Seasoning Lobster Boiling Water

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Oh dear, just one in the house is enough for me to say... "What a wonderful invitation to come for supper and I truly thank you. I'm sorry to say though that I cannot accept." lol!

Lizards, rats and mealy bugs I don't mind. As long as they have legs, I'm good. She must be beautiful. I looked up your "gems" a long time ago as I was suspicious that that was indeed what you were referring to. LOL I was right!

I've had this phobia since childhood. No one knows why. I never really told anyone about it but now I can at least talk about them. Of course I still have nightmares for about 3 nights after talking but...

They are just dragons without wings...that being said, I have the same phobia.
 
Just keep in mind that we cook bugs and mud bugs! :ROFLMAO:


Are they for Emma, the Emerald, or Curly Lizabet? Or for your selves?

I would try to try them, but I'm not a big fan. Would be better if with my first mouthful you just plain lied about the contents. :LOL:
 
Florida lobster are great steamed using equal parts water and white vinegar mixed with Old Bay and kosher salt. Perfect for a "shrimp" cocktail, using lobster instead or lobster salad. With crab, shrimp and lobster (Caribbean/Florida) the vinegar brings out the sweetness during steaming, IMO. I use the Old Bay very sparingly. Maine lobster is too delicate to steam with Old Bay. I don't like crab done in a crawfish boil and I don't like crawfish steamed with Old Bay.

Yes, I like Old Bay too with some things, but just sparingly as you said. Not so it gets caked on the shell.

It's been so long since I've had a spiny lobster. We will be in St Augustine this Sumer visiting my sister. I'll have to be on the lookout for the lobster cocktail you mentioned.

I'm also hoping to get down to Marco/Sanibel again soon. Maybe in the Fall if I have enough travel rewards.
 
Are they for Emma, the Emerald, or Curly Lizabet? Or for your selves?

I would try to try them, but I'm not a big fan. Would be better if with my first mouthful you just plain lied about the contents. :LOL:

Bugs are slang for Caribbean lobster. Mudbugs, of course, are crawfish and look like mini Maine lobster.

We don't have names for the snake or the curly tail. The CT is free range. I just yell at Craig and tell him his girlfriend demands his presence when I go out without him and she's there. :LOL: lord only knows what the neighbors think.
 
Bugs are slang for Caribbean lobster. Mudbugs, of course, are crawfish and look like mini Maine lobster.

Well, harumph, tell Curly for me she has my full permission and encouragement to go and nibble on Craig's ear - hard - for putting me on like that. :ROFLMAO:
 
Yes, I like Old Bay too with some things, but just sparingly as you said. Not so it gets caked on the shell.

It's been so long since I've had a spiny lobster. We will be in St Augustine this Sumer visiting my sister. I'll have to be on the lookout for the lobster cocktail you mentioned.

I'm also hoping to get down to Marco/Sanibel again soon. Maybe in the Fall if I have enough travel rewards.

Seriously, back in the late '80s, '90s and up to around 2005, we were diving every Saturday, Sunday and holiday, when the weather permitted for our size boat. We did 3 dives per day. During the lobster season, when the limit was still 24 per boat, we would average around 300 per season, including Florida, slipper, shovel nose and Spanish. The latter 3 had no season, but you couldn't take females with eggs. We always gave away plenty to neighbors and friends or had parties serving lobster and fish. Parties were usually impromptu and featured that days catch, often with folks taking home some of that catch and leftovers.

My point is, when you have your freezer full and that much available, you get tired of the same old, same old.:ohmy: You have to get creative. My "Lobster Diablo", "Lobster Salad", "Lobster Cocktail", "Hogfish Polynesian" were a few of the recipes well received by others. You probably won't find the lobster cocktail as a restaurant menu item.

Heck, if things were still the same today, we'd be trying options with some of the cuisines we have started exploring.
 
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I am about to boil up some lobsters tonight.

From 2 of them I will be making Lobster Rolls (Welcome Home for my traveling neighbours).
The other I will share with a friend, hot out of the pot. (hope I can pick out the largest :LOL:)

I was wondering if any of you "season" the boiling water with anything - other than salt. Any herbs? spices?... something?

I actually have some lemon grass that I'm thinking should be used up and was wondering if I dumped one or two into the pot it could give a hint of lemon?

I know it's sort of late but if anyone sees this in time and has an opinion I'd love to hear it.
Someone on TV (can't remember who) made a sort of court bouillon to cook the lobster in. They said to plunge it into boiling water head first as that was the kindest way. (Please don't shoot the messenger - I'm only repeating what I heard)
 
Not to worry Mad Cook. I've been cooking lobster for a long time.

I was looking for an opinion as to whether or not other people "seasoned" their water and if yes, with what.

I had always just used salt. My father was a Maritimer and THAT was the only way. :rolleyes: LOL

I cooked some more the other day back with just the salt. Truth to tell? I really could not see that much difference in the flavour of the meat. Just my palate I guess.
 
Not to worry Mad Cook. I've been cooking lobster for a long time.

I was looking for an opinion as to whether or not other people "seasoned" their water and if yes, with what.

I had always just used salt. My father was a Maritimer and THAT was the only way. :rolleyes: LOL

I cooked some more the other day back with just the salt. Truth to tell? I really could not see that much difference in the flavour of the meat. Just my palate I guess.

Fear not. I think from New England to the north, it is simply salt in the water. It is when other parts of the country began to discover the delights of boiled lobster that they started to change things up. Something that simple cannot possibly be that good. Or so they thought.
 
Fear not. I think from New England to the north, it is simply salt in the water. It is when other parts of the country began to discover the delights of boiled lobster that they started to change things up. Something that simple cannot possibly be that good. Or so they thought.

Do you mean things like grilling them split or split with the head cleaned out, stuffed with crab meat stuffing and broiled? None of these preparations require boiling/steaming first. IMO, these are far better than boiling.:angel::LOL:
 
Do you mean things like grilling them split or split with the head cleaned out, stuffed with crab meat stuffing and broiled? None of these preparations require boiling/steaming first. IMO, these are far better than boiling.:angel::LOL:
I wonder if it might be an age thing... I have had lobster in many wonderful ways but, still prefer the boiled lobster with clarified butter I grew up on and enjoyed for many years until really talented cooks presented preparations such as you speak of.. If I'm not mistaken, I recall that boiled and Lobster Thermidor were the main options in the 50's and 60's.. :)

Ross
 
A real trick is when you can broil a lobster tail so it pops from the shell but doesn't dry out.

I've never been able to accomplish that, however. I end up with lobster leather stuck in the shell.
 
A real trick is when you can broil a lobster tail so it pops from the shell but doesn't dry out.

I've never been able to accomplish that, however. I end up with lobster leather stuck in the shell.

Lobster is similar in cooking like shrimp. You can very quickly overcook them. Then they turn tough.
 
Not to worry Mad Cook. I've been cooking lobster for a long time.

I was looking for an opinion as to whether or not other people "seasoned" their water and if yes, with what.

I had always just used salt. My father was a Maritimer and THAT was the only way. :rolleyes: LOL

I cooked some more the other day back with just the salt. Truth to tell? I really could not see that much difference in the flavour of the meat. Just my palate I guess.
I don't tend to cook anything that's likely to bite me first and you can't get pre-cooked lobster around here. Had it in restaurants in Spain though - delish.
 
I don't tend to cook anything that's likely to bite me first and you can't get pre-cooked lobster around here. Had it in restaurants in Spain though - delish.

You might get pinched but not bitten. There is a reason the claws have rubber bands on them when purchased.
 
You might get pinched but not bitten. There is a reason the claws have rubber bands on them when purchased.
Yes, I know about pinching - I was generalising :)wink:)

They are extortionately expensive over here which is odd, because nowhere is more that 75 miles from the sea so not much of the costing is transport.
 
Yes, I know about pinching - I was generalising :)wink:)

They are extortionately expensive over here which is odd, because nowhere is more that 75 miles from the sea so not much of the costing is transport.

I just recently watched an episode of "Bizarre Foods" featuring Ireland. Over fishing of some type of salmon has created a very limited season, small bag limits and prices through the roof. I imagine that is the same for lobster. I did some work in Kingston, Jamaica in the early '90s for a commercial lobster and conch company. The Jamaicans had wiped out viable fisheries near their coast and were working 40 miles offshore. They took everything without regard to size or egg bearing females. All for the Japanese market. Ever watched "Wicked Tuna"? The American boats are restricted to a season and size limit, even in international waters. Guess where the catch goes.;)
 
Do you mean things like grilling them split or split with the head cleaned out, stuffed with crab meat stuffing and broiled? None of these preparations require boiling/steaming first. IMO, these are far better than boiling.:angel::LOL:


Maybe it's a New England thing but I always prefer a naked steamed or boiled lobster over other preparations.

Especially a baked stuffed lobster, actually DISlike those

But I got a Big Green Egg and a house on the Cape so I'm going to grill a few this summer.
 
That reminds me of the scene from the movie The Great Outdoors when Dan Aykroyd is grilling huge lobster tails.

https://youtu.be/001dtJ0srBI

It always makes me so hungry for lobsters.
Does anyone remember about 30 years ago when gigantic African lobster tails were popular? They were like a pound or two each, just in the tail.
 
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