Steamed Lobster

Steaming lobster is one of the best ways to enjoy the true flavor of a fresh live lobster.  Steaming is a gentler method of cooking than boiling lobster, and steaming keeps the lobster meat a little more tender then boiling.  It is also harder to overcook a lobster when steaming (if a lobster is boiled for too long it will be tough).  But it is a little more difficult to remove the meat from a steamed lobster (as compared to a boiled lobster), so if you want to make the lobster a little easier to eat after cracking, or if you are cooking the lobster to use the meat in a another recipe, you might prefer to boil rather than steam.

It is best to use natural seawater for steaming lobster, but if that is not available, simply add about two tablespoons of sea salt to each quart of water.

• 1 pound lobster – steam 10 minutes
• 1-1/4 pound lobster – steam 12 minutes
• 1-1/2 pound lobster – steam 14 minutes
• 1-3/4 pound lobster – steam 16 minutes
• 2 pound lobster – steam 18-20 minutes
• 2-1/2 pound lobster – steam 20-25 minutes

Once or twice during steaming, open the lid and move the lobsters around to make sure they steam evenly.