How to prepare a cooked lobster

Barney from the BBC Good Food team gives expert advice on how to get all the meat from the shell of a cooked lobster.
The king of the crustaceans, lobster is a delicacy that commands a very high price, with white, firm meat that is sweet and succulent.
Before it is cooked, lobster shell has a very dark colour, with tints that range from blue/green to red/purple - it gains its distinctive deep red brick colour only when it's cooked.
You'll need a large bowl for the shells, a lobster pick or skewer, kitchen scissors, something heavy like a rolling pin or handle of a large knife, plus lots of kitchen paper.
Don't throw away the shells as they can be used to make delicious stock! They also freeze really well so you don't have to use them straight away.
For more advice and tips click here: www.bbcgoodfood...

[@BobBobOnYouTube]

Finally someone mentions removing the digestive tract. I’ve watched several videos like this and you’re the first to say to remove it. This video should be first in the search results!

[@GoodFood]

🙌

[@Chuck-kg4fe]

...the rolling pin trick to remove the meat from the small legs is an absolutely brilliant idea!

[@smg4fan583]

*Larry Has left the chat*

[@wendymaddock7705]

Amalthea way you prepared the lobster especially the little legs with a rolling pen thought that was amazing thankyou

[@peteradamson46]

Excellent. prepared a lobster before and this video made it easy - it all went exactly as on the video. First class help without the frills. Thanks

[@josephinenaadutoxla4888]

❤

[@morrit33]

I was always taught that lobster shells retain so much flavour they can be boiled several times for stock, found this to be very true!

[@PaulandAnthonyShow]

As a pro you make it look so easy....Thank you indeed for this presentation - John

[@PeterWTaylor]

Take care with your hands. Broken lobster shell can be sharp as a knife so don't grab it by the edges.

[@notsurewhathappenedinc9375]

Your leg trick is genius

[@dannyflint5746]

Gordon Ramsay demonstrates it on a similar video

[@donnagambrell1412]

Thank You So Much For Sharing This Video!! I Truly Appreciate The Mentioning Of Removing That Vein With-In The Tail!! I Honestly Never Knew About That Regarding A Lobster; However, I Do Know About The Vein With-In Shrimps; As I'm Accustom To Cleaning Them. I've Watched Many Videos On How To Cook/Clean/Separate A Lobster, However, Your Video Was The First I've Watched That Mentioned That Vein That's There!! And Just To Think, Millions Of People Have Eaten It, Because They Did Not Know It Was There Either; And I'm Sure I Was One, LOL!! Again, Thanks......Now I Know!! Excellent Demo/Information!! No More Eating The Poop Of A Lobster!! Two Huge Thumbs Way Up!!

[@billmoss7677]

Brilliant. Absolutely clear.

[@barmanfreeman-lb9dp]

After 8 minutes to 10 minutes of Hot water Bath, you pulled off the Legs and claws . Got it

[@suthobay]

"You just wanna tap it sharply but not really heavily..so" *whack* meat splatters all over the kitchen walls

[@jayrobert4886]

i guess Im randomly asking but does someone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account?? I somehow forgot my account password. I would appreciate any help you can give me

[@dennisjohnny9981]

@Jay Robert Instablaster :)

[@jayrobert4886]

@Dennis Johnny thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and I'm trying it out atm. I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@jayrobert4886]

@Dennis Johnny It worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out!

[@dennisjohnny9981]

@Jay Robert Glad I could help :)

[@maribellenahan1882]

Gracias John so well explained my first time preparing a cooked lobster 😊

[@zexyclix7834]

Just so you know I liked the video but you are better than Gordon Ramsay’s lobster doings

[@patriciadonnelly8924]

very clear instructions - thank you so much

[@poolloopy74]

imformative video .

[@amandasammy8015]

I've watched 10 videos and none demonstrates how to remove the poop from the cooked lobster.

[@macalauresmuse]

Have just prepared lobsters after watching this video - nice clear instructions and it was very easy to do. Thanks :)

[@DemocraticSocialistsRule]

Feel like this guy is being held hostage by his crazy mother and forced to make KZbin videos so she can feel like a cooking show producer.

[@EducatingStupids]

Random 🤣🤣🤣

[@aaronc6584]

Thanks, rolling pin splattered Lobster all over my kitchen but we got the goods in the end

[@AskWhyNotNotWhy]

If it's frozen pre-cooked lobster that you've defrosted, is it ok to refreeze the shells for a broth? and if so, for how long?

[@roscoeswrld5953]

Wrongen

[@m.f8655]

Wow lobster very cool

[@verv5737]

Wait, its liver is in its head?

[@tituscrow4951]

I’m going for it this Xmas but I feared the de shelling stuff. I feel better now. Thanks 👊🏻

[@Kirbymasters87]

This is what happened to Claude after Peggle Nights

[@SJtoobsox]

Put a paper towel when cracking so youre not cleaning lobster off the fridge ;)

[@LinuxUsersonly]

I bet Ramsey is watching this laughing

[@tbarbuto2345]

Ramsey's video doesn't even show removal of the digestive tract.

[@brianly7254]

Living like larry

[@fisioserv]

excellent demonstration

[@168KDW]

I’m dribbling already 🤤🤤🤤

[@cyndygray411]

We used your video this evening to prepare our lobster! Thank you very much!

[@TheDarwiniser]

excellent clear instruction.

[@tiffanybrown9848]

Will the meat come out as easy if the cooked lobster has been refrigerated? Should I warm it first?

[@sylviafrue9944]

This is the best video I have seen how to prepare a cook lobster, Thanks Barney.

[@grahamlack3302]

Thank you for posting this clear demonstration.

[@sawboss5794]

Just like a big ole crab.

[@bobbuilder3687]

I wouldn't say you should get as much meat out of it as possible because its expensive, its more respectable to the animal to use every single bit

[@kingsala1392]

Love this

[@merlinbuddy1]

Good video. But boing music.

[@saiedali6589]

Who else came here because they were hungry

[@mikealalee2889]

This guy seemed terrified the whole video lol

[@Theguyyoupinged]

Why does he sound like he’s always on the verge of crying

[@jimcool8658]

Never ever prepared until today well done with that video spot on

[@briansephton8777]

Better without the music.

[@geoffperry9876]

Why oh Why does the camera always go to chef showing you how ie Remove the Vein !

[@paulwhitney2205]

Is it ok to strip all the meat from the tail and steam just the meat, instead of steaming meat and shell and having to fight for the meat when serving?

[@tbarbuto2345]

You would lose a lot of the flavor doing it that way. Another option would be butterflying the lobster and cooking it under a broiler.

[@mrt9915]

Pinchy 😭

[@TheKamakuraGardener]

You have such poor camera angles at the beginning ! 😤😡

[@notsurewhathappenedinc9375]

Your a genius

[@ndlovulwazi]

somebody needs a tripod lol

[@rickdj]

Fantastic video and I like the way you did the presentation and showed it. If I may.. a couple of suggestions. 1. If you're preparing for the lobster and being able to eat it yourself. Many times when you boil the lobster, water will settle inside the claws. As you separate the claws from the knuckle, take the claw and put it into your mouth and suck out the water from the claws.. we call that a "lobster shot"! The water tastes absolutely delicious! Then you can separate the claw as you described. 2. Whenever you cook a lobster, usually they have the rubber bands which prevent their claws from snapping at you. Remove the rubber bands before cooking otherwise it can augment the flavor of the taste of the lobster a little bit. Try not to get snapped up as your putting the lobster in the pot. 3. After you have pulled apart the tail, inside the little flippers at the base of the tail is also a little bits of meat. Great to peel off and suck out the meat as well. 4. Inside the lobster's body near where you get the tomalley and where you have separated the legs, there is little bits of meat inside the area where the legs were connected to. if the lobster is perhaps maybe a 2 lb lobster or bigger, it's worth it to go in and get the meat because there can be a fair amount in there. Usually if it's about a one to one and a half pound lobster you can go for it, but sometimes the amount of meat is smaller. 5. Lastly, it looks like you had a softshell lobster. They usually molt their shells earlier in the year and sometimes you may not get as much meat but you'd get a softer shell lobster. The advantages if it's a soft shell the meat is sweeter. If it's a hard shell lobster, using the item that you use to crack the lobsters claw open is good, but also taking the sharp edge of a knife and giving it a good whack in the middle of the claw will help separate the claws if it is a hard shell lobster making it easier to get to the meat. Overall as I mentioned, great job from a lifelong New England person that loves lobster! I hope the tips help out. :-)

[@charity9660]

The lobster i have was 8-9 dollars and it’s about as thick as the tail in this video.

[@theforester3474]

Is it a myth that the largest lobsters can be found near sewage outlets.?

[@Jonny906]

Another video spoiled by unnecessary 'music'

[@merlinbuddy1]

Sorry--- Boring music.

[@nellab8486]

lobster is such a waste! kill a big crustacean for little meat only in tail and claws :((

[@elaine5737]

I am assuming you have never eaten a lobster roll.............................

[@RealityIsTheNow]

I think a lobster might be a better yield than a crab for example. Look at shrimp. The entire animal but the tail meat is tossed. Or ground into fish meal for cat food or something.

[@charity9660]

Winston Dawe i must be drunk at this point. Your comment blew my mind!!!

[@isabellarodriquez-neel1321]

🤤🤤🤤

[@ConnorBakridan]

@canadian lynx I realize Ur comment was from 2 years ago but dumbass the egg is unfertilised so nothing is killed because nothings alive. If you are an embryo then you would be killing a bird as it's forming .

[@mr.timjohnston546]

YOU PULL OFF THE TAIL FINS AND THEN YOU CRUSH THE TAIL IN YOUR PALM WHICH BREAKS THE CENTRE ON THE BACK AND THEN YOU JUST SIMPLY PULL THE HALF'S APART...HOW DO I KNOW THIS IS THE BEST WAY?? I LIVE IN PICTOU COUNTY NOVA SCOTIA ON THE NORTHTUMBELAND STRAIT HOME OF THE BEST LOBSTER ANYWHERE

[@xeonex5920]

You didnt need the caps, it makes it seem obnoxious

[@52Rambler]

LoL, you do it the hard way eh. For those of us living on the South Shore of N.S. we do it the easy and fast way.

[@fawadnassim5504]

Vegetarian or vegan have peaceful and less expensive lifestyle, good for them. Meat eaters go through hell to have testy meals

[@NotoriusBFG]

The fuck are you on about?

[@imaginephoenix3283]

We’ll continue to

[@mr.timjohnston546]

just the the worst cameraman

[@ashlee452]

His head is too big

[@beadydani]

That's just rude. I have met a few times and he's such a lovely bloke.

[@charity9660]

Winston Dawe some dicks are too big. This one guy was so big i wasn’t even wet bro... i was just shocked. Couldn’t even fit it all in my mouth!!

[@charity9660]

At first i laughed at this comment but then i looked and he looks funny lol but so do i so i can say that. My boobs so small sometimes i think I’m not supposed to be a girl. But then i look at my ass and I’m like dammmmn girl

[@20catsRPG]

I refuse to eat lobster on principle because of the awful way it is cooked - boiled alive.

[@jodobie8597]

Why watch this video then?

[@fuckmyoldbootshellovera6280]

Thanks chef very very helpful..