Many parts make up a lobster, and some parts are not all as well known as others. Actually, once you take a closer look at a whole lobster, some of what you see might be a mystery.
In this section, we’ll walk you through the major lobster parts you’ll notice when you handle, cook or eat your lobster:
Cold-water lobsters, such as those we sell at Maine Lobster Now, have two large, distinct claws that contain meat. Claw muscles are softer because they arent used as much as the tail. The crusher claw, the larger of the two, breaks shells and helps the lobster crush things. The finer-edged ripper claw is used to tear flesh.
The tail is a popular part of the lobster for people to eat because it is the easiest to handle and is usually the meatiest part. The meat of a Maine lobster tail is chewier than the claw meat due to the way and how often lobsters use their tails. When needing to get away in a hurry, lobsters flap their tail rapidly to scoot out of harm’s way. This makes the tail more muscular and more fibrous.
The tail and the claws are not the extents of what can be eaten from a lobster. The body and head both contain edible meat. A good amount of rib meat is located between the thin shells of the body as well.
To break down a lobster, you’ll want to shuck the claws, then the tail and head, then the legs. Avoid eating the shells, cartilage, and tail vein, as they’re not edible and/or tasty.
Now that you have a good sense of all the lobster parts, let’s get into what you can eat and the different potential flavors you’ll experience.
Ready to handle a Maine lobster for yourself? Order today or come into our Scarborough, Maine location to purchase fresh caught Maine lobster.
Learn the major parts of the lobster below and soon, friends and family will turn to you as the lobster pro.
Which parts can you eat in a lobster? Which parts shouldn’t you eat? We’ll cover all that and more in this post.
Lobsters have 8 walking legs and two claws: one pincer claw and one crusher claw. The crusher claw is larger and is used to crush prey; while the pincer (or cutter) claw is used to cut prey up.
Cold-water lobsters, such as those we sell at Maine Lobster Now, have two large, distinct claws that contain meat. Claw muscles are softer because they arent used as much as the tail. The crusher claw, the larger of the two, breaks shells and helps the lobster crush things. The finer-edged ripper claw is used to tear flesh.
If you have a female lobster, you’ll see red balls inside a cooked lobster. These are immature eggs called roe and are naturally black. If the eggs are black and not red when you are ready to eat your lobster, that means the lobster needs to be cooked further. Once the eggs are red — meaning they’re cooked — they can be eaten. Roe is tasty on its own, but it is also used in sauces, bisques and stocks.
The tail and the claws are not the extents of what can be eaten from a lobster. The body and head both contain edible meat. A good amount of rib meat is located between the thin shells of the body as well.
In this section, we’ll walk you through the major lobster parts you’ll notice when you handle, cook or eat your lobster:
Many parts make up a lobster, and some parts are not all as well known as others. Actually, once you take a closer look at a whole lobster, some of what you see might be a mystery.
What part of a lobster can’t you eat?
FAQ
Can you eat all parts of a lobster?
Is any part of a lobster poisonous?
Why don’t we eat the whole lobster?
What part of the lobster should you remove?
Can you eat lobster?
While lobster can be quite delicious, you should not eat certain parts of it. Lobster is considered a succulent delicacy by many people, with its sweet meat and buttery texture. Lobster can be steamed, broiled or even grilled. No matter how you prepare the lobster, you should not eat certain parts of it.
Is lobster high in low-density lipoprotein (LDL)?
Lobster is low in saturated fatty acids and rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are good for the heart and help lower cholesterol.
How do you know if a lobster is safe to eat?
There are many signs that will tell you if a lobster is safe to eat. “The shell of the lobster should be bright red all over, and the meat will be firm to the touch,” says Monica Yang, head chef of culinary development at Red Lobster.
Is it bad to eat soft lobster?
While not harmful to eat, it may be undesirable to many people to eat particles and bone within their soft lobster meat. The stomach’s digestive juices have an undesirable flavor, but do not cause harm if eaten. The tomalley, or liver, of the lobster is not a part of the lobster that many people eat.