Learn the best way to cook a lobster from the experts at McLoons lobster shack in South Thomaston, Maine, home of our favorite lobster roll in the state.
How to Cook a Lobster the McLoon’s Way
Photo Credit : Mark Fleming1. You’ll need about 5 pounds of whole lobster to yield a pound of picked meat. “Any size of lobster will work, but I recommend buying four 1¼-pounders, so you get a good variety of tail, knuckle, and claw meat in each roll,” says McLoons general manager Bree Douty. “Keep in mind that soft-shell lobsters contain much less meat than hard-shells. The soft-shell meat is very delicate and sweet—perfect for rolls—but you may have to purchase an additional lobster to yield enough meat.”
2. Fill a large rimmed pan, such as a roasting pan, with ice.
3. Fill a large stockpot with an inch of seawater or generously salted tap water. Insert steamer basket. Heat to boiling.
4. Remove bands from lobster claws and quickly place lobsters into pot.
5.Cover pot and cook until lobsters are bright red and the antennae easily detach from the body, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook!
6.Carefully remove lobsters from pot and set in the ice to stop cooking. Let cool.
7. Pick lobster meat from the shells (see below) and chill until ready to serve. Lobster meat can stay fresh for several days if properly stored. McLoons recommends sealing it in a plastic bag and covering it in ice in the refrigerator.
Note: While there is meat in the legs and the body cavity, it’s not typically used in lobster rolls. You can dig for it if you prefer, but we’ll move on to the main parts: claw, knuckle, and tail.
Food Editor Amy Traverso oversees the Yankee Magazine Food department and contributes to NewEngland.com. Amy's book, The Apple Lover's Cookbook (W.W. Norton), won an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) cookbook award for the category American.
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