6-Pound Lobster

Growing up in New England, it's not uncommon to have lobster as an occasional dinner.  And while my favorite way to enjoy lobster is "in the rough" (boiled or steamed lobster served whole in the shell) Maryanne and Lynnafred have grown less fond of it that way as years have passed.

Because of that, and because I've found that there is proportionately more meat in larger lobsters, I tend to buy one big lobster as a base for family dinners these days, rather than multiple small lobsters.  I'll use the big one to make lobster rolls for everyone, or lobster cakes.

Last week when the new Shop Rite in Enfield opened their doors, one of the Grand Opening specials was lobster for $4.99 a pound - no matter how big the bug.  I chose a 6-pounder and it was so big the only thing I had to cook him in was my big aluminum turkey roaster.  Two inches of water in the bottom, lobster on the rack, cover the roaster, bring the water to a boil and steam 40 minutes. Done.

Well, not quite done.  Cooked, yes, but it still needed to be shucked.  The tail was no problem, but the claws were more difficult. This was a hardshell lobster, and the shell was a little more than 1/16-inch thick!  None of the claw crackers I have were up to the task - I ended up using my massive meat pounder, Mjöllnir, to open them up.

When all was said and done, I ended up with a little over two pounds of lobster meat and about a pound of tomalley - a very nice pile of briney deliciousness - and we had the aforementioned lobster cakes for supper.

Above, left to right:  Lobster claw, Mjöllnir.  Prolonged thumping with Mjöllnir resulted
in the small opening shown. 

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