"How can I keep my lobster meat tender?"

First, before we get into cooking live lobsters, know that Maine’s water conditions along the coast includes the perfect home for clawed lobsters. A cooler water temperature causes the lobster’s meat to grow slowly, which in turn creates a denser, but more tender meat. Seldomly will a “mushy” lobster get pulled from the rocky crevices along the shoreline. These lobsters have the time to forage for fish, sea urchins, mussels, and other tasty nutrients in the North Atlantic. Consequently, they grow meat that tastes buttery sweet and plump in texture. Not only that, but they also boast noteworthy health benefits that combat ailments like depression and anemia. A 3 oz. serving of lobster boasts 27.55 grams of protein and is rich in selenium and omega-3s.

Cooking your lobster for a tender, juicy meat requires a keen eye on your timer and also on high-quality lobster dealers. Once you find a lobster source that delivers a meat-filled Maine lobster that’s fresh, bookmark the site. Let’s take a look at the two extremes, undercooked and overcooked. Not allowing the lobster to fully reach 140 degrees F will potentially give you stomach pains and a fever, etc. No, lobster isn’t like a chocolate cookie, when a cookie dough taste is actually good. Not in lobster! Conversely, leaving the lobster in the pot too long results in tough, chewy meat. You don’t want beef jerky in your lobster! Aim for the prize. Steam for a tender sweet meat or boil for recipes that require picked meat. The shell should turn red and the meat between the body and tail changes from a translucence to a white. Mushiness is a warm water lobster issue, but in Maine lobsters it normally signals a lobster that was cooked when dead. Yes, it’s best to cook them live. Eat fresh. Set the timer and shoot for the goal. A 1 lb. lobster takes about 10-13 minutes to cook. Weigh your catch and proportionally cook from there. If you chose a presteamed lobster, your work is done. Reheat and get dipping!