How to Crack and Extract Meat from a Cooked Lobster

Lobster is a delicious crustacean treat but can be intimidating to eat due to the hard shell. Cracking and picking the meat takes some technique. In this article we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to humanely crack open a cooked lobster to access all the tasty meat inside the tail, claws, legs and body.

Needed Tools

Cracking and picking lobster requires a few specialized tools

• Lobster crackers or nut crackers – Makes cracking the hard shell easier. Needed for claws and knuckles.

• Small fork or lobster pick – Helps pull meat out of narrow spaces and legs.

• Kitchen shears – For cutting through membranes and separating joints.

• Seafood fork – Used to push meat out of the tail in one piece.

• Dinner plate or tray – Catches any falling meat and debris as you work.

• Moist napkins or paper towels – For cleaning hands during process.

Step-by-Step Cracking and Picking

Here is a step-by-step guide to humanely cracking a cooked lobster shell to extract all the meat:

Twist Off the Claws

• Grip the lobster body firmly in one hand.

• Twist and pull each claw to detach it from the body. The claws should detach smoothly at the natural seam.

• Set claws aside to crack after removing tail meat.

Separate the Tail

• Flip the lobster over and locate the membrane connecting the tail to the body.

• Using kitchen shears, cut through the underside membrane to detach the tail.

• Hold the base of the tail and wiggle it to release fully from the body.

• Pull the small flippers off the sides of the tail. They can be sucked and eaten or discarded.

Remove the Tail Meat

• Lay the tail on its side on a plate or platter. The shell opening should face up.

• Insert the tip of a seafood fork into the opening between the tail flesh and shell.

• Press the fork gently into the base of the tail to release the meat from the shell.

• Slowly slide the fork along the length of the tail, lifting the meat out in one intact piece.

• Inspect the tail shell for any remaining meat to pull out.

Crack the Claws

• Insert a claw vertically into the lobster cracker tool. Position it so the tool’s point presses on the claw center.

• Squeeze the cracker handles to apply pressure and crack the shell without crushing the meat.

• Rotate claw and reposition to fully crack both sides.

• Use a pick to pull out claw meat in chunks from the openings.

• Twist to remove the claw tip and use crackers or hands to access meat inside.

Crack the Knuckles

• Bend each knuckle back and forth until the shell cracks at its natural seam.

• Use crackers or hands to open the cracked knuckle and remove the meat inside.

• A pick helps pull out the meat smoothly in pieces.

Pick Leg and Body Meat

• Use a pick, small fork, or your fingers to pull meat from the leg joints.

• Crack body segments with hands and pick out meat spots inside.

• Scoop out and reserve the green tomalley (liver) filling the body for sauce or spreading on meat.

And that’s it! Proper cracking and picking should yield all the lobster meat from the tail, claws, legs, and body. Enjoy your picked lobster meat immediately while hot. Let us know if you have any other lobster preparation questions!

Tips for Extracting Lobster Meat Easily

Here are some useful tips and suggestions for getting lobster meat out of the shell without struggling:

• Choose the right sized lobster crackers for the claws. Too small won’t crack enough, too big will shatter the meat.

• Cut membranes with kitchen shears instead of hands for cleaner separation.

• Wiggle joints before cracking to locate the natural seam. Cracks best at the seam.

• Don’t squeeze tail meat when removing, slide fork gently underneath to keep the fillet whole.

• Crack claws and body by hand instead of tools for more control avoiding excessive crushing.

• Pick out body meat soon after cracking before it sticks again to the shell interior.

• Serve cracked lobster with drawn butter, lemon wedges, or aioli for dipping picked meat pieces.

• Provide finger bowls and moist towelettes for cleaning hands during picking.

Storing Leftover Lobster Meat

Only crack open what you plan to eat in one sitting. Leftover picked lobster meat does not store well. However, if you do have extra leftover lobster meat, here are some storage tips:

• Place meat in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.

• Remove all air and seal the container to prevent oxidation.

• Keep refrigerated at 40°F or less for up to 2 days.

• For longer storage of 3-4 days maximum, freeze leftover lobster meat.

• Use frozen leftovers within 3-6 months for best quality.

• Don’t freeze in cream based sauces, just plain leftover meat.

Enjoy your fresh cracked lobster on the same day for the best texture and flavor. Properly cracking and picking guarantees access to all the delicious meat sections. Let us know if you need any assistance mastering the lobster cracking process. Now get cracking on that lobster feast!