Lobsters are certainly one shell of a creature! What makes them so delicious is the succulent, sweet meat, that seafood lovers across the world enjoy. Like most other seafood, lobsters are low in calories and fat, yet a great source of protein.

If you’re thinking about whipping up a lobster dinner, there are a few things you should know before heading to your nearest seafood market to buy a lobster in Singapore.

Cooking lobsters is not as easy as it looks, and there are a few common mistakes people make. Keep reading to find out what they are so you can avoid them!

1. Choosing Only Large, Heavy Lobsters

There are many reasons why you should not only choose the biggest lobster on the menu. The primary reason is that big lobsters are usually older, and their meat can be tougher than their smaller counterparts.

In addition, it can be more expensive to order a large lobster than a small one, so you may end up paying more for less food. Depending on the variety, lobsters that are about 500 to 800 grams would be ideal.

2. Oversalting the Water

When boiling lobster, it’s important not to overseason the water. You want to bring out the flavour, not just taste the salt that can overwhelm the taste of the sweet lobster meat.

Use salt to season the water, but be sparing with it. An ideal balance would be a tablespoon of salt for every 2 litres of water used. You can also add herbs, such as thyme or bay leaves, to the pot for added flavour.

3. Crowding the Pot

One of the most common mistakes people make when cooking lobsters is overcrowding the pot. If there are too many lobsters in the pot, they will not cook evenly, and some may be undercooked. It is best to cook no more than two or three lobsters at a time.

4. Overcooking or Undercooking the Lobster

Wondering how to cook lobster? Overcooking a lobster will make the meat dry and rubbery, while undercooking can be even worse, getting gelatinous and inedible meat. It would be such a shame to ruin the delicious meat!

Different cooking methods have different cook times, the weight of the lobster has to be taken into consideration.

• Boiling: It takes about 12 minutes to cook a 500-gram lobster, and 3 minutes for every additional 500 grams, meaning a 1kg lobster takes about 15 minutes to boil. Cooking time starts when the water starts boiling after the lobsters are added. Always add the lobster in headfirst.
• Steaming: A 500-gram lobster will take 9 to 12 minutes.
• Grilling: 4 to 5 minutes on each side on a pre-heated grill at medium to high heat.

5. Throwing Away the Shells

The shells still contain plenty of flavour after being cooked. You can soak them in oil to have the oil absorb the delicious flavours. The oil can then be used for stir-frying or sauteing in your future meals. The oil lasts up to one month in a refrigerator.

In addition, you can use the shells to make lobster stock. To make lobster stock, start by boiling the shells in water for about 30 minutes. Then, strain the stock and discard the shells. Lobster stock will make an excellent soup base for hotpots and steamboats or a hearty lobster bisque. Yum!

Reel In Fresh & Ready-to-Eat Lobsters at Greenwood Fish Market

Wondering where to buy lobster in Singapore? Shop online at Greenwood Fish Market, your friendly neighbourhood seafood supplier.

Our Boston Lobsters are flown directly from the cold Boston waters and taste delicious on their own, or dipped with melted butter and squirted with some lemon juice.

Not sure how to cook lobster? Let us do the work for you — all you need to do is buy our ready-to-eat cooked Boston Lobsters. Alternatively, come on down to any one of our restaurants and let us prepare your perfectly-cooked lobster meal now!