By Kevin Fagan, lobsteranywhere.com
Source: David Todd Mccarty, Unsplash
Look, we all know that when it comes to seafood, the freshest is the best. Even a few days’ separations from the seafloor are enough to cut down the quality of otherwise-perfect ocean fare. But while you can’t control where you live and where your local seafood comes from, you have total control over which lobster at the market is the best choice for your exquisite dinner plans. Don’t go looking for lobsters without knowing how to pick out the very best. First, make sure to read through our New Englander’s guide to picking out a great lobster.
Is Frozen Lobster Worth It?
There’s no denying that frozen lobster is a good choice for some chefs, particularly those who live far inland and don’t have access to true “catch of the day” shellfish. And while a fresh catch is always tempting, frozen lobster offers some benefits you might want to take advantage of.
Since lobster spoils faster than almost any other shellfish, freezing them is common among fishmongers, and almost all lobster shipped to chain grocers is frozen first to preserve them. As a result, frozen lobsters can be trusted to hold for much longer than their fresh counterparts.
Prepping frozen lobster is typically a lot easier than preparing live lobster. For one thing, due to the laws surrounding harvesting lobsters, you’ll have to have a large enough stockpot to prep a live one, but frozen lobster tails are usually already cut from the rest of the animal and ready to go on the grill after thawing.
Not too keen on the grill? Frozen lobster is also easy to prepare by steaming, roasting, poaching, or even sous-vide style. While you can pull this off with a live lobster, the prep work that goes into getting it ready is laborious. In a pinch, frozen lobster is absolutely fine if you don’t have access to live lobsters nearby.
Why Live Lobster is Even Better
Who needs to be told that fresh is the best way to go? If you’re lucky enough to live near the coastline or have a high-quality fishmonger nearby with a good supplier, hand-picking a live lobster is a fun experience that brings you joy and satisfaction from the moment you glance into the tank.
Remember, the delicious meat in a lobster’s tail and claws are mostly muscle. This means that if you see a frisky, energetic lobster, you’ve spotted one that likes to work those muscles. Try and select a lobster that likes to move around in the tank to get the most bang for your buck.
Additionally, make sure to avoid lobsters with broken or missing antennae or busted up shells. These are the lobsters that have been passed over frequently, and they’ve typically been living in the aquarium for a while. If they’ve been swimming in the same water for a while and their tank hasn’t been cleaned, they may develop an unpleasant taste from pollutants in their environment.
You also want to pick a lobster with a strong, sturdy shell and haven’t molted recently. Like many land-dwelling reptiles, lobsters occasionally molt (or shed) their shells to grow hardy new replacements. For the best culinary results, stay away from the soft-shelled guys that have recently disposed of their old, worn-out shells. You can quite easily feel the difference with your hands if you compare a few of the lobsters, and if the molting is very recent, you might even be able to spot a discolored, translucent quality to the color of the shell.
Live lobster also comes with the advantage of, well, enjoying the whole lobster! Frozen lobster tails are missing some of the most popular parts of the shellfish, like the claws and even the tomalley (the liver and pancreas). While the tomalley’s unique taste may put off some of your guests, it’s a delicacy that enhances any lobster meal for the diner with an adventurous taste or a well-developed palate.
When you’re done preparing your live lobster for a fresh seafood dinner, you can continue to enjoy it long after that first meal. If you save the shells from a whole live lobster, you can freeze them and thaw them out later to make lobster stock for a creamy bisque or savory broth. The more lobsters you cook, the more shells you’ll have to keep on cooking quality seafood treats!
No matter how you prefer to prepare your lobster, picking, the right one is essential to serving an impressive meal. New Englanders revel in their rich seafood-lined coast, but even outside of the Atlantic northeast, you can still find high-quality lobsters all year round as long as you know what to look for.