“Okay then, take the lobster!”
A famous quote by Matthew Perry as Chandler in the 90s popular TV show FRIENDS. He suggested his friend Monica choose lobster for her lovely dinner date.
That shows how lobsters are elegant and delicious dishes. You might wonder seafoods are expensive dishes in exclusive restaurants. How could you eat lobsters at home?
Well, you can cook at home. It’s pretty easy and doesn’t even take much time to cook! Steamed lobster is even better than any other type.
You can preserve all the juices inside while cooking. It’ll make your home recipe more pleasing in your mouth; just gives the taste of an actual restaurant style.
However, there are different cooking times according to the size of your lobster. The heavier your lobster is, the more steaming time it’ll require.
Don’t worry, we got your back! Follow the article to learn more about how long to steam lobster in detail.
Pick Your Favorite Type of Lobster
Lobsters come in two types. The winter ones are harder shelled than the summer ones which have differences in taste. You’ll find lower flesh in soft shells but they are sweeter than the hard-shelled lobsters. However, if you love more meat in them, you’ll love to crack the hard shells because it’s all worth it.
You may need at least a 1.5-pound lobster for one person. Make that 2-pounds to be safe in case someone is really hungry! Now, people have different taste buds. So, it’s better to choose a lobster which maximum people votes. They both are delicious!
The Right Sized Lobster Pot
Now, let’s get this straight. Pot size does matter in cooking lobster. It’s obvious that the larger your lobster is, the bigger sized pot you’ll have to use. You shouldn’t choose a pot where your lobsters will get crowded a lot. You need to let them have enough space to cook evenly.
Cook them in batches if your pot size is small. You must maintain the same amount of water in every batch, or else, the cooking time per batch will vary. So, a 19-quart pot will be ideal for 5-6 1-1/4 lobsters to cook perfectly. For small lobsters, you can use a 4-5-quart soup or pasta pot. Don’t bother for a heavy-duty pot. It will actually be easier to boil water in a lighter metal pot.
Why Steam Lobster?
Steaming Lobster is much better than boiling them. Let us tell you why. Steamed lobster is cooked slowly. So, the meat becomes more tender than any other process. The lobsters will be free of diluted water.
You’ll face no mess of dripped water once they’re taken out of the pot. Besides, the lobsters will be evenly cooked at the same time if they are steamed. Last but not the least, you’ll find a perfect balance of taste; not overcooked nor undercooked. It’ll definitely rock your dinner date.
How Long to Steam Lobster?
The most important aspect in lobster cooking – how long to steam lobster. You’ll find that not all types of lobsters cook at the same time. The thicker its flesh is, the more it’ll take time be properly cooked.
That means if your lobster is heavier in weight, you’ll need to steam it for a longer time. You can follow the chart below to get the exact time a lobster needs to get steamed evenly depending on weight.
| Lobster Weight | How Long to Steam Lobster |
| 1 pound | 10 minutes |
| 1 – ¼ pounds | 12 minutes |
| 1 – ¾ pounds | 14 minutes |
| 2 pounds | 18 minutes |
| 2 – ½ pounds | 22 minutes |
| 3 pounds | 25 – 30 minutes |
| 5 pounds | 40 – 45 minutes |
Steaming Lobsters Without a Rack
Rack is not always necessary while cooking lobsters. You can easily steam without a rack, substituting it with seaweeds. So, let’s show you how you can avoid racks and cook your lobsters naturally. At first, you have to fill the pot with two inches of water. You can add in a pinch of salt int it.
However, you can skip the salt because the seaweed will make your water salty naturally. Then boil the seaweed in shallow water. Once the water is boiled, you’ll see steam coming out. Now, place the lobsters carefully on the seaweeds. Make sure you don’t burn your hands! If you cannot find seaweeds, you can just place your lobsters inside the pot on the boiling water.
Rotate them halfway through so that they can get evenly cooked. It’ll also help to steam off the excess water from the shells. After that, cover the pot and let them steam. We already discussed how long it’ll take to steam lobsters according to their size. Just wait until it’s cooked fully and serve hot.
Check if it’s Perfectly Cooked!
Now, steaming your lobsters may be a little tricky. Not all of the lobsters will be cooked at the same time. The lobsters on the top of the pot will take longer time to cook than the bottom ones. You can check if the lobsters are cooked by pulling the antenna. If you see the antenna pops off, you’ll know it’s perfectly cooked. Want to try another step to be sure completely?
Well, you can remove one lobster and cut the bottom of the tail. If you see the flesh is entirely white and firm, then you’re good to go! You must drain steamed lobster once it’s done.
If you’re late for even a minute, there might be chances of your lobster to become overcooked. To let the steam away, you can also slightly pierce the body and tail with a knife. Your lobster is ready to be served!
