Best Boiled Lobsters Recipes

BOILED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot about half full of water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. When the water has come to a rolling boil, plunge the lobsters headfirst into the pot. Clamp the lid back on tightly and return the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the lobsters for 12 to 18 minutes (hard-shell lobsters will take the longer time), until the shells turn bright red and the tail meat is firm and opaque when checked.
• Lift the lobsters out of the water with tongs and drain in a colander. Place underside up on a work surface and, grasping firmly, split the tails lengthwise with a large knife. Drain off the excess liquid. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

BOILED LOBSTERS WITH CORN AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Fill a lobster pot or other large pot two-thirds full with water. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil.
• Uncover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until potatoes begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add lobsters headfirst. Cover, and cook until shells are bright red, 5 to 6 minutes. Add corn, and cook for 3 minutes more.
• Remove potatoes, lobsters, and corn from water; discard onion and garlic. Using kitchen shears, clip tips of lobster claws, and let drain. Serve potatoes, lobsters, and corn with butter.

BOILED OR STEAMED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• To boil: Fill a very large (4-gallon) stockpot three-quarters full with cold water. Bring to rolling boil; add salt. Plunge lobsters, one at a time, headfirst into the water. Cook, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes (from the time lobsters enter pot).
• To steam: Fit a very large stockpot with a steaming basket (or use a round wire rack or an inverted metal colander). Fill pot with cold water just to reach bottom of basket. Cover; bring to a boil. Quickly set lobsters in one layer in pot (or cook in batches). Cook, covered, 15 to 17 minutes.

BOILED LOBSTERS WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Fill a 6-quart pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge lobsters headfirst into water and boil, covered, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer lobsters with tongs to a colander and drain head down to remove excess liquid.
• Finely chop shallot. In a small saucepan melt butter with shallot, tarragon, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Arrange lobsters on a platter and using kitchen shears remove thin, hard membrane from underside of each tail by cutting just inside outer edge of shell.
• Spoon some tarragon butter over each lobster tail and serve remainder on the side.

MAINE BOILED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• Bring the salted water to a boil in a pot large enough to hold the lobsters.
• Rinse the lobsters under cold water and quickly slide them into the boiling water.
• Cover the pot and simmer gently until the lobsters turn completely red, in about 6 minutes.
• Drain in a colander and serve immediately with melted butter or extra-virgin olive oil.

BOILED OR STEAMED LOBSTERS

Steps:

• To boil Fill a large stockpot three-quarters of the way with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and then add a generous amount of salt (the water should be very salty, to match the brininess of the ocean; at least 1/2 cup in a 4-gallon pot). Plunge 4 live lobsters, one at a time, headfirst into the water, and cook uncovered until they turn bright red. This will take anywhere from 8 to 14 minutes, depending on their size. Use tongs to remove them from the pot and transfer to a platter. Allow lobsters to rest for several minutes until they are cool enough to handle. Serve with butter and lemon wedges.
• To steam Fill pot with enough cold water just to reach the bottom of the steaming basket (or an inverted colander). Cover and bring to a boil. Quickly arrange 4 live lobsters in one layer in the basket (or cook in batches). Steam until bright red, 15 to 17 minutes. Use tongs to remove lobsters from pot, then allow to rest for several minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
• Ingredients
• Purchase lobsters no more than a day before you plan to use them. They can be stored, with their claws banded, on moist seaweed (if your fish market provides it) or damp newspaper in an open bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook. (To avoid getting pinched, always hold a live lobster by its body, with the claws facing down.)
• Look for lobsters that are not only alive but lively. Those that are 1 1/2 pounds are ample enough for individual servings. Don't be surprised by their black or bluish-brown color; they will turn their characteristic red only after cooking.
• Equipment
• A large (at least 4-gallon) stockpot is needed to boil or steam 4 lobsters at once. Or you can use smaller pots to cook lobsters in batches. When steaming lobster, an inverted metal colander is a good substitute for a steamer basket.