One of my favorite ways to cook a lobster is to split it in half and broil it in the oven. This is the best way to cook California spiny lobsters that have the majority of their meat in the bodies.
A few things you will need are a sharp knife, a towel, and tongs for breaking down the lobster. You always want to have live lobster so the meat won’t start to decay. The best way to humanely kill a lobster is by quickly piercing through the head, which kills them instantly. In my opinion, anyone who is a fish eater or meat eater, should know the process of butchery and be able to do it themselves.
The herb butter that goes with this lobster can be made with any herbs and aromatics of choice. I went the garlicky route with cilantro and parsley because those are a few of my favorite things. Other combinations that would be great with lobster is garlic, lemon, parsley, oregano. Also ginger, lemongrass, red pepper flakes and green onions would be delicious too! Get creative!
To prepare the lobster, transfer the lobster to a cutting board, belly side down. Using a kitchen towel to hold down the lobster at the tail end, use a knife and insert it towards the head, cutting it in half right behind the eyes. Turn the lobster around and split it lengthwise the other way down the tail, making two halves. Gently wash under cool water to remove the tomalley. Transfer to a sheet tray.
Make the butter by adding butter to the pot and bring to a low simmer, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro and lemon zest and mix in. Turn off the heat.
Coat each half of the lobster with salt and a brush of the butter mixture.Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 135*F. Remove from the oven.
Using a kitchen towel, hold the lobster down by the tail end. With the blade of a sharp chef’s knife pointing towards the head, insert the tip into the top of the head right behind the eyes and press down firmly to split the head in half. Turn the lobster around and cut lengthwise through the tail.
The herb butter that goes with this lobster can be made with any herbs and aromatics of choice. I went the garlicky route with cilantro and parsley because those are a few of my favorite things. Other combinations that would be great with lobster is garlic, lemon, parsley, oregano. Also ginger, lemongrass, red pepper flakes and green onions would be delicious too! Get creative!
One of my favorite ways to cook a lobster is to split it in half and broil it in the oven. This is the best way to cook California spiny lobsters that have the majority of their meat in the bodies.
To prepare the lobster, transfer the lobster to a cutting board, belly side down. Using a kitchen towel to hold down the lobster at the tail end, use a knife and insert it towards the head, cutting it in half right behind the eyes. Turn the lobster around and split it lengthwise the other way down the tail, making two halves. Gently wash under cool water to remove the tomalley. Transfer to a sheet tray.
Make the butter by adding butter to the pot and bring to a low simmer, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, cilantro and lemon zest and mix in. Turn off the heat.
Coat each half of the lobster with salt and a brush of the butter mixture.Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 135*F. Remove from the oven.
There are two opinions on the most humane way to go about it. One advises you to steam it until its dead. The other calls for piercing its head (behind the eyes) with a sharp knife. For the squeamish, we recommend the first method, pictured below. **
All of todays lobster roll and lobster paella talk has probably put you in the mood to kill a crustacean. No? Well it should.
How to Split a Live Lobster
FAQ
What are the steps of splitting lobster?
Do you split lobster tails before or after cooking?
Can you split a lobster tail?
By splitting lobster tails, you can easily portion them out. Easy Method – There is no need for any fancy equipment. All you need is a pair of kitchen shears and a sharp knife. Unlike butterflying a lobster tail where you risk tearing the meat, this method gives you more control.
How do you cut a lobster belly?
Lay the lobster belly-down on a cutting board and insert a large, sharp knife into the head section with the blade pointing forward. Press down firmly&hellip
How do you cut a lobster tail?
Place each lobster, belly side up, on a cutting board with the tail closest to you. Hold down tail with one hand; using a cleaver or chef’s knife, and starting at the center of the lobster where the tail meets the body, cut in half lengthwise. Rotate lobster so that the head is closest to you; repeat, cutting through body and head.
How do you clean a lobster tail?
Use a sharp knife to completely cut the tail meat in half. Rinse – Just like shrimp have a vein that needs to be removed, lobster does as well. Simply give both sides of your tail a quick rinse and then thoroughly dry them. This will also remove any tiny shards of shell that you might have.