by Lorri Mealey

Created on: December 09, 2006   Last Updated: April 09, 2012

Growing up in Maine, one of the greatest pleasures of summer is boiling up a big pot of live lobsters at a family picnic. Nothing taste so good as sweet lobster meat drowned in melted butter, followed by corn on the cob. Despite living in the state best known for its lobster, most Mainers only eat the delicacy once or twice a year, usually in the summer, although, I have good friends who eat it every Christmas Eve instead.

I would never order a lobster at a restaurant, because it is by far the messiest meal ever created. However, if you don't have access to lobster in your local market, and the only options are eating out, here are some tips to get the most out of your "lobstah."

Start by breaking off the claws. Gently twist them at the first knuckle. Next break off the "thumb" part of each lobster claw. (I'm sure this has a specific name, but at our house, it is known simply as the lobster thumb.) Inside the thumb you will find a small piece of meat. I find it to taste like salty rubber. Some people like it. You will have to decide for yourself. Using nutcrackers (a must) break the tip of the claw off, then with your index finger, push the meat out through the bottom of the claw. This is a very tasty piece of meat, especially with drawn butter.

To remove the tail, firmly grasp the body in one hand and the tail in the other. Twist in opposite directions. Be prepared, because as you do, you will see the green tomalley inside the body cavity. Some people love to eat this, claiming it is delicious. They are big, fat liars. It is disgusting. Ironic, that the meat should be like manna from Heaven, and the tail likewellyou can decide for yourself.
Pull off the tail fins and legs (save these, we'll get to them in a minute) and with your index finger push the tail meat out of the shell, through the larger opening.

The tail should pop out in one long piece. Pull off the top membrane of the tail, and remove the black vein running down the length of it, just as you would with shrimp. Next, drown in butter and enjoy!

Once you have finished off the claws and tail, there is plenty more meat, but you have to work to get it. The tail fins and legs can be squeezed and sucked on, to get the tiny morsels within. The knuckle meat is very good, and I recommend using a lobster pick to get it. Forks are too big and bulky to be of any real value when eating lobster.

Occasionally you may get a female lobster full of roe (red eggs). If this happens, you can do one of two things. Try it. It is supposed to be a delicacy, like caviar. I am not that sophisticated, so I usually just scrape the roe out, and put on extra butter.

Hope this helps the next time you find yourself in public wearing a plastic bib and holding nutcrackers.

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