Easy Gourmet Guide: How to Cook a Lobster

It's not as difficult as you think.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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This feature also appears in Complex's June/July 2011 issue.

When picking out lobsters, David Girard, head chef at Buoy One (62 Montauk Highway) in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., recommends you look for ones with hard shells. A soft shell indicates the animal has recently molted, which means there's less meat inside. Another thing to check is the lobster's antennae. A crustacean with short antennae has likely spent time in a holding tank, getting into fights. It's no the fighting that you should worry about, but this is an indicator that the animal has probably been sitting in less-than-pristine water, and absorbing less-than-pristine flavors. Lobsters fresh off a boat will have longer antennae and better tasting meat.

As for cooking them, Girard says to keep it simple: "Steam them instead of boiling. It usually takes about 15 minutes to steam an average 1.5 pound lobsters, and steaming helps you avoid overcooking them. Plan on paying around $14 per pound at market, But know that prices vary depending on how far you are from the coast. Get crackin'.

Keep clicking for three great lobster recipes.

Clam Bake

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Lobster Roll

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Grilled Lobster Tail

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