To Boil Lobsters
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the water
Fill a pot with water and add the salt.
Bring the water to a boil.
Boil the lobster
Add the lobster and boil briskly for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on its size.
Finish and serve
Remove the lobster and wipe off any scum.
Rub the shell with a little butter or sweet oil.
Crack the claws carefully at the joints and cut the tail down the middle.
Serve the body whole.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Lobster
- Provides the main meat; its proteins firm and turn opaque as it cooks in boiling water.
The step that matters
Boil for the right time. Lobster meat turns firm and rubbery when overcooked, because high heat tightens its proteins and squeezes out moisture. Timing should follow the lobster's size.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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