Choosing your fresh lobster
Choosing a live lobster can be a bit of an art, as it involves assessing the lobster’s health and vitality to ensure you get the freshest and most delicious seafood.
Here are some tips for selecting your lobster:
- It’s ideal you purchase your lobster alive which will ensure the highest quality.
- A live lobster should be lively and active. It should move its legs and antennae when picked up or touched. A sluggish or inactive lobster may not be as fresh. Movement of live lobster should only decrease with temperature.
- Examine the lobster’s shell. It should be hard and vibrant, without any cracks or holes. A damaged shell could indicate that the lobster is not in the best condition.
- Choose the size of the lobster based on your preference and recipe. Larger lobsters tend to have more meat, but smaller ones can be more tender and sweeter.
- Tail meat through the belly should appear almost transparent. If it appears opaque or cloudy, it may not be the freshest choice.
- Check the lobster’s antennae (the long, thin projections from the head). They should be intact and move when touched. Broken or missing antennae can be a sign of rough handling or poor health.
- Lobsters can vary in colour from pale pink through reds to deep purple based on life cycle stage and age, but this is not strong indicator of quality or flavour.
- Fresh lobster (seafood in general) should have a clean, subtle oceanic scent. Avoid any lobsters that have a strong, unpleasant odour, as this can indicate spoilage.
- Bubbling around the mouth indicates the animal has been stored out of water for some time. They will still taste fine when cooked they just won’t live for long so you may want to choose one you can store live for longer.
- Legs and antennae intact do not reflect the quality of the meat, however it is great for presentation purposes.
- Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to ask the fishers or fishmonger about the lobster’s source, how long it has been in their tank, and any specific preparation advice.
Transportation Tip: If you’re traveling a significant distance with the lobster, ensure it’s stored properly.
A cooler with ice packs or damp newspaper will help keep it alive and fresh during transportation.
Ideally, you should purchase lobsters on the day you plan to cook and eat them for the most exquisite flavour and texture.sakjsdjALSJljs
