From the tide to the table

Cuts of the Crustacean

Lobster meat is available in various forms:

Lobster Tails:

  • "Green tails" (raw lobster meat)

Whole Lobster:

  • Cooked, netted, blanched or raw

Lobster in Brine:

  • "Popsicles"

Cooked Lobster Meat:

  • Claw
  • Knuckle
  • Tail
  • Leg
  • Claw, knuckle salad
  • Body and leg salad
  • Minced

Raw Lobster Meat:

  • Claw, arm
  • Tail
  • Leg

Other:

  • Lobster pâté
  • Lobster paste
  • Lobster oil
  • Lobster roe

The More You Know

Often called the "King of Seafood," the lobster is the pride of Atlantic Canada. This crustacean has a long body and five sets of legs, including two large front claws, one of which is large, flat and heavy while the other is smaller and thinner. The body, tail and claws are hard-shelled. Live lobsters range in colour from brownish-rust to greenish-brown; all lobster shells turn bright orangey-red when cooked. The white flesh is pleasantly firm and dense with a rich, savoury flavour. Live lobsters should be active and their tails should curl, not dangle, beneath them.

In general, larger lobsters are sold into the fresh/live market where they command premium prices, while smaller lobsters are cooked and either frozen whole in "popsicle packs" or shelled for meat. Most of the lobsters caught in the waters of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Quebec go to the live market. The lobster-processing industry is concentrated in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

  • Live: Lobsters are packed in lined cardboard or styrofoam boxes with gel packs used as a coolant. Individual lobsters range from 454 to more than 2,270 grams (1 lb. to 5+ lbs.)
  • Frozen whole cooked lobster in brine: Lobsters are cooked, graded and packed in laminated pouches with brine, sealed and blast frozen (10 per case). This product is sometimes referred to as a "popsicle pack."
  • Frozen whole blanched lobster: Lobster is cooked for two minutes, then vacuum packed and frozen immediately. Cooking is completed by end user for a fresh-boiled taste.
  • Frozen whole lobster, blanched or cooked in vacuum skin pack: This specialized technology allows for an extended shelf life of 24 months.
  • Frozen raw lobster tails: Tails individually quick frozen (IQF), individually wrapped in cellophane pouch, layer packed in 4.5 kg box (four boxes per master). Weight: 85 to 225 g or 3 to 8 oz.
  • Frozen whole cooked lobster: Lobsters are cooked and vacuum-packed in light brine or wrapped in waxed paper. Smaller weights (200 to 250 g), known as "baby boils," are cooked in a liner, frozen and packed in 5 kg cartons.
  • Frozen lobster meat: Available canned and blast frozen, canned and retorted, or vacuum-packed and blast frozen. Vacuum packs are available in different meat combinations: whole pieces, chopped and salad meat; tails, claws, tails/claw and claw/knuckle. Package sizes vary according to customer specifications.
  • Minced lobster loaf: Deboned lobster body meat, packed in poly bags or vacuum packed and frozen.
  • Cocktail claws: These are pre-scored and steam-cooked in foodservice and consumer packs.
  • Tomalley and roe: Tomalley (liver, the light-green creamy substance found in the lobster's body) and roe (the female eggs, sometimes called "coral") are available in several specialty packs.
  • Lobster base: A concentrate used in the preparation of soups, bisques, sauces and fillings.

Source: Government of Canada

Cooking, storing and handling

Cooking live lobster

Boiling is the most simple and traditional method of cooking lobster. Fill a large pot with enough salt water to cover lobster (1 Tbsp/15 mL of table salt per 1 quart/1 L of water). Bring water to a boil. Grasp the lobster by the body with your hand or tongs and place it head first into the boiling water. Cover. Once water has returned to a boil, start counting the cooking time. Cook 12 minutes for the first pound (500 g) and four minutes for each additional pound (500 g). Lobster is cooked when antennae separate easily from head. Remove immediately from boiling water. Serve warm or cool under cold running water. Undercooking the female lobster can result in a black, oil-like substance in the body cavity. This is actually undercooked roe and can be avoided by following the above cooking directions.

Lobster may also be prepared in the microwave. Place a 1 to 1 1/2 lb (500 to 700 g) lobster in a 9" x 13" (3 L) oblong baking dish with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water. Cover the lobster with plastic wrap, folding one corner back. Microwave on HIGH for nine to 12 minutes until cooked.

Storing Lobster

To properly store live lobster, put in refrigerator and cover with a damp cloth or newspaper. They will live easily for 12 to 24 hours in this environment. Do not immerse lobster in fresh water or allow to sit in melted ice. Cooked lobster may also be kept under refrigeration at 40°F (5°C) for up to two days.

To freeze a cooked lobster in the shell, place lobster on its back to prevent juice loss and store in an airtight freezer bag or container. Keep frozen at 0°F (-18°C) for up to two months.

To freeze cooked, shelled lobster meat, cover with a brine solution (2 tsp or 10mL) salt to each 1 cup (250 mL) water) leaving a 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) headspace. Seal tightly and freeze immediately. To that, allow 15 to 18 hours in the refrigerator or microwave on DEFROST for 10 to 14 minutes per pound (500 g).

The safest way to thaw frozen, canned lobster meat is to place the unopened can in cold water in the refrigerator. Allow two hours per pound (500 g) for thawing. Once thawed, open immediately. DO NOT thaw in warm water or at room temperature.

How to Eat

  1. Twist off the claws. Crack each claw with a nutcracker and remove meat with a small fork or lobster pick.
  2. Separate the tail from the body by arching the back until it cracks. Bend back and break off the tail flippers.
  3. Insert a fork and push the tail meat out in one piece. Remove and discard the black vein that runs the entire length of the tail meat.
  4. Open the body by cracking it apart sideways. This will expose four small pockets of meat where the small walking legs are attached, as well as the green tomalley or red roe. The small walking legs or claws contain some of the sweetest meat, which can be removed by sucking on the ends of the legs.