Boiled Lobster
Boiled lobster needs nothing more than a big pot of well-salted water, a timer and a little butter. The main thing to get right is timing, because lobster turns rubbery quickly: about 12 minutes for a 500g lobster, a couple more for larger ones. This recipe covers buying, cooking times by weight, how to tell when it is done and how to crack it. Allow about 40 minutes, most of it waiting for the water to boil.
- Total
- 42 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 27 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 345kcal
Buying and preparing boiled lobster
A lobster of 500–600g gives enough meat for one person as a main course, with sides. Choose one that is lively and heavy for its size, and buy it from a fishmonger who can stun it. Live lobsters should be kept cold and cooked on the day you buy them. A dead lobster that was not cooked straight away should not be eaten, because the meat spoils quickly.
Salted water is the traditional liquid, and 30g of salt per litre tastes close to the sea. The salt seasons the meat through the shell. It has no effect on how fast the water boils.
How to cook boiled lobster
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare the lobsters Keep the lobsters in the fridge, wrapped in a damp cloth, until you are ready to cook, and cook them on the day you buy them. Ask your fishmonger to stun them, or use an electrical stunner, before they go into the water.
- Boil the water Pour the water into a pot big enough to hold both lobsters under the surface. Add the sea salt, stir until dissolved, cover and bring to a full rolling boil. A 5-litre pot of cold water takes about .
- Cook the lobsters Lower the lobsters into the water head first, put the lid on and wait for the water to return to a boil. Start the timer then. Cook 500g lobsters for , 600g for and 750g for .
- Check they are done The shell should be bright red, the tail should curl, and a small walking leg should pull away easily. Lift out with tongs and drain upside down in the sink.
- Rest and melt the butter Leave the lobsters for , which makes them easier to handle. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat.
- Crack and serve Twist off the claws and crack them with a cracker or the back of a heavy knife. Cut the tail down the middle with scissors, remove the dark vein running along it, and take out the meat. Serve with the melted butter and lemon wedges.
Serving and using the meat
Plain melted butter and lemon wedges are all that boiled lobster needs. For a cold platter, plunge the cooked lobsters into iced water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking, then dry them. Cold meat is the base for a lobster roll, and the richer lobster thermidor uses cooked meat baked in a creamy sauce.
Any extra meat from the claws and knuckles can be tossed through pasta with lobster the next day.
Common problems and fixes for Boiled Lobster
- The meat is tough and rubbery.
- The lobster has been cooked for too long. Time it from when the water returns to the boil, not from when it goes in, and take it out as soon as the shell is red and the tail curls.
- The water stops boiling when the lobsters go in.
- The pot is too small or the heat too low. Use 8 litres or more for two lobsters, keep the heat on high, and cook them one at a time if needed.
- The meat sticks to the shell.
- The lobster has not rested. Leave it for 5 minutes and crack the claws gently before pulling the meat out.
Frequently asked questions about Boiled Lobster
How long do you boil a lobster?
A 500g lobster takes 12 minutes from when the water returns to a boil, a 600g lobster takes 14 minutes and a 750g lobster takes 16 minutes. The shell turns bright red when it is done.
Is boiling lobster cruel?
Lobsters are recognised as sentient animals in UK law, so it matters how they are killed. The most humane method is to stun them first, either with an electrical stunner or by asking the fishmonger to do it, before putting them into boiling water.
How do you serve boiled lobster?
Serve it hot with melted butter and lemon wedges, plus crusty bread, new potatoes and a green salad. It also works cold with mayonnaise, as in a lobster roll or a seafood salad.
How long does cooked lobster keep?
Cooked lobster will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days if you cool it quickly in a bowl of iced water, dry it and wrap it well. Do not freeze it whole, because the texture changes.
How did you like the recipe?
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