Broil Live Lobster
Broiling is a great way to cook whole lobsters in the oven, but be careful since the tail can dry out quickly. Try to stick with good size lobsters. Smaller lobsters under 1 1/2 lbs. will dry out quickly and lobsters too big, over 2.5 lbs. will not cook properly because most home ovens do not produce enough heat.
Allow one good size lobster, 1 1/2 to 2.5 lb. large live lobster per person. Learn more about what size lobsters to get.
Broiling Instructions:
Time needed: 10 minutes.
Broiling Instructions
- Dispatch Lobster
Place live lobster in boiling water for only one minute to humanely kill it. Another option is to place in the freezer for 15 minutes to numb the lobster.
- Prep lobster
Put the lobster on its back and make a deep, sharp cut through the entire length of the body and tail with a heavy sharp-pointed knife or lobster shears.
- Split and Clean lobster
Spread open and remove the black roe and the stomach near the head along with the gills and discard. Remove and discard the intestine that runs from head to tail. Examine the lobster for any loose shell fragments and remove.
- Crack the Claws
With the back of a knife or mallet, crack the center of each claw shell on one side.
- Into the Broiler
Place in a broiler, shell side down about 6 to 8 inches from the heating element. Arrange your lobsters so they fit on the broiling pan and do not overlap. You want to make sure the meat is exposed so it cooks evenly. Baste with olive oil or melted butter.
- Broil and Baste
Broil halway for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan and quickly baste with butter sauce and return the pan to the oven. Turn the pan from the previous position so all parts will cook evenly. Cook until the flesh is lightly browned. Be careful not to overcook.
- Plate and Serve
Remove the lobsters and place on a platter and baste with more butter. Use your own butter sauce or spice blend. Serve right away with melted butter and and lemon wedges. Alternatively, you can remove the meat and mix with a stuffing.
How Long to Broil Lobster
Begin timing as soon as the lobsters are placed in the preheated broiler. You will need to remove the pan halfway through the broiling to baste (less than 1 mintute). Reverse the direction of the pan efore putting it back in the broiler.
| Lobster Size | Broiling Cooking Times |
|---|---|
| 1.5 pounds | 8-10 minutes |
| 1.75 pounds | 11 minutes |
| 2 pounds | 13 minutes |
| 2.5 pounds | 16-17 minutes |
This will fully depend on the size of your lobster. Generally, 1.5-2 pound lobsters will broil for 8-13 minutes, but you will want to check the temperature of the meat and ensure its perfect. We have a handy chart that explains the best times for broiling live lobsters.
We recommend humanely killing the lobster in boiling water. You will turn the lobster on its back and crack the shell to ensure steam can escape, and then take steps to clean the Roe and rest from the lobster before broiling. Check out the full how-to in our article.
Yes! Broiling lobsters is a great method for cooking lobsters if yours are big enough. The main concern with Broiling is that the tail can dry out from the heat, but with proper time management it’s no problem and leaves for a delicious meal.