Steaming is more gentle cooking technique that yields slightly more tender meat. It preserves a little more flavor and it’s more forgiving on the timing front. It’s harder to overcook a steamed lobster.
Steaming Instructions:
- Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5- gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobsters.
- Put 2 inches of seawater or salted water in the bottom of a large kettle.
- Set steaming rack inside the pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Add the live lobsters one at a time, cover pot, and start timing.
- Halfway through, lift the lid (careful – the steam is hot) and shift the lobsters around so they cook evenly.
The following recommends timing based on lobster weights:
Is it Done Yet?
Cooked lobsters will turn bright red, but that’s not the best indicator of doneness, especially for large lobsters. They may still be underdone when the shell turns red. Jasper White recommends cooking the lobsters for the recommend time, then cracking one open where the carapece meets the tail. If it’s done, the meat will have changed from translucent to white.
Originally published in CIAProChef.com