A seafood favourite of many connoisseurs
Lobster usually spoils quite quickly and is therefore often transported and prepared alive. The alternative is to buy the fish frozen so that it keeps for longer.
Hiding beneath the hard, red shell of the lobster, is the delicate, white meat. Thanks to its aromatic flavour, which is slightly sweet and nutty and reminiscent of the sea, the shellfish is considered a real delicacy. Its characteristic red colouring occurs only upon cooking – lobsters vary in colour from black-blue, to various brown tones and dark purple. When heated, the colour changes to red because the protein is broken down, thus allowing the red pigment to emerge.
Class: |
lobster |
Calories |
81 kcal per 100 g |
Nutrients |
1.9g fat, 15.9g protein per 100g |
Season |
main lobster season in summer; available year-round |
Storage |
refrigerate live lobsters at 2-4°C, covered with a damp saltwater towel; do not store in fresh water |
Shelf life |
maximum 1 day when alive |
The lobster predominantly lives in cool saltwater. The shellfish is widespread across the East Coast of North America. The US state of Maine is particularly well known for its lobster. As well as the popular American lobster, there is also the European lobster, which is predominant in Ireland and Scandinavia.
The majority of lobsters are caught in the summer, then stored by the distributor in saltwater tanks and sold throughout the following year. On average, the lobsters that are consumed are about 25 centimetres in length and weigh approximately one kilogram. Lobsters that are not in captivity can be up to 50 years old and can reach a size of up to 70 centimetres in length, and nine kilograms in weight.
The red shellfish spoil very quickly and is therefore transported and sold live. Aside from buying lobster alive, you can also find it frozen or cooked and dissected in most supermarkets.
There are various ways to cook live lobster. If choosing the boiling method, make sure the water is boiling vigorously before adding the shellfish, in order to ensure instant death. The pot should be big enough to fit the entire animal. Cook the lobster on a high heat – the cooking time depends on the size of the animal but generally speaking, after 15 minutes the lobster should be cooked. The shell should be a deep red colour and the flesh should be white.
The hard shell is the most tedious part of eating lobster. The claws, the head, the legs and the tail can all be twisted or snapped away from the body. Sometimes cracking the shells requires a lot of strength – if you’re struggling, try using a sharp knife, strong scissors or a special lobster cracker. Once all of this is removed, you can finally use a lobster spoon, or your fingers, to scoop out the white meat. The intestines and the head are not to be eaten.
When preparing a lobster, it’s best to season the animal as simply as possible in order to enhance the natural flavour of the tender, white meat. For an extra hint of taste, simply add leek, celery, onions and/or white wine to the salted cooking water. Whether in a salad or a lobster cocktail, grilled, baked or simply with rice and vegetables, lobster can be enjoyed in many ways.
Lobster is low in calories and has no carbohydrates, making the shellfish quite a healthy seafood option, unless served with a cream sauce. Lobster has a high protein content and is rich in vitamin B12, copper, molybdenum, phosphorous and iodine. The crustacean has a lot more to offer than its delicious meat.
Another important thing to remember when it comes to lobster, is that the amount of meat decreases with time – the longer the shellfish is kept in a tank, the more of its own reserves the animal will use.
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