how long should lobsters be boiled

Here, the two easiest ways to cook whole lobsters. Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money off these affiliate links.

7 to 10 minutes for a 1-pound lobster, 8 to 12 minutes for a 1 1/4-pound lobster, and 10 to 14 minutes for a 1 1/2-pound lobster. Add 2 minutes for every additional 1/2 pound. The lobsters should be a bright vivid red color when done.
how long should lobsters be boiled

How Long to Steam Lobster

1-1 1/4-pound lobster: steam 8-9 minutes

1 1/2-pound lobster: steam 9-11 minutes

2-pound lobster: steam 11-12 minutes

3-pound lobster: steam 12-14 minutes

Food Network Kitchen’s Perfect Lobster Tails.

How to Cook Lobster Tails

Our test kitchen tried cooking lobster tails by steaming, baking, broiling and grilling, and settled on broiling as the best go-to method. The steps to cook Perfect Lobster Tails are easy:

  • Heat the broiler. Heat your broiler to high. Put a cooling rack in a half sheet pan.
  • Halve the tails. Cut the tails in half lengthwise and place on the rack cut side up.
  • Make a compound butter. Make a compound butter with herbs, lemon zest and shallots; spread 2 teaspoons on each half lobster tail.
  • Broil the lobsters. Broil until the lobster meat is white and opaque and shell is red, about 4 minutes.
  • Serve the lobsters with compound butter. Top with more compound butter and serve.

For info on how to cook frozen lobster tails all four ways, check out How to Cook Frozen Lobster Tails.

How To Boil Lobster | Maine Lobster Now

FAQ

How do you know when a lobster is done boiling?

Here’s how you do it It should be bright red. Using a chef’s knife, split the shell where the tail meets the body. If the meat is white, the lobster is fully cooked. If it’s still translucent, back into the pot it goes.

Can you boil lobster too long?

Overcooking a lobster will make the meat dry and rubbery, while undercooking can be even worse, getting gelatinous and inedible meat. It would be such a shame to ruin the delicious meat! Different cooking methods have different cook times, the weight of the lobster has to be taken into consideration.

Do you add anything to the water when boiling lobster?

Fill pot with water, allowing 3 quarts of water per 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of lobster. Add 1/4 cup of sea salt for each gallon of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time and start timing right away.

How long does it take lobster to boil?

If you just want to eat sweet, fresh lobster, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil (I use a canning pot), add the lobsters head-first as quickly as you can, and let the water return to a boil. When they turn completely red (Maine lobsters) — usually about 10 minutes — they’re done.

How much water do you need to boil a lobster?

Lobster needs to be boiled in a large amount of water. For 2 lobsters, a 4- or 5-quart pot is big enough. If you plan to boil 5 or 6, you’ll need a 5-gallon pot. If you don’t have a 5-gallon pot, you should cook the lobsters in batches, 2 at a time. Directions are as follows. Bring the water to a boil. Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a boil.

Can You boil lobsters in batches?

If you do boil your lobsters in batches always allow the water to come back to a full rolling boil before adding the next lobsters in. If the water starts to boil over lower the heat. You can also do this by adding ice cubes to quickly drop the temperature. Always temp check your lobsters.

How long do you boil a lobster in a crock pot?

Submerge the lobsters in quick succession to ensure they all receive equal cooking time. Boil 8 minutes for each 1 pound (0.45 kg) of lobster. For example, for 4 live 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg) lobsters, leave the lobsters in the pot for 43 to 48 minutes. Follow the boiling guide above for different weights.

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