How To Cook Live Lobster

There are a few different ways to easily cook live lobsters at home.  Below are the most popular methods with some straight forward instructions:

BOILING: The easiest way to cook a live lobster.

  1. Use a large pot with a lid, the larger the better.
  2. Fill with enough water in the pot to cover the lobster completely.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt for every 2 liters (4 pints) of water (or you can use water from the ocean if it's available).
  4. Bring the water to a full rolling boil.
  5. Take the live lobster from the back and put it headfirst into the boiling water.
  6. Cover the pot and once the water has started to boil again, start timing.
  7. Boil the lobster for 10 minutes for the first 1-lb of weight and then 3 more minutes for each extra pound. A 2-lb lobster will be done in 13 minutes, a 3-lb lobster in 16 minutes.
  8. Once the time is complete and the lobster is cooked, remove the lobster from the pot, drain the lobster immediately and serve hot with some melted butter on the side for dipping.

STEAMING: This is a preferred method for many traditionalists!

Steaming your lobster is a little more time consuming but many many people say that the result is even better than boiling, giving you a more succulent and tasty lobster meat.

  1. Place a steaming rack to hold the lobster in the bottom of a large pot if possible.  This is optional and steaming can still be done without a rack.
  2. Pour 2 inches of water into the pot and add 1 tablespoon of sea salt (or you can use water from the ocean if it's available).
  3. Cover the pot with the lid and bring the water to a rolling boil.
  4. Once the water is boiling fiercely, place the lobster onto the rack (or directly in the pot), cover the pot and bring back to a boil.
  5. Begin timing once the water is boiling again.
  6. Steam the lobster for 14 minutes for the first lb of weight and then an extra 3 minutes for each extra lb. A 2 lb lobster will cook in 17 minutes, a 3 lb in 20 minutes.
  7. Once the time is complete and the lobster is cooked, remove the lobster from the pot, drain the lobster immediately and serve hot with some melted butter on the side for dipping.