How To Eat Lobster (Beginner Friendly Guide)

Seafood Tailgating Tools

If you’re new to enjoying lobster, don’t worry. Cracking the shell and searching for the sweet, prized meat is a New England tradition. However, eating a full Maine lobster can be a little intimidating. But with a few tips, you’ll learn how to eat Maine lobster like a native in no time!

What Parts of the Lobster Are Edible

Lobster meat can be found in various parts of the lobster, including the large front claws, knuckles, legs, tail, fin, and within the body. The tail is considered the most prized part of the lobster, and many lobster lovers save it for last.

It’s important to note that smaller pieces of meat tend to be sweeter, so it’s worth taking the time to find those little morsels. The knuckle meat is also quite sweet and is often used in lobster salad. Similarly, claw meat can be used in salads as well.

Is Any Part of the Lobster Poisonous?

Lobster is a versatile seafood; you can consume almost every part of it based on personal preferences. However, we suggest you remove the tomalley (green substance) and digestive tract from the tail, which appears as a black line resembling a vein.

Best Tools for Eating Lobster

Tools Eat Lobster
1. Lobster Cracker. 2. Seafood Pick. 3. Seafood Fork

Eating lobster can be an enjoyable and delicious experience, but using the right tools makes it even better. Here is a list of tools that can enhance your lobster-eating experience and make it easier to extract the succulent meat:

  1. Large pot: A large pot is essential for cooking the lobster. Make sure the size is appropriate for the number of lobsters you plan to cook.
  2. Tongs: Useful for safely handling the cooked lobster, tongs help you avoid burns and keep control while cracking the shells.
  3. Large bowl: A large bowl or a pan can serve as a convenient place to collect the shells as you eat.
  4. Cutting board: To protect your countertops, use a cutting board while cracking the lobster shells and removing the meat.
  5. Chef’s knife: A large chef’s knife is useful for cutting through the lobster’s shell and making removing the meat from the claws and tail easier.
  6. Lobster crackers: Designed specifically for cracking lobster shells, lobster crackers make it easy to break open the hard shells and access the meat inside.
  7. Kitchen shears: Useful for cutting through the delicate portions of the lobster’s anatomy, kitchen shears help you get to the meat in the legs and other hard-to-reach places.
  8. Seafood forks: These specialized forks allow you to scoop out the meat from the shells, ensuring you don’t miss any delicious morsels.
  9. Rolling pin: To extract meat from the legs, a rolling pin can effectively push the delicate meat out from its tight shells.
  10. Towels and napkins: As with any seafood, eating lobster can be a messy endeavor. Be sure to have plenty of towels and napkins on hand to keep everything clean as you enjoy your meal.

Step by Step Instructions for How to Eat Lobster

How to Eat Lobster

Disassembling a lobster before consuming it is an art-form that requires some preparation. It involves putting on a lobster bib, using napkins to protect your clothing, and taking the time to crack open the lobster and extract the meat from the tail, claws, and legs.

The process can be messy, which may cause some diners to shy away. You may also have to accept the fact that you might finish eating last.

Time needed: 10 minutes

How to Remove the Meat from a Cooked Lobster

  1. Attack the Lobster Claws First

    Grasp the body (carapace) and twist off each of the front u0022armsu0022 and remove the claws and connected knuckles.
    Remove lobster tail

  2. Remove the Knuckle Meat

    Twist off the knuckles, the two small jointed sections connected to the claws, and remove. With a nutcracker or back of a chef’s knife, break the knuckles at the joint into two pieces. Push out meat out with the handle of a fork or pick.
    Crack Lobster Knuckle Meat

  3. Crack Open the Claws

    Wiggle the smaller hinged pincher of each claw and gently pull out. If the small piece of meat is stuck in the claw, remove with a pick. Crack the widest sides of the claws with a nutcracker and pull out the claw meat in one whole piece.
    Crack Open Claw

  4. Separate the Tail

    Hold the lobster body in one hand and the tail in the other hand and twist the tail away from the body and remove. Bend the tail fins off the tail piece. Use a seafood fork to pick the small pieces of meat from the fin.
    Remove lobster tail

  5. Crack the Tail

    Place the tail on its side on a flat surface, like a cutting board or cooking sheet (to collect the juices.) Press the tail firmly down until you hear a crack.
    Release tail meat out of shell.

  6. Remove the Tail in One Piece.

    Using a fork or your finger, force the tail meat up and out of the other end. You can also hold the tale with your thumbs on the side of the flippers facing you and tear open as if you were prying open a book.

    You may find a green substance on the tail. It’s the lobster tomalley and can be simply rinsed off with cold water.

    Beneath the outer top layer of meat is the digestive tract which should not be eaten. Sometimes the vein is very prominent, other times you’ll hardly notice it. Make a shallow cut along the center top of the tail and then pull out the vein with the tip of your knife or rinse out with cold water.
    Remove the lobster tail meat.

  7. Break the tail flippers from the tail

    Bend the tails fins up and break them off. Use a small fork to pick the small pieces of meat from fin.

  8. Suck out the Leg Meat

    There is some delicate meat in the smaller claws or legs. Pull and twist of the legs from the body and suck out the meat. You can also use a rolling pin to push the meat out of the legs.
    Suck out the leg meat. 

  9. Unhinge the body shell from the body

    There is meat in the body at the points where each joint was attached. You can use a fork to pull out the small pockets of meat.

Tip for Getting the Meat Out: If you are at home, use a rolling pin to push the meat out of the legs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does My Lobster Have Bands on Its Claws?

You may notice that the claws are banded when you receive a Maine lobster. You should leave these bands on when steaming the lobster alive, but remove them before eating. The reason for this is two-fold: the bands protect the handler from the claws and also protect the lobster from other lobsters.

What’s the Best Way to Eat Lobster Legs?

Eating lobster legs requires a bit of skill and patience. Start by pulling the legs from the body. The legs are thin, but depending on the size of the lobster, they can have a good deal of tasty meat.

You can use a lobster pick or your fingers to gently pull the meat out of the shell or roll the leg between your hands to push the meat out.

What Is the Correct Way to Eat Lobster Using a Cracker?

When using a lobster cracker, carefully position the claw between the cracker’s jaws and apply pressure until the shell breaks. Avoid squeezing too hard to prevent crushing the meat inside.

Once the shell is cracked, use a fork or lobster pick to remove the meat, enjoying this delicious seafood’s succulent texture and flavor.

Which Parts of a Lobster Are Safe to Consume?

Lobsters have various edible parts, with the majority of the meat found in the tail and claws. The legs and body also have some meat, but in smaller amounts. However, it’s best to avoid eating the tomalley, a green substance found in the body, as it may contain toxins.

What Are the Health Benefits of Eating Lobster?

Lobster is a highly nutritious seafood that offers numerous health benefits. It is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are essential for a healthy body. Eating lobster can help promote heart health, improve brain function, and boost the immune system.

How Do You Determine If a Lobster Is Safe to Eat?

To ensure safe consumption of lobster, check for vibrant color and responsiveness before cooking. Cooked lobsters should have bright red shells. Spoiled lobsters are unsafe to eat, so follow storage and preparation guidelines for a safe dining experience.

Conclusion: How To Break Down And Eat A Lobster

Mastering the art of breaking down and eating a lobster is a rewarding culinary journey. Armed with the insights from this beginner-friendly guide, you can confidently savor every succulent morsel of this delectable seafood.

From understanding which parts are safe to consume to discovering the health benefits, you’re well-equipped to embark on a lobster feast. So, crack those claws, savor the lobster legs, and relish the sweet meat within. Bon appétit!

Comments

  1. That’s great information. Thanks.

    I am having a small dinner party and want to serve hot cooked whole lobster but don’t want to cook them myself. My local grocer will cook the lobsters for me.

    What is the best way to keep them warm for a couple of hours or what is the best way to reheat them without drying them out?

    Thank you.
    Denie

    1. Yes, you sure can. Make sure you cooldown the lobster before refrigerating. You can also par cook and finish cooking the next day. The meat is easier to remove from the shell when the lobster is still warm.

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