The most humane way of killing a lobster is to place it in the deep freeze for approx two hours before it is directly placed into a pot of boiling water.
Lobsters should be cooked in plenty of boiling salted water: approx 150g = 4½ litres water. Timing of the cooking begins once the water returns to the boil after the lobster has been added.
Lobster Cooking Times
Up to 750 g – 15 minutes
Up to 1.25 kg – 20 minutes
Larger lobsters – 5 minutes extra boiling time for each 450 g
Step one
After cooking – twist off claws and legs
Step two
Place lobster, back uppermost on a firm surface. Cut in half along the centre of back, from junction of head with body to the tail, using a short broad bladed knife.
Step three
Reverse and cut the head in half.
Step four
Remove intestinal cord; remove stomach (brown sack) brain (fibrous bone) and coral (if any) and reserve coral for garnish. Lift leg section of the body and discard the lungs. Extract meat from this section. Meat may be left in shell or taken out and use as required.
Step five
Break shell of claws with the back of a heavy knife or rolling pin, and use as required.
