Before you ask: No, you don’t have to start with six lobsters to make this recipe. Scale it up or down to however many lobsters you want to cook. And you can just as easily make half the herb butter sauce—or swap it out for aioli, green goddess, or cocktail sauce.
These are served warm. After steaming, let the lobsters cool just until you can handle them. You can use a lobster mallet or seafood crackers to get to the meat, but it’s also possible to break down the lobsters without any special equipment. (Food director Chris Morocco shows you how it’s done with nothing but a chef’s knife and his bare hands here.)
If you prefer to serve your lobster chilled, use tongs to remove the shellfish from the boiling water and immediately transfer them to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let them rest in the ice bath until they’ve cooled completely. If your time and budget allow, prepare a few extra lobsters and pack the tender meat into airtight containers to store in the fridge for up to three days (or freeze for six months). Leftover lobster meat is luxurious and surprisingly versatile: Fold pieces of the steamed lobster tail into a comforting lobster shepherd’s pie, or toss bite-size pieces into seafood chowder, lobster fra diavolo, lobster salad with citrus vinaigrette, a simple omelet, or a creamy, dreamy lobster pasta. Or, combine diced lobster with celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and chives to make Maine-inspired lobster rolls (if you can’t find New England–style split hot dog buns, standard-issue hot dog buns will do).
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
6
1
2
1
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a large pot with tight-fitting lid with 2" cold water. Generously season water with kosher salt and bring to a boil. Working with one of 6 (1¼–1½ lb.) whole live lobsters at a time, place the tip of a chef’s knife behind the lobster’s eyes, right below where the claws meet the body, and firmly press the knife down toward the head in one motion cutting all the way through the lobster (watch food director Chris Morocco dispatch a lobster here). Repeat process with the remaining lobsters. Cooking in two or more batches, if needed, depending on the size of your pot, refreshing the water as needed, and maintaining a rolling boil, add lobsters to the pot headfirst. Place the lid on, and cook lobsters until bright red and tails start to curve slightly, about 11 minutes. (If you do not want to pre-kill your lobsters, alternatively, add live lobsters directly to the pot.)
Step 2
Meanwhile, melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. chopped herbs such as fresh Italian parsley, chives, or basil. Taste and add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Step 3
Serve steamed lobsters with warm herb butter and lemon wedges (if using).
Editor’s note: This steamed lobster recipe was first printed in our August 2006 issue. Head this way for more of our favorite recipes for New Year's Eve →