Many people object to the common practice of cooking a live lobster by plunging it into boiling water. Those with tender hearts and animal rights philosophies are concerned about the pain the animal experiences and advocate more humane ways of creating lobster dinners.
There has been a lot of scientific research done to try to determine the amount of pain a lobster actually feels. While not being totally conclusive the findings have been good news for people who love to eat fresh lobster.
A lobster has a very simple brain that consists primarily of a group of nerve endings. The whole brain is about the same size as a grasshopper's which gives you an idea of how small it is. Since the lobster's brain is so lacking in complexity, it is obvious that he's incapable of doing any deep thinking.
Scientists have concluded that there is no way a lobster's brain is complex enough for the lobster to be able to feel pain when plunged into boiling water. The findings have ended the debate about cooking lobsters, at least for now, by saying it's okay to boil, steam, and grill live lobsters.
To steam a lobster you need to start with a four to five gallon pot which is the ideal size for steaming six to eight pounds of lobster. Put about two inches of seawater (if you have access to it) or other salted water in the bottom of the pot. Put your steaming rack inside the pot, and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the live lobsters one at a time. Put the lid on the pot and start timing. One pound of lobster takes approximately 10 minutes to steam. With six to eight pounds, it will take closer to an hour. Make sure that you rearrange the lobsters in the pot half way through the cooking process.
For every 1 to 2 pounds of lobster you want to boil, add three quarts of water to your large pot. Calculate the total number of gallons of water in the pot, and add one quarter cup of salt for each gallon. Heat the water to a rolling boil and add the lobsters one at a time. It will take about 8 minutes to boil one pound of lobster. Six to eight pounds will take 50 minutes to an hour. Halfway through the cooking time, stir the lobsters.
To grill a lobster you must first par-boil it. You do this the same way you boil a lobster; however, you limit the boiling time to five minutes. Remove the lobsters from the pot and plunge them into cold water so that they won't continue to cook. Drain the lobsters. To prepare them for grilling, place each lobster on its back on a cutting board. Split the lobster down the middle and remove the black tail vein and the sand sac near the head. Baste the lobster with butter. Grill with flesh side down for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn it over, baste it again, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
There are still people who shy away from lobsters that are cooked live, but most have come to accept the fact that the lobsters do not suffer. Cooking a live lobster is the way to experience the freshest lobster meat available. Not only can you purchase live lobsters at restaurants and supermarkets, there are also many wonderful online seafood shops that promise the very freshest lobster delivered to your door overnight. - 15359
There has been a lot of scientific research done to try to determine the amount of pain a lobster actually feels. While not being totally conclusive the findings have been good news for people who love to eat fresh lobster.
A lobster has a very simple brain that consists primarily of a group of nerve endings. The whole brain is about the same size as a grasshopper's which gives you an idea of how small it is. Since the lobster's brain is so lacking in complexity, it is obvious that he's incapable of doing any deep thinking.
Scientists have concluded that there is no way a lobster's brain is complex enough for the lobster to be able to feel pain when plunged into boiling water. The findings have ended the debate about cooking lobsters, at least for now, by saying it's okay to boil, steam, and grill live lobsters.
To steam a lobster you need to start with a four to five gallon pot which is the ideal size for steaming six to eight pounds of lobster. Put about two inches of seawater (if you have access to it) or other salted water in the bottom of the pot. Put your steaming rack inside the pot, and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the live lobsters one at a time. Put the lid on the pot and start timing. One pound of lobster takes approximately 10 minutes to steam. With six to eight pounds, it will take closer to an hour. Make sure that you rearrange the lobsters in the pot half way through the cooking process.
For every 1 to 2 pounds of lobster you want to boil, add three quarts of water to your large pot. Calculate the total number of gallons of water in the pot, and add one quarter cup of salt for each gallon. Heat the water to a rolling boil and add the lobsters one at a time. It will take about 8 minutes to boil one pound of lobster. Six to eight pounds will take 50 minutes to an hour. Halfway through the cooking time, stir the lobsters.
To grill a lobster you must first par-boil it. You do this the same way you boil a lobster; however, you limit the boiling time to five minutes. Remove the lobsters from the pot and plunge them into cold water so that they won't continue to cook. Drain the lobsters. To prepare them for grilling, place each lobster on its back on a cutting board. Split the lobster down the middle and remove the black tail vein and the sand sac near the head. Baste the lobster with butter. Grill with flesh side down for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn it over, baste it again, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
There are still people who shy away from lobsters that are cooked live, but most have come to accept the fact that the lobsters do not suffer. Cooking a live lobster is the way to experience the freshest lobster meat available. Not only can you purchase live lobsters at restaurants and supermarkets, there are also many wonderful online seafood shops that promise the very freshest lobster delivered to your door overnight. - 15359
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