2. Saute the lobster meat in the butter for a few minutes then add the brandy and set alight
3. Allow the flame to die and add the Madeira
4. Simmer for a few minutes and then add all of the cream except 2 tablespoons
5. Simmer until slightly reduced then add salt and pepper if desired
6. Remove from heat and add the combination of beaten egg-yolks and the left over cream
7. Heat very gently stirring until the mixture thickens - Do not allow to boil

Lobster Thermidor

Another rich dish that requires simple accompaniments on the plate.

1. Cut lobsters in half and remove the meat - keep the shells to serve if you wish
2. Combine milk, onion, cloves and bay leaves - bring to boil, then strain and discard the bits
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook gently for a few minutes - don't brown
4. Stir in the hot stock while whisking briskly and thoroughly
5. Turn up the heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens - don't boil; remove from the heat
6. Melt the extra butter in a pan and sute the green onion for a 1 or 2 minutes
7. Add wine and reduce over high heat until half the initial quantity remains
8. Add the white sauce and cream to the pan and season to taste with mustard, salt and pepper
9. Cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes
10. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and the lobster meat
11. Add mixture to serving dish / shells, sprinkle with remaining cheese and broil for a couple of minutes

Lobster Bisque

A bisque is a creamy, highly-seasoned pureed soup and this recipe is a perfect way to enjoy every last scrap of delicious lobster.  There are very, many variation of lobster bisque and once the essentials are well mastered it's possible to experiment, for example try rice instead of potatoes but add more liquid for the rice to absorb and don't puree at the end.

Lobster stock

Bring to the boil water, lobster pieces (about 1 lb. in their shell - raw and well cleaned), 1 quartered onion, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped celery stick, 1 bay leaf, and a sprinkle of thyme. Remove from heat and allow time for the flavours to fuse.

Bisque

1. Melt the butter and saute the onion, celery and garlic gently until just golden
2. Add potatoes, toss and cook for 3 minutes
3. Transfer to a deep pan and cover with water or lobster stock and add herbs and seasonings
4. Bring to boil then immediately turn the heat to gently simmer for 15 minutes
5. Puree in blender or liquidizer
6. Add the lobster meat and simmer for 5 minutes
7. Stir in the cream and reheat gently but do not allow to boil

Fresh croutons could be added with a sprinkle of the lemon zest

In order to enjoy lobster meals that you don't have to prepare: Try a seaside fish bar, a fund raiser lobster supper at the local church or a sumptuous meal in one of New Brunswick's lobster restaurants.

About Lobster -home | Lobster Shops & Fisheries | Select, Cook & Eat Lobster | Dine Out on Lobster | Lobster Seasons