Monday, July 5, 2010

how to boil lobster

How to Boil Lobster




  • Boiling is probably the most popular way to cook New England lobsters, and it's easier than you might think!
Here's How:
  • Fill a large pot half to two-thirds full with water.
  • Set your burner to high heat and bring water to a rolling boil.
  • Add lobsters to the pot head first, making sure that they are completely submerged.
  • Cover the pot tightly and return to a boil as quickly as possible.
  • Once water is boiling again, cook the lobsters 10 minutes for the first pound and 3 additional minutes for each additional pound, i.e., cook a two-pound lobster for 13 minutes.
  • When the antennae pull out easy, the lobsters are done.
  • Serve with melted butter.

Tips:
  • Be sure to keep the water boiling throughout the cooking time, but be careful that the pot does not boil over.
  • Times given are for hard-shelled lobsters; if cooking new shell lobsters, reduce boiling time by 3 minutes.
  • Try adding a cup of white wine to the water before boiling to add a bit of flavor.
RELATED ARTICLES

A. Boil Shrimp


  • A shrimp boil is the easiest way to prepare fresh, delicious shell-on shrimp. They take only minutes to cook and can be infused with your choice of spices. Use them in a variety of dishes, or serve them cold as an appetizer and let guests peel their own.

Instructions

Step 1
  • Create a spice bag with a 12-inch square of cheesecloth. Sprinkle the shrimp-boil spices into the center of the cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth into a loose pouch and secure tightly with butcher's twine.
Step 2
  • Rinse the fresh shrimp under cool tap water. Leave the shells, legs and tails on for added flavor.
Step 3
  • Add the spice bag to the bottom of a large pot. Add hot tap water to soak and submerge the spice bag.
Step 4
  • Add a few slices of lemon, lime or orange to the hot water. Set the water on the range and heat to a gentle simmer.
Step 5
  • Add the shell-on shrimp to the hot water. Take care not to splash the water. Let the water return to a gentle simmer.
Step 6
  • Cook the shrimp over medium-high heat, monitoring it closely. Remove the shrimp from the water as they rise to the surface.
Step 7
  • Chill the shrimp immediately to stop them from cooking further. Remove the shell, legs, tail and vein before serving. Leave the tail on when serving as a cold appetizer or shrimp cocktail.

Tips And Warnings
  • Shrimp are numbered by how many are contained in a pound. Approximately 20 to 25 shrimp would make up a pound.
  • The dark "vein" down the back of a shrimp is actually its intestinal tract and should be removed before serving.
B. Boil Crayfish


  • You want to try Cajun Style cooking . Noting say CAJUN like Crawdads ,they are also called crayfish or mudbugs

Instructions
Things You'll Need:
  • 10 pounds live crayfish (supplied from Cajun Grocer)
  • Seafood Boil is supplied!
  • 2 onions (quartered)
  • 6 potatoes
  • 6 ears of corn
  • Fresh garlic (chopped 1 whole clove )
  • 2 fresh lemons quartered
Step 1
  • Get a large boiling pot . Like the ones used for deep frying a turkey ,get one that has a corn boiling basket.
  • An outdoor propane burner is what we use to cook on , BUT we cook a lot of them. So if your only doing 5 pounds cut the recipe in half & you can use a smaller pot & maybe GET-R-DUN on you stove in your kitchen.
Step 2
  • Get some LIVE crawdad from a Cajon grocery store. Get 10 pounds. Put them in a large ice chest & take the garden hose , stick it in there & close the lid , Turn on the water & let is run. You trying to clean up the crawdads so let it run & over flow for about 15 minutes. Set it way out on the grass away from the party so you water the grass & your guests aren't standing it a puddle of water...
Step 3
  • After they have rinsed for a while , Go through them & make sure none are dead. Discard any dead ones & give the live ones a good rinse with a sprayer.
Step 4

  • Fill the pot 3/4 ways with water, With the corn basket in the pot toss in the chopped garlic & the seafood boil mix , bring the pot to a fast boil.
Step 5

  • When the water is hot , Toss in the corn ,onions & tater , Let them boil for about 14 minutes.
  • Now toss in the crawdas & cut lemons. Let it all boil for about 5 minutes , Turn off the fire & let simmer for another 10 minutes.
Step 6

  • Pull out the boiling basket & Let it drain off most of the water , Then pour everything out on butcher paper or news paper & ENJOY
Step 7
  • This is mostly a finger food meal , you can cut up the taters if you lie & us a fork on them , BUT a real Cajun uses his fingers on the crawdads. Snap off the heads suck the meat out of the tail & them suck on the head to get the flavorful fats & juices. If your crawdads have large claws crack them open , there is some meat in them.
Step 8
  • I have seen all kind of sauces & dips used. Tobacco is common , some melted butter with Cajun spice in it is also a common thing . But it is up to you what you want on you crawdads.
C. How Long to Boil Lobster


  • How long to boil lobster tails for? You picked them up at the market or have them in the freezer stowed away for a special occasion. Yet cooking frozen lobster tails is a mystery to you. You are not alone. Use this article for instructions on how to cook lobster tails in their most delicious form.
Instructions

Step 1

DEFROST THE LOBSTER TAILS
  • If your lobster tails are already defrosted, skip this step. To defrost the lobster tails leave them in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours. For quicker defrosting, some people use the microwave defrost button at 3-5min. per pound. You CAN cook the lobster tails without defrosting, but they tend to taste rubbery or tougher.
Step 2

CHECK THE COLOR
  • If your lobster tails are red, they do not need to be cooked and only steamed. If they are grey, then they will need to be cooked.
Step 3
  • see boiled lobster tail recipes in resource section
  • see boiled lobster tail recipes in resource section
BOILING LOBSTER TAILS
  • To boil or not to boil? Cooking lobster tails is a simple process whichever method you take. Most people will say not to boil a lobster tail (only a whole lobster) because it will be soggy and won't taste as good. On the other hand, people boil lobster tails all the time. If you choose to boil, drop the lobster in a large pot of boiled water with 1tsp of salt per quart of water. Wait for water to re-boil, lower the heat so the water is slightly boiling and start timing. How long to boil lobster tails depends on how many oz you are cooking. For 1-3oz, boil 3-5min. For 4-6oz, boil 5-7min. For 10-12 oz, boil 10-12min and for 14-16oz, boil for 15-20min. Set in colander to cool and enjoy.
Step 4

STEAMING AND BROILING LOBSTER TAILS 
  • Most people prefer to steam or broil their lobster tails. These methods are almost as easy as boiling and some say have much better results. See the resources section for step by step directions with great pictures of steaming or broiling lobster tails.
Step 5

ENJOY YOUR LOBSTER 
  • Whether you boil, steam or broil, lobster tails are meals fit for kings. Enjoy your meal and feel pride that you took the effort to find out how to do this!

Tips And Warnings
  • For easier eating, consider splitting the underside of the shell before boiling.
  • Eat with lots of butter and lemon slices.
  • Try and try again. No matter, what you are sure to enjoy your lobster tail meal, but note things you liked and what could taste better. Consider delving into fancier recipes and seasonings found in the resource section.
D. Boil Lobster Recipe



    • Boiling is a common and easy way of preparing lobster - although many people prefer it steamed (see User's Tips). You can eat the lobster by itself - it's simple and elegant with some melted butter - or use the meat in recipes such as crepes, salads or risotto.
    Instructions
    Things You'll Need:
    • lobsters
    • salt
    • fresh lemon juice(3-4 lemons)
    • Groceries
    • Covered Stockpots
    • Juicers
    • Nutcrackers
    • Paring Knives
    • Tongs
    •  Paper Towels
    • Paper Towels
    • Mallets
    • Paper towels
    Step 1
    • Fill a large stockpot with enough water to cover the lobsters, and bring to a boil over high heat.
    Step 2
    • Salt the water lightly and add lemon juice.
    Step 3
    • Put live lobsters headfirst into the boiling water. If you choose to kill them quickly before boiling, do this now (see Tips).
    Step 4
    • Allow the water to boil again, and then turn the heat down to medium.
    Step 5
    • Cover the pot and cook 5 minutes for the first pound and an additional 3 minutes for each additional pound. Like all shellfish, lobsters overcook almost instantly, so remove them from the water as soon as they're done.
    Step 6
    • Remove the lobsters from the water and drain them on paper towels.
    Step 7
    • To prepare the lobsters for the table, twist off each large claw, leaving the claw joints intact (there's a lot of meat in the joints). Crack the claw shell with a nutcracker or mallet.
    Step 8
    • Hold the body of the cooked lobster with a clean kitchen towel (it should still be hot) and twist off the tails with your hands. Remove the tail meat by separating and removing the tail shell with your fingers.
    Tips And Warnings
    • Many people feel it's more humane to kill the lobsters quickly just before boiling them. To do this, place the tip of a sharp knife on top of the lobster's head where the lines in the shell form a T. Bring the knife down with a quick cutting motion.
    • At the fishmonger, select the liveliest lobster. Pick it up and feel how heavy it is. Make sure the tail curls under and the shell is not damaged. Make sure the claws are secured with bands.
    • Lobsters overcook very quickly. For a slightly more involved cooking method that ensures tender lobsters, pour boiling water over them and let them steep for just 3 minutes. Remove the meat from the shells while still warm; then, when ready to eat, reheat the meat gently in melted butter to finish cooking it.
    • Lobsters make a high-pitched sound when they are boiled. Although it sounds like they are crying, it is actually the result of gases being released under their shells.
    • The lobster shells become red while they are being cooked.
    • Use caution when handling live lobsters and when removing lobsters from boiling water.
    E. Boil Lobster Tails


    • Who doesn't love a great seafood dinner? Boiling or steaming lobster tails is actually a fairly easy process that sometimes intimidates people. Just make sure you take your time to pick out good quality seafood before you start your preparation.
    Instructions
    Things You'll Need:
    • Wooden Skewer
    • Large Sauce Pan
    •  Salt
    • Steaming Rack
    Step 1
    • Before we start the steps to cooking your lobster tails you want to make sure you purchase high quality seafood. I prefer the cold water lobsters since you tend to get better meat and the color is much better. Simply ask your seafood counter for the cold water variety.
    Step 2
    • To start by boiling you want to insert a wooden skewer down the middle of the lobster tail to prevent it from curling during cooking.
    Step 3
    • Take your large sauce pan and fill it about 2/3 of the way full with water and add a touch of salt. You'll want to use high heat until the water inside of the pot is boiling.
    Step 4
    • Place the lobster tails in the pot and cook for an average of 1 minute per ounce of lobster tail. After cooking you'll want to use a sharp knife to cut open the lobster tails down the middle but leave the shell intact on the underside.
    Step 5
    • To steam you'll also want to use the wooden skewer. Place a couple of cups of water and a little salt in your sauce pan and insert the steaming rack.
    Step 6
    • Bring the water to a boil and place the lobster tails on the steaming rack. You'll want to steam for about 30 seconds more per ounce then the boiling method.
    Enjoy!

     F. Boil Crab


    • Want to know how to boil crab? And how long to boil crab? You have come to the right place. Crab-O-Licious.com will show you the in's and out's of boiling crab. Please note Crab Facts over on the right side, before we get started.
    • Now, you know that boiling crab is basically for the processing of whole crab that hasn't been previously cooked. Some people like to clean crab first, which is fine, then go to cooking crab and eating them right away.
    • However, others like to freeze the whole crab and process it later, which is fine, too, but the crab needs to be boiled first. Some believe that boiling the crab and freezing it whole helps preserve the fresher taste of the crab when steamed at a later time than freezing just the crab legs. Either way works just fine, it's really a matter of personal choice.
    • So, now, you have your whole crab, just caught it and want to get it ready for eating or freezing, here we go about boiling crab...
    Things You Will Need To Boil Crab
    • Before you know how to boil crab, there's a few things you should have handy...
    • A big pot, depending on how many crab you have to boil. A pot, like the picture above, can hold 2 good size whole crab. The picture below shows what I use when we catch a lot of crab. It's an old canning pot and works great for getting a lot of crab boiled fast.
    • Salt or Sea Salt, which ever you prefer. Our preference is Sea Salt-course. You want boiled crab legs, but you want them to be healthy to eat, too, don't you?
    • A Pair of Tongs come in handy for handling the crab in and out of a hot pan with boiling water.
    • Seasonings (optional) you can really give your boiled crab legs some zest with crab boil or other seasonings, like, Mrs. Dash. If this is your first time boiling crab legs, I would suggest using just the salt, then experiment when you boil crab again.
    boiling-crab
    How to Boil Crab
    • Fill your pot to about 2/3's full of water, add salt (about 1/2 cup/gallon of water) and seasonings (optional/your choice), then, bring to full boil.
    • Carefully add the whole crab to the water. Make sure the crab are all covered in water. Boil the crab until the shells turn red, for approximately 20 minutes counting time after the water comes back to a full boil. They're done!
    • Now, you know how to boil crab.
    • dungeness-crab-boiled
    • Now, you can cool the crab down by either laying them out on a clean dry towel, like I have illustrated with dungeness crab. Or, you can cool them down by placing them in cool water in a clean sink. Either way is fine. Now you are ready to clean the crab or you can eat the crab. We'll show you how how to crack them and get their meat out.

    No comments:

    Post a Comment