There’s a good reason why sweet, mild lobster is a treat from the ocean: the meat from these flavorful crustaceans tastes great on a sandwich roll, in a creamy seafood pasta, or even in an Eggs Benedict. But a lot of seafood lovers say that eating the lobster whole is the best way to enjoy this seafood treat, which can be scary.
For people who have never eaten a whole lobster before, it might be hard to figure out how to start. The hard shell doesn’t make it easy to get to the soft meat. With the help of Steve Kingston, owner and seafood expert of The Clam Shack in Kennebunk, Maine, we’re giving you clear, step-by-step instructions on how to get the most out of these tasty morsels. Advertisement.
Lobster is a delicious delicacy that many seafood lovers look forward to indulging in. When served a whole lobster, some people may be unsure if the head is edible or not. The good news is that you can absolutely eat the lobster head, and it contains tasty morsels of meat. In this article, we’ll provide a complete guide to eating a whole lobster, including how to get the most out of the head.
Let’s start with a quick overview of lobster anatomy so you understand what you’re working with A lobster has three main edible sections
- Claws and knuckles: The claws contain sweet, delicate meat, while the knuckles have small amounts of very tender meat.
- Tail: This section contains the largest amounts of lobster meat. It’s firmer and richer than claw meat.
- Head/Body: The head and main body contain smaller pieces of tasty meat.
In addition to the main meaty sections, the legs also contain edible morsels. The shell, cartilage, eggs, and digestive tract contents (tomalley) are not recommended for consumption.
Step-by-Step Guide to Eating a Whole Lobster
Below we provide a step-by-step guide to eating a whole lobster, with instructions for getting every bit of meat out of the head:
Start with the claws and knuckles
Use your hands or lobster crackers to twist the claws and knuckles off the body. Break open the claws, crack the knuckles, and use a small fork or pick to extract all the sweet meat.
Move on to the tail
Detach the tail from the body by bending it backwards until it separates. Use your hands or a cracker to split open the tail lengthwise. Remove the meat, and get extra meat from under the flap running down the center of the tail. Discard the black intestinal vein.
Now focus on the head
Once you’ve cleaned out the claws, knuckles, and tail, it’s time to focus on the head. This is where things get fun! Here are some tips:
- Twist off the legs and suck out the flavorful meat.
- Use seafood scissors to cut the body in half lengthwise.
- Use a fork, pick, or your fingers to pull meat from the leg joints and anywhere else you see tasty morsels.
- Crack open the various segments of the head to access all the nooks and crannies holding lobster meat.
- Keep working with your pick to extract any remaining meat you can find.
Getting all the meat from the head does take some work, but it’s worth it for serious lobster lovers. The meat has a rich, ocean-like flavor.
Finish by enjoying every last bit
Once you’ve extracted all the lobster meat you can find take time to dip each piece in melted butter or lemon butter sauce. Savor the tender meat and don’t discard the cracked shells – use them to make delicious lobster stock.
Tips for Choosing and Preparing Lobsters
Keep these tips in mind when buying and preparing whole lobsters:
- Look for 1-1.5 pound lobsters with soft shells, which are easier to crack open.
- Cook your lobster right before eating by boiling, steaming, grilling, or baking.
- Have plenty of napkins, wet wipes, and even a bib on hand before eating. Things will get messy!
- Assemble the proper tools like a nutcracker, small forks, picks, and scissors.
- Take your time and don’t rush. Enjoy the whole process.
- Consider wearing lobster gloves to protect your hands while cracking and picking.
Health Benefits of Eating Lobster
Wondering if you should feel guilty about indulging in this decadent crustacean? Don’t! Lobster offers some excellent health benefits:
- High in protein and low in fat, lobster provides an excellent protein choice. A 3-ounce serving contains over 20 grams of protein.
- Packed with vitamins and minerals like selenium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, vitamin B12 and more.
- Contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to improved heart and brain health.
- Lobster is low in mercury and considered one of the most sustainable seafood options.
So feel good about enjoying every morsel of lobster meat, including from the flavorful head. Just be mindful of portion sizes, as lobster is high in cholesterol.
Alternatives If You Can’t Find Whole Lobster
Whole lobster can be pricey and hard to find depending on where you live. Here are some alternatives to enjoy lobster meat:
- Lobster tails are the easiest and most affordable way to enjoy this treat. They just need quick steaming or grilling.
- Lobster meat is sold pre-picked and ready to eat. It’s more expensive than tails but very convenient.
- Lobster rolls highlight tender lobster meat in toasted rolls with just enough mayo and spices.
- Lobster mac and cheese is a decadent, comforting option.
- Lobster ravioli provides bites of lobster in pillowy pasta pouches.
While not as exciting as cracking open a whole lobster, these options let you enjoy delicious lobster meat at home.
Bring Your Lobster Dinner to the Next Level
Hopefully this guide has removed any hesitation about digging into a whole lobster, head and all. While it does take some work, the reward of sweet briny meat is immense. Here are final tips for an unforgettable lobster feast:
- Pair your lobster with drawn butter and lemon wedges for dipping.
- Indulge in lobster rolls and lobster mac and cheese as tasty side dishes.
- Add a fresh lobster salad appetizer.
- Enjoy a glass of crisp white wine or wheat beer.
- Set the mood with candles, fresh flowers, and decorations like lobster bunting.
- Play festive sea shanties or Atlantic Coast music in the background.
- End your meal with a lighthouse-shaped lobster cake or vanilla whoopie pie.
Step 3: Shuck the lobster tail and head
The meat in the lobster tail is the firmest and richest, so you’ll need a clear plan for getting to all that goodness.
Kingston says, “To separate the tail from the carapace, hold the body firmly in one hand and bend the tail backwards until it breaks away.”
Break the tail open by squeezing the shell until it cracks, exposing the meat. You can then pull the meat out with your hands or a seafood fork. Tail meat is firmer than claw meat, so its less slippery and easier to grab with your fingers.
If you start at the wide end of the tail and pull the center flap toward the narrow end, you can get even more meat. Lobster experts call it “skin” because it feels soft and fleshy. You can eat the meat under the center flap, but Kingston says to stay away from the black or green vein in the middle of the tail, which you should cut out and throw away.
The tail can be pulled away from the shell, and the head can be done the same way. Take out your fork or pick and use the sharp tines to scrape out the small pieces of meat that are still soft inside the head. get to work!.
Note: You may see green and red material around the tail and body meat. The red materials are eggs, while the green is tomalley (the lobsters liver). While both are technically edible, the FDA warns against eating tomalley due to potential toxins in lobster-heavy waters, which can be passed along to humans through the tomalley. Advertisement
Step 2: Shuck the claws and knuckles
Kingston says, “A lobster has three parts: the claws and knuckles, which are its arms; the main body; and the tail.” Kingston recommends starting with the claws.
The claw and knuckle need to be broken away from the body. You can use your fingers or a nutcracker or lobster scissors for extra force. “Be careful of the water thats going to come out every time you crack the shell. Then, break the claw away from the knuckle,” Kingston says.
Once you’ve taken the claw off the knuckle, use your fingers to pull off the claw’s “thumb.” To get the meat out of the bigger part of the claw, cut it in half with your hands or a nutcracker. Then, use an oyster fork to gather the meat. “Take care not to grind [bits of the] shell into the inside meat,” says Kingston.
Dont forget about the knuckles either, Kingston says. “This is arguably the sweetest and tenderest meat in the whole lobster, so dont miss it. Broken the knuckle with your fingers or a nutcracker to get to it. Use a fork or pick to remove the meat. You can also use seafood scissors to get a cleaner cut. “Slide the scissor into either end of the jointed knuckle close to the shell, avoiding the meat. Snip to the opposite end, and then flip it over and repeat,” Kingston says. Advertisement.
How to Shell and Eat A Whole Lobster
What can you eat from a lobster?
HEAD, BODY, & SHELL 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.
Can you eat the body of a lobster?
Yes, the body of a lobster possesses meat that can be consumed. Although not as abundant as in the claws and tail, the meat extracted from the body can be utilized for various recipes and dishes. 7. Can you eat the small legs on a lobster? The small, thinner legs of a lobster are usually not consumed, as they contain a minimal amount of meat.
How do you eat a lobster claw?
The meat in the claws is usually eaten by cracking open the claw and extracting the meat with a fork or small pick. What other parts of the lobster can you eat? Other edible parts of the lobster include the legs, which contain small amounts of meat, and the tomalley, which is a soft, green substance found in the body cavity of the lobster.
Which part of a lobster is the easiest to eat?
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.