Steamed lobster is a delicious tasty way to enjoy this succulent crustacean. When cooking lobster, timing is everything. Undercook it and the meat will be rubbery and translucent. Cook it too long and the meat becomes tough and chewy. So how long exactly should you steam a lobster for tender flaky, perfectly cooked meat?
The steaming time can vary slightly depending on the size and quantity of lobsters, but there are general guidelines to follow for perfectly steamed lobster every time.
Steaming Times for Lobsters
Here are the approximate steaming times for different lobster sizes
- 1 pound lobster – steam for 7-9 minutes
- 1.25 pound lobster – steam for 9-11 minutes
- 1.5 pound lobster – steam for 10-12 minutes
- 1.75 pound lobster – steam for 12-14 minutes
- 2 pound lobster – steam for 14-16 minutes
- 2.5 pound lobster – steam for 18-20 minutes
- 3 pound lobster – steam for 20-22 minutes
As a general rule of thumb, steam 1 pound lobsters for about 8 minutes, and add 2-3 minutes of steaming time for each additional 1/2 pound.
For example, a 1.5 pound lobster should steam for about 12 minutes. A 2.5 pound lobster should steam for around 20 minutes.
How to Tell When Lobster is Done Steaming
Checking for doneness is an important part of knowing exactly how long to steam lobsters. Here are some tips:
- Use a meat thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 140°F in the thickest part of the meat.
- Check the shell color. It should be bright orange-red when fully cooked.
- Pull back the tail meat slightly. It should be opaque and white, not translucent.
- Twist off a small tail section. The meat should come out easily when fully cooked, not stuck to the shell.
If after checking, you find the lobster needs a bit more time, re-cover and steam for 2-3 more minutes. It’s easy to continue cooking without overdoing it.
Steaming Multiple Lobsters
If steaming more than one lobster at a time, add 2-3 minutes to the total cooking time.
Here are approximate steaming times for multiple lobsters:
- 2 one-pound lobsters – steam for 10-12 minutes
- 3 one-pound lobsters – steam for 12-14 minutes
- 4 one-pound lobsters – steam for 14-16 minutes
- 2 two-pound lobsters – steam for 18-20 minutes
Place lobsters in a single layer in the steamer, not piled on top of each other to allow steam to circulate evenly. Check each lobster for doneness as the minimum cooking time passes.
Tips for Steaming Lobsters Perfectly
Follow these tips for tender, juicy steamed lobster every time:
- Use live lobsters whenever possible for the best results.
- Steam over rapidly boiling water in a covered pot, not simmering water.
- Use a tight-fitting lid and avoid peeking to keep steam circulating.
- Use a steaming rack to keep lobsters above boiling water, not immersed.
- Add 2 tablespoons salt per quart of water to season the lobster.
- Rinse any debris from lobsters before steaming but don’t scrub them.
- Twist and pull off rubber bands from claws before steaming.
- Transfer steamed lobsters immediately to a bowl to stop cooking.
Serving Steamed Lobster Hot or Cold
Steamed lobster is delicious served hot right out of the steamer, brushed with melted butter.
For cold lobster salad or rolls, chill the steamed lobster for about 1 hour before serving. Put lobster meat in an airtight container and place in the fridge until cool.
You can also cool lobster down quickly by submerging the cooked lobster in ice water for 15 minutes before refrigerating. This stops the cooking process for tender meat.
Storing Leftover Steamed Lobster
You can store leftover steamed lobster in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Wrap lobster meat in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. You can also freeze lobster for 2-3 months for longer storage.
Reheating steamed lobster is easy – simply steam the chilled lobster for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. Avoid overcooking reheated lobster.
Steaming Lobster Safely
Take care when steaming live lobsters at home:
- Use tongs or sturdy gloves when handling live lobsters.
- Bring the steaming liquid to a boil before adding lobsters.
- Cover the pot when adding lobsters to prevent splashing.
- Steam on a back burner out of children’s reach.
Steaming lobsters requires attention to get the timing just right. But following these guidelines will help you achieve tender, perfectly cooked lobster every time. Now it’s time to get steaming!
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What’s the fastest and kindest way to kill a lobster? I’ve done it before by sticking a knife into what I thought was the brain stem, but I’ve never been sure about this. Experts, please weigh in.
Freezing a lobster just long enough to make it sleep is enough to kill it. Put it in the boiling water frozen and by the time its awake it will be dead. You should ALWAYS look for the most humane way to slaughter. Its a profound thing to do. We have to kill to eat – animals or plants. We cant eat rocks, only living things. You should ALWAYS think about it.
I live in Gloucester, MA. , wher we ship a ton of lobster daily. This is the perfect recipe and the way it is done in every home here.
On behalf of the Star Island Lobster Body Cartel, were pleased to endorse this recipe and thank Mr. Sifton for maintaining the integrity of a time-honored tradition.
Dont consider an animals pain before killing it? Disgusting, unethical, the opposite way were going with food animals. A fish has the same pain nerves as we do. There’s a video on YouTube that shows how to do it, and we didn’t want to be mean or cowardly, so we did it: put the lobster on its back, point the knife at the point where the tail and head meet, and cut down through the middle. Then, cut across the brain between the eyes to kill it right away.
If someone feels bad about killing a lobster or other animal before eating it, they shouldn’t eat that thing. It’s possible that some cave people didn’t eat only plants and had to kill animals to stay alive. People are fine with having someone else kill and process their live animals. They seem to think it is more socially acceptable for someone else to do it. But they will eat the delicious animals, and think that is ok, too. Pure hypocrisy. Get over it.
For those who are really scared, you can ask the seafood market to steam them for you and then pick them up right before dinner. Doesnt smell up the house, either!.
A Maine native, Im delighted to see LBNs agreement with this direction. A common piece of advice is to boil something for 20 minutes. This will definitely ruin your plans for a memorable, mouth-watering, delectable, delicious, culinary experience. Honor the lobster, it brings us great pleasure.
The lobster doesnt have a nervous system like vertebrates. They have groups of neurons that respond to things, but there isn’t strong evidence that they feel pain (one lobster can cut off another lobster’s limb and the hurt lobster doesn’t seem to do anything). But to be sure, freeze them for a few minutes and cut them behind the head to get to the brain stem. This is the kindest way to kill anything.
I always bang them on the head first thinking I will knock the out. Then I plunge them in head first. I cant sing to save my life but I may try that.
great tip to pull the antenna. Made lobster butter a few weeks ago so todays lobsters will give me stock.
Claws require less cooking than tails. Best to disjoint the lobsters and cook the parts separately.
Can this recipe be used for lobster tails? If so, how should they be checked to see if they’re done? This seems to be the most important step in most lobster recipes for making the meat tasty instead of rubbery and average. Thanks!.
It takes about 2 seconds to dispatch a cold-numbed lobster with a sharp knife. I have no idea if lobsters feel pain, but why chance it. I totally disagree with my favorite Times writer. Consider the lobster, as one would consider all creatures, especially one that brings us such pleasure.
I tried to kill the lobsters according to directions kill but they didnt die! It was horrible.
The lobsters were red when I was done cooking them for 20 minutes, but their antennae were still attached. Cooked a few minutes more, still couldnt pull out the antennae. So I stopped cooking them anyway but at this point they were a little overcooked. I wont use that method to check for doneness anymore!.
If someone feels bad about killing a lobster or other animal before eating it, they shouldn’t eat that thing. It’s possible that some cave people didn’t eat only plants and had to kill animals to stay alive. People are fine with having someone else kill and process their live animals. They seem to think it is more socially acceptable for someone else to do it. But they will eat the delicious animals, and think that is ok, too. Pure hypocrisy. Get over it.
I agree. If you like eating meat, you should kill and dress an animal at least once in your life. Killing a lobster is a lot less stressful and messy than putting a live chicken in the pot or a thick piece of a living, breathing cow or pig on the grill.
Lobster stock recipe please? Not included as promised.
Youll find it if you click on “Three Ways Till Sunday.”
Freezing a lobster just long enough to make it sleep is enough to kill it. Put it in the boiling water frozen and by the time its awake it will be dead. You should ALWAYS look for the most humane way to slaughter. Its a profound thing to do. We have to kill to eat – animals or plants. We cant eat rocks, only living things. You should ALWAYS think about it.
Dont consider an animals pain before killing it? Disgusting, unethical, the opposite way were going with food animals. A fish has the same pain nerves as we do. There’s a video on YouTube that shows how to do it, and we didn’t want to be mean or cowardly, so we did it: put the lobster on its back, point the knife at the point where the tail and head meet, and cut down through the middle. Then, cut across the brain between the eyes to kill it right away.
A Maine native, Im delighted to see LBNs agreement with this direction. A common piece of advice is to boil something for 20 minutes. This will definitely ruin your plans for a memorable, mouth-watering, delectable, delicious, culinary experience. Honor the lobster, it brings us great pleasure.
It was a long time ago that I read that lobsters will “go to sleep” in warm water if you put them in a sink. I dont know if its true but Ive never heard a lobster scream.
I thought it was supposed to be ice cold water – more like their natural habitat. Would love to know for sure!.
Before cooking the lobster, I always put its head first into a big pot of salted, boiling water. Then I keep the lid on and sing really loud for a minute, just in case it makes a noise. Then I simmer them for the rest of the time. I read that that is the most humane way, since they die of suffocation almost immediately. Anyone care to weigh in on this approach?.
I always bang them on the head first thinking I will knock the out. Then I plunge them in head first. I cant sing to save my life but I may try that.
For those who are really scared, you can ask the seafood market to steam them for you and then pick them up right before dinner. Doesnt smell up the house, either!.
I live in Gloucester, MA. , wher we ship a ton of lobster daily. This is the perfect recipe and the way it is done in every home here.
What’s the fastest and kindest way to kill a lobster? I’ve done it before by sticking a knife into what I thought was the brain stem, but I’ve never been sure about this. Experts, please weigh in.
Thats exactly what we do here at 2gourmaniacs. Push a large blade knife in the back of the lobsters “neck” to kill it. Then you can either put it in water or skewer and grill it, but for the tastiest lobster, we usually sous-vide it. We absolutely refuse to boil any living thing!.
Do not put a knife into the brainstem!!! There is a poison sac in the lobster’s head that you do not want to open. Instead, put the lobster headfirst into boiling water. Once it’s cool and the claws and tails are off, take the shell off the body and twist off the part of the head above the feelers. Hope this helps, but please dont stick a knife into the head!!!.
I think the best way is to put them in the freezer for 20 mins or so. They are not dead or frozen, but they are almost totally shut down. So cold they dont know whats happening.
Claws require less cooking than tails. Best to disjoint the lobsters and cook the parts separately.
Disjoint them while theyre alive??? I know Im missing something here.Private notes are only visible to you.
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