How to Cook a Lobster

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: March 9, 2023

Lobster is often one of the priciest items on the menu in fine restaurants, but it’s quite easy to prepare them at home. You may buy live lobsters and boil them whole or simply cook the tails. This article provides instructions on how to cook boiled whole lobster and broiled or grilled lobster tails.

Ingredients

Boiled Whole Lobster

Live lobsters, one per person
A large pot of salted water
Melted butter, for serving

Grilled or Broiled Lobster Tails

6 lobster tails
1/2 cup melted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Boiled Whole Lobster

1
Buy live lobsters. Live lobsters may be available in your grocery store, at your local fishmonger or if you're exceptionally fortunate enough to live in a lobster fishing area, right off the boat that caught them. Look inside the lobster tank for lobsters that seem healthy and active. Avoid lobsters that are too still or have holes or black marks on their shells.
2
Fill a large pot ¾ full with water. Add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt for each quart of water, and bring the water to a quick boil.

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3
Plunge the lobsters into the water using tongs. One at a time, pick up the lobsters by the body and plunge them headfirst into the boiling water. Cover the pot with a lid.
- Do not allow the water to overflow. If there isn’t room in the pot for all the lobsters you bought, cook them in two or more batches.
4
Cook the lobsters. Once the water has come to a boil again, begin timing the cooking of the lobsters. One-pound lobsters should cook for about 15 minutes, 1 ½-pound lobsters for 20 minutes, and 2-pound lobsters for 25 minutes. The lobsters are finished cooking when their shells have turned bright red. Remove them from the pot and set them on a plate on their backs to dry and cool. This keeps the juices in the lobsters.
- It’s important to time the cooking, since lobsters may turn red before they are fully done.
- You can also remove them from the pot, plunge them into an ice bath, and refrigerate them for up to one day.
5
Serve the lobsters whole. Place each lobster on a dinner plate for serving. Serve each lobster with a small cup of melted butter, a nutcracker for cracking the claws, a lobster pick and a bowl for the discarded shells. See How to Eat Lobster for a tutorial on which parts of the lobster are good to eat.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Grilled or Broiled Lobster Tails

1
Heat your grill. Prepare to cook the lobster tails by heating your grill to medium-high. Make sure the entire surface of the grill is evenly hot.
- If you are broiling your lobster tails instead of grilling them, turn the broiler on to heat up your oven.
- If you're using a barbecue, make sure the rack is about 4 inches from the fire, or you might end up scorching your lobsters.
2
Butterfly the lobster tails. Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, cut lengthwise down the middle of the softer underside of the lobster shells. Insert metal skewers lengthwise through the meat of the lobster tails. Brush the tails with olive oil on both sides.
3
Grill the lobster tails. Lay them across the grill cut side down and cook them for about five minutes, or until the shells turn bright red. Turn the tails over, cut side up. Sprinkle minced garlic, salt and pepper into the lobster meat, and top with a few spoonfuls of butter. Grill for an additional five minutes, or until the meat is no longer translucent.
- If you are broiling your lobster tails instead of grilling them, complete this process in your oven. Broil them cut side down for five minutes, remove them from the oven and top with garlic, salt and pepper, and butter, and replace in the oven for five more minutes.
4
Serve the lobster tails. Place each one on a plate and serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

Community Q&A

Question

Why is the cut side facing up in the pictures?

Community Answer

This is most likely just a minor mistake. You should follow the written instructions instead of the photos.
Question

Can I grill whole lobsters?

Community Answer

Yes. Just make sure the meat is cooked thoroughly. I would poach to release the meat, then grill.
Question

I purchased red precooked lobster from the supermarket, planning to microwave it 2-3 minutes to reheat, does that sound okay?

Virago Phoenix

Community Answer

Two to three minutes in the microwave sounds a bit too long for reheating precooked lobster. Heating it that long will make it tough and rubbery. I would suggest microwaving it less than 30 seconds.

Warnings

Some people say they have ethical issues with cooking lobster by Method 1 here.

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Tomalley, the green paste found in lobster, functions as the lobster's liver and pancreas. It can be eaten and is considered a delicacy for its flavor. However, it is also much more likely to contain poisons than other parts of the lobster. Lobsters captured during red tides likely contain high levels of toxins, and tomalley from these lobsters should not be eaten.

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Avoid getting pinched by a lobster's claw. If you're experienced, remove the bands just before cooking. Otherwise, do not remove the bands from the lobster's claws until it is fully cooked. (Some people say that they can taste when the lobsters are cooked with the bands on.)

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