Lobster is considered a delicacy by many, but preparing it can be intimidating for beginner cooks. One of the biggest questions people have when cooking lobster is whether or not you need to devein it. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about deveining lobster.
What is Deveining?
Deveining refers to the process of removing the digestive tract or intestinal vein from a lobster prior to cooking. The vein runs along the length of the tail and contains waste material like sand and grit. Some cooks argue that removing it improves the flavor and texture
Do You Have To Do It?
The short answer is no – you don’t have to devein lobster before cooking. The vein and its contents are edible and unlikely to cause illness. That said, there are some benefits to doing it:
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Appearance – Removing the dark vein makes the lobster tails more visually appealing.
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Texture – The vein can have a gritty, undesirable texture when eaten. Deveining prevents this.
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Flavor – Some argue that removing the vein allows the sweet lobster flavor to shine through more,
So while not strictly necessary, deveining has its advantages. In the end, it’s a personal preference.
How To Devein a Lobster
If you do want to devein your lobster, here is a simple process to follow:
Whole Lobster
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Flip the live lobster over onto its belly. Locate the vein running along the midline of the tail.
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Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, make an incision down the length of the vein.
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Use your fingers to loosen and remove the vein. Rinse out the cavity under cold water.
Lobster Tails
For lobster tails:
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Use kitchen shears to cut through the top shell lengthwise to expose the meat.
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Locate the vein and use clean tweezers or tongs to grip and gently pull to remove it.
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Rinse the tail under cold water to remove any debris.
After Deveining
Once you’ve removed the vein, rinse the lobster thoroughly. Pat it dry before seasoning and cooking as desired.
Can You Eat the Vein?
The lobster vein is edible if you prefer not to remove it. Thoroughly cleaning the vein by rinsing or soaking in saltwater can help remove any gritty contents. Some chefs argue the vein adds extra flavor to dishes like soups and stocks.
Does Deveining Change the Taste?
Opinions differ on whether deveining significantly impacts the flavor. Some culinary experts argue removing the vein allows the natural sweetness of the lobster meat to come through. Others maintain the vein contributes taste from digestive enzymes and should be left intact.
Much of this is subjective. Unless you frequently eat lobster both ways, the taste difference may be negligible. Texture improvement is likely the better reason to devein.
Other Lobster Prep Tips
Before cooking your lobster, keep these tips in mind:
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Store live lobsters in a cooler with damp newspaper or seaweed. Cook within 24 hours.
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Check that lobsters are still alive by looking for leg movement. Tap the shell – live ones will curl their tails.
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Kill your lobster humanely before cooking by splitting between the eyes or piercing the nerve cord.
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Clean lobsters by scrubbing the shells and rinsing the body cavities before cooking.
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Avoid overcooking lobster tails and claws. 2-3 minutes in boiling water is usually sufficient.
While deveining lobster is optional, it offers textural benefits and a cleaner look. Follow the simple steps outlined to devein tails and whole lobsters. Store and prepare your lobster properly for best results. Most importantly, don’t be intimidated to cook this gourmet seafood!
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First, twist the lobster’s tail back and forth and pull it away from the body. Take off the tail flippers and use your finger to push the meat out of the wide end where the tail met the body. Next, twist the claws off of the lobster. Break off the pincher on each claw and use a fork to pick the meat out from inside. To get the meat out of a soft-shell lobster, use your hands to break open the rest of each claw. For hard-shell lobsters, use a nutcracker to break open the rest of each claw. Crack open the connecting joint attached to each claw and remove the meat with a fork. Finally, take the legs off the body and use a rolling pin to get the meat out of each leg. For more tips on cleaning lobster, like how to collect roe from a female, keep reading!.
Things You’ll Need
- Lobster
- Lobster pick (lobster fork)
- Lobster cracker, nutcracker, or crab mallet
- Hot water
- Bowl
- Rolling pin
Do This Critical Step Before Cooking Lobsters! How to Clean, Prep, Cut, Crack Boston Lobsters
How do you devein a lobster tail?
Deveining a lobster tail is a relatively quick and easy process. Hold the lobster’s upper body in your left hand and the tail in you right. Twist your hands in opposite directions to remove the tail from the body. Flip the lobster upside down so the belly is facing you. Cut a slit in the center of the shell starting from the open top to the tail.
How do you clean a lobster before cooking?
Before boiling, you can clean the lobster by removing the vein running along the tail. Use kitchen shears to cut through the top of the shell and lift out the vein. Alternatively, you can devein after cooking. Anyone can learn how to cook lobster, even if you’re new to cooking.
Should you eat a whole lobster?
Serving a whole lobster is perfect for those times when you’re feeding a crowd or want to serve an entire impressive lobster on a platter. In addition, whole lobsters will have more flavor keeping the body intact, and yields more meat from not on the tail, but also the claws, legs, and body.
Do you need to clean a lobster tail?
Before dipping lobster meat in butter, or chopping it for use in a succulent recipe such as a lobster salad or lobster roll, you should clean the tail. While there’s no real danger in an uncleaned lobster tail, many diners are put off by the sight. Deveining a lobster tail is a relatively quick and easy process.