How to Eat a Lobster

Lobsters belong to the crustacean variety. They can be broadly classified as clawed ones and those without claws. They can be obtained from the sea as well as from fresh water bodies. Lobsters are served as an expensive gourmet dish, and the price of a lobster depends on its type. Clawed lobsters, especially Reef lobsters are the ones commonly eaten all over. They are green in color when they are taken out from the water, and turn red when cooked. Lobsters can be boiled, grilled or steamed. Boiling lobsters is the easiest method of cooking them. Lobsters are usually served with lemon and butter.

Eating a Lobster

Lobster is a seafood delicacy enjoyed by many people all over the world. Eating a boiled lobster dipped with butter is a real pleasure. Eating a live lobster is also enjoyed by some people. Meat is found in the body, tail and claws of the lobster. The tail is the most preferred and popular portion that is consumed. The meat in the tail is tender and sweet, while the claws are more flavored. Some lobsters have soft shells that can be cut open with bare hands.

Lobster Eating Tools

• Lobster Bib: You will definitely need it as cutting and eating a lobster is a messy process. A lobster bib is made up of plastic, and protects your clothes from the lobster juice and butter. You can also make use of napkins as a replacement.
• Lobster Pick: It is used to extract the tiny portions of meat from small parts of the lobster.
• Claw Cracker: It is used to crack lobster claws. You can also use a nut cracker as another option.

How to Eat a Lobster

You must have tried a lobster recipe at home. Now let's get to the most important part of pulling the meat out of that hard shell and eating the lobster. It is quite simple if you follow the right technique. You should not get intimidated by the idea of eating a whole lobster in a restaurant for the first time. You need not wrestle with a fork and knife to cut the lobster shell, as cutting into it is quite a hands-on experience.

1. The claws are the easiest part to begin with. You have to twist the claws and separate them from their joints. Begin with the front claws. Crack the claws using the claw cracker or the nut cracker. Take out the meat using lobster pick.
2. Now separate the tail and body using a twisting motion. This you have to do with force. Split the two apart. You will notice a green substance which is actually the lobster's liver, known as tomalley. Some people even find it delicious.
3. Break the tail flippers from the tail. If you find it difficult, you can make use of your kitchen knife to cut the shell. Extract the meat using your finger or a fork. You must remember to remove the digestive tract that is below the meat, as it is not something to be eaten.
4. Use lobster picks to remove the meat from the legs and tail fins. When you remove the smaller claws you will find meat in the joints. The meat in the legs can be difficult to get out. You can suck it directly like sucking on a straw. Cut the extracted meat into small pieces. Dip them in melted butter and eat it using a seafood fork.

Some restaurants may serve lobsters that are cut in the middle. This will be a great help to you and also save your time. A little practice will make you a professional. Once you gain confidence, you will enjoy a whole lobster, which is a delightful experience.