Cooking Lobster:
Lobster Tips

Lobster Tips:

How to tell when a lobster is fully cooked:

The outer shell of the lobster will turn bright red. The meat should be white, opaque and firm. The tail will curl under and will resist your attempt to straighten it out. The two front antennae and walking legs of the lobster will pull out easily.

Are all lobsters the same?

The lobster found in the cold Northern East Atlantic waters from Maryland northwards are called (Latin) Homarus Americanus. These are a true lobster and in most New England states I think it may be "Illegal" to call anything else a lobster. Warmer water lobsters are technically a crayfish or Spiny Lobster. A true lobster has two large claws and a smoother shell. Both are delicious.

How to buy a fresh lobster:

Lobsters are sold or graded by size.

Chickens or Chix are 1 lb. Or less.
Quarters are over 1 lb.-2 oz. to 1 lb.-4oz.
Halves are 1 lb.-6oz. to 1 1/2 lb.
Three Quarters are over 1 1/2 lb. to 1 3/4 lbs.
Deuces are over 1 3/4 lbs. to 2 lbs.
2-3 lbs. are over 2 1/2 lb. to 3 lb.
Jumbos are 4 lbs. and up.
Quarters through Deuces are the most popular and are called "Selects"
Missing a claw, you are a cull.

Do not buy a dead uncooked lobster. The stomach of a dead lobster continues to digest the lobster itself which can be both offensive and potentially dangerous to humans. If you flip a lobster upside down in your hand and the tail flops back towards the floor limp, it is likely dead or soon to be. Get one with some fight left in it!

How old is this thing?

A lobster takes about seven years to reach one pound in body weight. After that it takes about 4 years to gain each additional pound. A "Four Pounder" could be almost 20 years old.