Boiled Lobster

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil over high. Salt the water. (A good rule of thumb is to add 3 tablespoons of salt for each gallon of water.)

2. Step 2

   Quickly add lobster to the boiling water, plunging it head first and making sure it is completely submerged. Immediately cover and cook until the lobster is bright red and meat is just cooked through, 9 minutes. (Start timing as soon as you cover the pot; the water will come back to a boil in 1 to 2 minutes.) If the water starts to boil over, leave the pot open just a crack (but as little as possible, to retain the high heat and continuous boil).

3. Step 3

   Meanwhile, set up a large bowl or roasting pan of ice water. (It should be large enough to submerge the whole cooked lobster.)

4. Step 4

   Using tongs, transfer the cooked lobster to the prepared ice bath and cool completely, about 5 minutes.

5. Step 5

   Working over a large cutting board, remove the meat from the lobster: Holding the tail with one hand and the head with the other, twist the lobster to separate the body from the tail. Starting from the base where the claws connect to the body, twist off and separate the claws from the body. Using kitchen towels to protect your hands, separate the knuckles from the claws by twisting them apart.

6. Step 6

   For the tail meat: On the cutting board, turn the tail underside facing up. Using scissors, start at the open side and snip down the center of the shell that covers the meat; using two hands, firmly spread open and split the shell, then carefully remove the tail meat in one piece.

7. Step 7

   For the claws and knuckles: Gently wiggle and pull off the “thumb” of the claws, then using a meat mallet or lobster cracker, gently crack the claw shells and remove the meat. (A small fork or tweezers are helpful in getting into the small crevices.) Repeat for the knuckles. (Scissors can help to cut through the thinner knuckle shells.)

8. Step 8

   Discard lobster head and shells or reserve for lobster stock.

9. Step 9

   If necessary, rinse the lobster pieces in the ice water to clean off any remaining bits of shell. Pat dry well and keep chilled until ready to use. Serve with melted butter or reserve the cooked lobster for lobster rolls or another use. (For warm lobster, melt some butter in a small saucepan and add the lobster; baste until warm, about 2 minutes.)