Do you know how to cook lobster.........the trilogy.

Now, there are of course several ways people know how to cook lobster.
Undoubtedly the most commonly know is to boil them. There's nothing
wrong with this method whatsoever, especially if it is your first time
cooking lobster. This is the easiest and simplest way,even more so if you
have a live lobster, for those that aren't too keen on the idea of cutting up
a live lobster.

It has been said by some that you can "hypnotize" a lobster first by
rubbing its abdomen or head which is suppose to pacify them before the
boiling process, although some say this toughens the meat a bit. Whether
this is true or not is debatable, your choice. If it makes you feel better
about the process, then by all means go right ahead. You can also place
them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before cooking. They will eventually
fall into a cold induced "coma". Lobsters are use to the cold depths of the
ocean so this will not hurt them.

Another way, if you have a live lobster, is to put a roasting rack or a trivet
in the pot, so the lobster isn't sitting on the bottom of the post and won't
feel the heat. Now slowly bring the heat in the pot to about 90 degrees, at
which point the lobster will be "asleep", at which point you can bring the
water up to a rolling boil. This however is no longer considered a humane
practice.

Using the method above of bringing the heat up slowly, you will cook the
lobster for about 8 minutes a pound, otherwise follow the directions as
follows.

First you will need to make sure your pot is big enough depending on the
size of your lobster. Usually a 24 quart pot will be big enough for the most
part. If you choose,you can also buy a lobster pot, made specifically for
boiling lobsters. You will want to make sure there is enough water in the
pot to cover the lobsters. You may also want to add some garlic, a clove or
two, a couple of bay leaves, and some chopped or shredded onion for some
added flavor.

Bring the water to a rolling boil and then add 1 tsp of salt per quart of water.
Purist will say to use saltwater, but thats up to you. Grab the lobster right
behind the claws and submerge head first into the water and cover.
Start timing after the water is up to a boil again. The rule of thumb here
is 8-10 minutes for the first pound and then 3 minutes for each pound after
that. So a one pounder will cook for 10 minutes,a two pounder for 13 minutes
and so on.

Once done, drain the lobster and serve immediately while it is still hot. If you
do not plan on serving the lobster just after cooking you will want to take it
directly from the pot into some ice water. Let it cool in the ice water until
cool enough to handle and refrigerate until needed. I will be posting some
recipes here in the near future, for those of you that don't like to eat lobster
straight from the shell or just to add some "flavor" to your meal.