cracking a maine lobster

[musicmansmom]

i have to admitt that i have never eaten a lobster the '' real way '' by getting out the crackers and eating it out of the shell. i am used to lobster tail ( which i love ) here in the midwest, but i cant wait to eat a real maine lobster on my cruise in the ports. :D

 

for all of you '' cracking experts'' can you give me some etiquitte tips. like certain spots to crack for easier breaking of the shell and getting out the treasure of the lobster.

 

thanks for any tips.

[teechadeb]

This is a great question. I live in Maine and eat lobster all the time. I find it interesting how all the food stations and cooking shows demonstrate how to eat the lobster tail, they do the tail totally different than I do. I twist the whole tail off, and then I squeeze the tail together length wise. This puts a crack down the middle and the whole length of the tail. I then proceed to pull the sides of the tail back which spreads the tail apart down the entire length of the crack. The meat is exposed and almost ready to eat. You need to pull from a small tab from the base of the tail to the top of the tail (on the back side of the tail). There is a thin strip of meat. This strip will expose a colored vein like structure which I always remove. I pull it out or just take a napkin and clean it out. Now the tail is ready to devour. YUMMY!

The claw sometimes will need the crackers or may be soft enough to crack with your hands. Just crack and spread apart. The knuckles are the toughest, you may need a pick to push the meat through.

 

Many people put all their lobster meat in butter and eat it all at once. Some people dunk a piece at a time and eat the lobster as they go along.

 

I like it best with no butter, it tastes so good I do not like to cover it up with butter.

 

If you haven't had your fill, you can pull the legs off one at a time and try to draw the lobster meat out of them by running your teeth of the shell. This is a long slow process, but if you have a full lobster, the rewards may be great.

 

Well that is how I eat my lobster, Good Luck with yours.

[Spurscorner]

Teechadeb did a great job on the cracking. Just a couple of things to add,

*Check your daintyness at the door (they give you bibs for a reason) *Lobsters must be live when there cooked or they are aweful.

Have a great trip!

[musicmansmom]

This is a great question. I live in Maine and eat lobster all the time. I find it interesting how all the food stations and cooking shows demonstrate how to eat the lobster tail, they do the tail totally different than I do. I twist the whole tail off, and then I squeeze the tail together length wise. This puts a crack down the middle and the whole length of the tail. I then proceed to pull the sides of the tail back which spreads the tail apart down the entire length of the crack. The meat is exposed and almost ready to eat. You need to pull from a small tab from the base of the tail to the top of the tail (on the back side of the tail). There is a thin strip of meat. This strip will expose a colored vein like structure which I always remove. I pull it out or just take a napkin and clean it out. Now the tail is ready to devour. YUMMY!

The claw sometimes will need the crackers or may be soft enough to crack with your hands. Just crack and spread apart. The knuckles are the toughest, you may need a pick to push the meat through.

 

Many people put all their lobster meat in butter and eat it all at once. Some people dunk a piece at a time and eat the lobster as they go along.

 

I like it best with no butter, it tastes so good I do not like to cover it up with butter.

 

If you haven't had your fill, you can pull the legs off one at a time and try to draw the lobster meat out of them by running your teeth of the shell. This is a long slow process, but if you have a full lobster, the rewards may be great.

 

Well that is how I eat my lobster, Good Luck with yours.

 

wow, what a great help you are!!! YUMMMMMEEEYYYYY. i am going to save this and keep for when i get there. you have made it sound easier than i thought it would be. thanks so much.

 

i am so hungry for it i cant wait. and i will get the fresh ones at the ports so i will get a true taste of a real maine lobster. ''' hurry up cruise '''' :D :D

[Jan_In_Maine]

Lobster are very messy and are best eaten outside on a picnic table with lots of napkins!!! - I normally only use the cracker to get the meat out of the claws - the tail can be cracked with one's hands (I did say it was an outside messy dinner!) - I prefer the claws as they are sweeter and are not as chewy, but my dh does not agree - actually he has never met a lobster that he didn't love and I have never seen anyone get as much meat off one as he does. Next year I think I will sign him up for the lobster festival in Rockland!!

 

p. s. I've stated this on another thread - but never underestimate the power of advertising - until the 1930's when lobster was shipped out of state by plane lobster was considered to be "poor peoples food" and we still have a statute on the books that states that prisoners at the state prison are not to be forced to eat lobster more than 3 times per week!

 

Enjoy! Jan

[musicmansmom]

thanks jan

 

you are making my mouth water. i will make sure i am at an outside area while i try my lobster for the first time this way. it sounds so good and i cant wait to get my hands on it. and if you enter your dh in the contest i hope he wins :D

[kenandlaura06]

*Check your daintyness at the door (they give you bibs for a reason)

 

Yes!!!! Exactly!

[Jan_In_Maine]

Laura - I have not seen you on the boards in quite awhile - your cruise is getting closer all the time - you must be really getting into the wedding planning. Jan

[Ocean Boy]

Well that is how I eat my lobster, Good Luck with yours.

From your instructions you are obviously a true fellow New Englander! Don't you find it a bit amusing that they call the creature served on the ships a "lobster"?

[musicmansmom]

ocean boy,

 

i totally agree. it will make my eating of the lobster much more enjoyable when i get there just knowing i can do it without making a total mess of it. but i am sooooo ready for it now. my cruise cant get here soon enough :)

[Twinsmomct]

If you'd like, I'll come along and help you with your lobster!!! We live in CT and my dad occasionally does a "lobster run" to the Boothbay Harbor area. He'll bring home 15-20 lobsters and it is THE best meal in the world! My grandfather was from Machias, ME, a real downeaster!

[musicmansmom]

If you'd like, I'll come along and help you with your lobster!!! We live in CT and my dad occasionally does a "lobster run" to the Boothbay Harbor area. He'll bring home 15-20 lobsters and it is THE best meal in the world! My grandfather was from Machias, ME, a real downeaster!

 

:D come on along. i will be eating lobster for the first time this way ( the real way ) and i cant wait. i am going to eat and shop my way through the ports. 15-20 lobsters at once--wow :)

[twoatsea]

I've heard in Booth Bay there are lobster shacks along the waterfront & one can walkup & purchase a cooked lobster (cheaply) & eat it at the picnic table. Our cruise is going to Bay Harbor at the end of this month. Are there such lobster shacks there?

 

Thanks for you help.

[Jan_In_Maine]

Boothbay Harbor (in the southern part of the state) has a lobster coop or two which will be open during tourist season - (usually the beginning of June). Lobster's are usually less expensive than in a restaurant. I'm not familiar with Bay Harbor. Bar Harbor is located near where I am - and in fact I will be there the end of this month. Very little will be open there at this time of the year. Jan

[cltoles]

Boothbay Harbor (in the southern part of the state) has a lobster coop or two which will be open during tourist season - (usually the beginning of June). Lobster's are usually less expensive than in a restaurant. I'm not familiar with Bay Harbor. Bar Harbor is located near where I am - and in fact I will be there the end of this month. Very little will be open there at this time of the year. Jan

 

Jan,

 

I just booked a Canada/New England cruise for June 2007. Granduer of the Seas out of Baltimore... our first two stops will be in Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine. My wife LOVES lobster, I can eat my fair share too... Is there places in those stops to get fresh lobster at one of the Lobster coop's or something?

 

Thanks

[musicmansmom]

jan, thanks for keeping my post going :) . i live in the midwest and we get broiled lobster like they serve at red-lobster and think we are in heaven. i cant wait to eat lobster the '' real '' way it is too be eaten and tasted how delicious it really is. im hoping to find a eating place along my shopping route to stop in and get some. i cant wait to get some and fill up. i hope you find out what you want to know about the coops. have a great cruise and give us a reveiw afterwards ok. i wil be going in sept and it is going to be a long 4 months.

 

good sailing, music

[TheWog]

If you'd like, I'll come along and help you with your lobster!!! We live in CT and my dad occasionally does a "lobster run" to the Boothbay Harbor area. He'll bring home 15-20 lobsters and it is THE best meal in the world! My grandfather was from Machias, ME, a real downeaster!

 

No, kidding. I have family in Jonesport. Right next door. Now that's a long drive.

[TheWog]

Jan,

 

I just booked a Canada/New England cruise for June 2007. Granduer of the Seas out of Baltimore... our first two stops will be in Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine. My wife LOVES lobster, I can eat my fair share too... Is there places in those stops to get fresh lobster at one of the Lobster coop's or something?

 

Thanks

 

Yes, you will definitely be able to find places to get plenty of lobster. Just look around or ask a local once you get off. A lot of the marinas will have shops where the lobster boats come in and just as they offload them you can buy them. Talk about fresh. We do this in Kennebunkport when we are up there in the summer.

[TheWog]

jan, thanks for keeping my post going :) . i live in the midwest and we get broiled lobster like they serve at red-lobster and think we are in heaven. i cant wait to eat lobster the '' real '' way it is too be eaten and tasted how delicious it really is. im hoping to find a eating place along my shopping route to stop in and get some. i cant wait to get some and fill up. i hope you find out what you want to know about the coops. have a great cruise and give us a reveiw afterwards ok. i wil be going in sept and it is going to be a long 4 months.

 

good sailing, music

 

Have a great time. You will certainly find an eating place along your route. Red Lobster is nothing like this.

[musicmansmom]

thanks thewog. i cant wait to get my fill of eating lobster ''the real way'' :D

[Jan_In_Maine]

Sorry folks - I missed this thread and didn't realize that I never answered - (also I am probably the only one that really likes red lobster - we had one here in town for a few years and I really liked their rolls and salads - also most seafood was local - and a lobster is a lobster.)

 

I am not that familiar with Portland - although during my auditing days I did spend a lot of time in the Old Port section in the bars - (which is near the waterfront) - I don't remember that many resturants except Demilo's (sp?) which I enjoyed. You should be able to find good seafood in Portland - and some very nice bars too!!!

 

Bar Harbor has a lot of different resturants and I think they all serve lobster - I don't know of a coop in town, but usually some of the tours will include a stop for a lobster lunch. My favorite resturant is Getty's (and it is usually very busy), but all lobster will be "local" and fresh I believe that everywhere cooks them the same, so anywhere you have one in Bar Harbor will be wonderful - (just don't forget the butter) - and I still like the claws the best.

 

Let me know if there are more questions - I was in Bar Harbor last week (for pleasure) and will be there next week for business - I'll be glad to check things out - the town is starting to "open up" for the season ... the harbor is beautiful and most of the trees now have leaves. Jan

[RenieRaider]

Gee~ I wonder if they serve Maine Lobsters on the New England cruises????

Usually on cruises you get a 'lobster tail' which is really Australian lobster??????? Tastes fine but ....... NOT a MAINE LOBSTER!!!!

 

Maine lobsters are ........ MAINE LOBSTERS! YOU"LL SEE (or TASTE!) WHY!

Get ALL you can!

And save a seat for me!

[RenieRaider]

:-)

I Meant Lobstah! :-)

[rfische1]

Lobster in Maine.....not sure you can get them heah. LOL. When you get off the ship in Portland, just walk along Commercial Street and you'll find plenty of places to get a lobster in the raw. Recently my DW and I had lunch at Gilberts right next to the dock. The meal was very good and I noticed a full lobster dinner going for $20. On mother's day the local supermarket had them for $6.99 lb. and they steamed them for free.

 

If you rent a car, head up north on I 295 to Freeport and the Brunswick areas. In downtown Brunswick go down route 24 to Cundy's harbor. There are lobster pounds in this area where you buy your lobster and eat it on picnic tables right on the water. This area is less than one hour's drive from the cruise docks.

 

My son started eating the little critters when he was 4 (he's now 16), the result of his grandma from Ohio sharing her's at the time. However, each lobster dinner included a ritual where he had to meet his live dinner before it was steamed. Of course, it was me who got to crack it open for him as DW, raised in Maine, could not stand the crustacean. BTW, my son is a sensitive and kind boy.

[musicmansmom]

Lobster in Maine.....not sure you can get them heah. LOL. When you get off the ship in Portland, just walk along Commercial Street and you'll find plenty of places to get a lobster in the raw. Recently my DW and I had lunch at Gilberts right next to the dock. The meal was very good and I noticed a full lobster dinner going for $20. On mother's day the local supermarket had them for $6.99 lb. and they steamed them for free.

 

If you rent a car, head up north on I 295 to Freeport and the Brunswick areas. In downtown Brunswick go down route 24 to Cundy's harbor. There are lobster pounds in this area where you buy your lobster and eat it on picnic tables right on the water. This area is less than one hour's drive from the cruise docks.

 

My son started eating the little critters when he was 4 (he's now 16), the result of his grandma from Ohio sharing her's at the time. However, each lobster dinner included a ritual where he had to meet his live dinner before it was steamed. Of course, it was me who got to crack it open for him as DW, raised in Maine, could not stand the crustacean. BTW, my son is a sensitive and kind boy.

 

great story about your son :D and thanks for the tip about gilberts. sounds like it will be a close place to get my lobster. yummmm.