“Lobster is one of those rare foods that you cook from a live state,” the recipe says.
“Quickly plunge lobsters head-first into the boiling water… Boil for 15 minutes,” the recipe then instructs.
Many people who have cooked lobster before swear by this method, and you can find dozens of similar recipes online.
But Switzerland banned the practice on Wednesday and said lobsters should be stunned before they are sent to our plates so they don’t have to go through unnecessary pain in the kitchen.
There is more and more scientific proof that lobsters and other invertebrates, like crayfish and crabs, can feel pain.
Lobster is a delicious crustacean that is enjoyed by many around the world. However, preparing a live lobster for cooking can raise ethical concerns around humane treatment. When you bring a live lobster home from the market, you are faced with the task of dispatching it as humanely as possible before cooking. There are a few recommended methods to cut a lobster in the most humane way.
Why Dispatching is Necessary
Simply throwing a live lobster directly into boiling water is extremely inhumane and illegal in some areas. This causes unnecessary suffering as the lobster thrashes around in the pot. Additionally, some research indicates the meat may toughen from the shock. The most ethical and recommended approach is to quickly dispatch or kill the lobster right before cooking. This ensures the least amount of pain and stress on the animal.
Freezing
One simple method is to place the live lobster in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before cooking. The cold temperature slows the lobster’s metabolism and essentially puts it to sleep. After freezing, you can drop the lobster directly into the boiling cooking liquid for a near instant humane death. Freezing may also relax the muscles leading to more tender meat.
Knife Through the Head
A swift plunge of a sharp chef’s knife directly into the lobster’s head is another popular technique. This destroys the main nerve center and kills the lobster quickly. Place the tip of the knife right behind the eyes, where the body meets the claws. Plunge down firmly through the head and into the cutting board. The lobster’s legs may continue to move slightly after but it will be dead.
Combination Approach
Many chefs recommend a combination approach for the most humane dispatch. First place the live lobster in the freezer for 15-30 minutes until sedated. Then use the knife technique, driving it directly down into the lobster’s head for instant death. This two-step process helps relax the muscles before killing quickly.
Desensitizing in Water
An alternative to freezing is to place the live lobster in a large pot and fill with cold water. Slowly heat the water to very hot but not boiling. This process essentially desensitizes the lobster. Once the water is hot, use the knife technique through the head for humane killing.
Electric Shock Devices
In commercial kitchens there are electric shock devices designed specifically for stunning lobsters. However these machines are expensive costing thousands of dollars. For home cooking, hand dispatch techniques are recommended over electrocution.
Avoid Dismembering
It is extremely inhumane to dismember or remove parts like the claws and tail of a live lobster, Always use swift killing techniques like knives or boiling water before any dismembering
Do Not Microwave
Never attempt to cook or kill a lobster using the microwave. This is ineffective and causes unnecessary suffering. Use only recommended techniques like knife and boiling.
Signs of a Dead Lobster
After dispatching, the lobster will exhibit some reflexive muscle movements. However, several signs indicate it is fully dead:
- Lack of response to touch stimuli
- No hold on objects with claws
- Loss of rigidity in abdomen and tail
- Limp antennae
Always allow time after killing to ensure death before further preparation or cooking
Lobster Nervous System
Research indicates lobsters have a relatively simple nervous system and lack the brain structures to process pain like humans. However, they do exhibit response to adverse stimuli, so humane killing is still recommended. The most ethical approach is to dispatch quickly, avoiding unnecessary stress or suffering.
Cooking Considerations
Once you have humanely killed the lobster, you can cook it by various methods:
- Boiling
- Steaming
- Baking
- Grilling
- Searing
Boiling is the quickest cooking method, usually used for simple lobster preparations. Grilling and searing over high heat develop rich, caramelized flavors. Steaming and baking are gentler methods that delicately cook the meat.
Serving Suggestions
Lobster meat is versatile and can be served in many ways:
- As lobster rolls in split-top bread
- In pasta or risotto dishes
- Added to seafood stews and bisques
- Served with melted butter for dipping
- On top of fresh garden salads
- Sprinkled on pizza
The rich, sweet meat pairs well with lighter flavors like lemon, chives, tarragon and parsley. Avoid overpowering it with other bold ingredients.
Proper Storage
Fresh lobster is highly perishable, so proper storage is important. Cook lobster the same day purchased for best quality. Once cooked, lobster meat will keep up to 2 days tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. To extend shelf life, consider freezing lobster meat for 4-6 months in air-tight packaging.
Preparing fresh lobster requires thoughtful technique to ensure the most humane treatment. Dispatching the lobster swiftly before cooking is recommended by most chefs and authorities. The two-step approach of freezing then using a knife minimizes any pain and distress. Following proper killing and cooking methods allows you to enjoy the sweet taste and texture of lobster meat with a clear conscience.
Can lobsters feel pain?
Jonathan Birch, an assistant professor of philosophy at the London School of Economics, says that pain is “an unpleasant sensation and feeling associated with actual or potential tissue damage.”
Defined like this, experiments suggest crustaceans do feel pain, Dr Birch explains in his article “Crabs and lobsters deserve protection from being cooked alive”.
In a series of tests at Queen’s University in Belfast, crabs gave up a good place to hide in the dark after getting shocked there several times.
The head of the team doing the experiments, Prof. Robert Elwood, said, “They were willing to give up their hiding place to avoid the source of their likely pain.” He told the BBC that many experiments had shown “rapid avoidance learning” and that “crustaceans giving up highly valuable resources to avoid certain noxious stimuli.” This fits with the idea that pain is real.
Crustaceans dont necessarily exhibit signs of pain that are easily recognisable to humans, say welfare activists. Stress-induced behaviours include thrashing, trying to escape and autotomy – where body parts are shed by the animal in response to damage or capture.
This could be why they aren’t protected by many countries’ animal welfare laws. However, decapod crustaceans are protected in Norway, New Zealand, and Switzerland, and there are campaigns for change in other places.
So how should you kill them?
Humanely, say activists, which means that they are killed right away or put into a state of continuous unconsciousness until they die.
But neither stunning nor killing crustaceans is necessarily a simple business when compared, for example, to fish.
This is because crustaceans don’t have centralized nervous systems like fish do. This means that hitting them in the head won’t knock them out.
Like with fish, you have to pierce a lobster’s body more than once to “spike” it to death.
So the best ways to achieve a quick death are, according to animal welfare charity RSPCA Australia:
- Stunning it electronically with a device like the Crustastun before killing or cooking it. However, since the device is said to cost £2,500 ($3,400), this probably won’t appeal to home cooks.
- Putting the crustacean in cold air or an ice slurry (saltwater or freshwater, depending on the species) for at least 20 minutes to stun it.
- The RSPCA says that once the lobster is stunned, it should be killed mechanically as soon as possible by cutting it down the middle on the underside. This can be done without shocking the animal first, but it’s not completely humane because it only takes a few seconds for even the most skilled person to do.
- Using the aquatic fish tranquilizer AQUI-S, which studies show can kill without hurting or distressing the fish
How to Dispatch a Lobster Humanely.
How do you cut a lobster?
Using a tea towel to hold the lobster, place it on a non-slip cutting board. Using a sharp, long knife split the first chain of nerve centres on the top of its head, between the eyes. This may require use of a mallet to drive in the knife.
How do you kill a lobster?
There are a few ways to kill a lobster. By doing it before cooking, you have the option to boil, bake, steam, or cook it in another way. Freeze the lobster by placing it in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes before putting it headfirst into a pot of boiling water.
How do you eat a lobster with a knife?
A quicker option is to plunge a knife straight down into the carapace (part of exoskeleton on the lobster’s back). Place the tip of a sharp chef’s knife behind the lobster’s eyes, right below where the claws meet the body and halfway to the first joint. Swiftly plunge the knife down through the head.
How do you kill a lobster in a crock pot?
Put the lobster on a cutting board and a baking sheet. You’ll be using a large knife to kill the lobster, so pick up the lobster by its back and set the lobster on a sturdy cutting board. Also place a baking sheet underneath the cutting board so that any liquids that come out of the lobster don’t cause a mess.