Julia Child's Lobster Thermidor 🦞 | Jamie & Julia

Making my way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" cookbook... like the movie "Julie & Julia". Today I make a Lobster Thermidor with a live lobster! 🦞
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A large fish kettle or steamer
2 cups dry white vermouth
2 cups water
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium celery stalk, thinly sliced
6 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tarragon
2 teaspoons salt
4 peppercorns
1 live lobsters, 11/4 lbs. each
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper

[@antichef]

The quality of the audio in the first part of this video isn’t up to par! Of course what had to happen during my special lobster video is I dropped my sound recorder on the ground and lost all the audio files for everything leading up to the execution of the lobster. I had to use the crappy audio from the camera. It will forever bother me, but there was no way in hell I was redoing any of that. I hope you enjoy regardless!!!!

[@cooldealluciel]

Of course! It was great!

[@gwenthompson8347]

I always enjoy you, "regardless"!

[@patricksmith3135]

I loved it; I don't hear that well anyway. Keep on filming.

[@svenjaj.3520]

I didn't notice until I read your comment ;)

[@VickiTakacs.]

I used to let them go at Red Lobster.

[@Thingsyourollup]

You're now a Sim with max level cooking.

[@TheHomerowKeys]

But don't try to impress the headmaster with this, you're still gonna burn it lol. Always go with the pork chops

[@dudeguyinc]

"don't eat what you can't kill" BRILLIANT!! Great video! Crazy props for stepping outside of your comfort zone and having true respect for the animal that dies to feed you! Love your vids!

[@AdaptiveCaesar]

I have a pump gun that says I can eat what ever I damn well please

[@joshuagraham1800]

@@AdaptiveCaesar Okay, cannibal.

[@Jolluna]

@@joshuagraham1800 That's such a genius comment.

[@joshuagraham1800]

@@Jolluna thanks

[@weirdguy4948]

@@Jollunarelax genius

[@FoxerBoxerNaaniwa]

Something to consider is that lobsters are exothermic and sensitive to very cold temperatures. Meaning if you put it in the freezer for like 20 minutes it will slow it’s metabolism and ‘put it to sleep’ so to speak. Making it even less aware when you plunge your knife into its central nervous system.

[@haleyselene]

This! Works for crabs too

[@caboose22320]

🙅‍♂️ fresh never frozen

[@timsimmons4283]

As my engineer father in law used to say: "when all else fails read the instructions ".

[@antichef]

Wise words

[@artbylesleymilne]

Yep...RTFM...read the f... manual ! Lol 😁

[@canorth]

Lived in Alaska for seven years and did a lot of dip netting while there. Basically lived off salmon. The whole “plunging the knife into the brain” thing was my go to. Not a lobster obviously but it just generally strikes me as the most humane.

[@Kardinaalilintu]

with fish, you can also make a deep cut to the behind of the head. it should kill the fish really fast aswell.

[@mommabird2813]

Came here to say just that! There is a more humane way to kill it than boiling it alive.

[@triton6127]

I knew you were doomed when you made a roux with 4 tablespoons of butter and 1.5 tablespoons of flour.

[@rosejustice]

Not sure how I missed this video, but excellent job!!! I don’t blame you for missing the additions to the stockpot before killing the lobster. I was having feelings for you as you did that. The butter + flour is a roux, adding dairy makes it a béchamel which is one of the 5 mother sauces in French cooking. (Adding cheese makes it a mornay sauce) Would love to see you do a series on these 5 mother sauces.

[@antichef]

Love that idea! I’ll definitely make an episode on the mother sauces!

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

Genuine question, if this was supposed to just be a standard béchamel, why didn't she just refer back to the recipe for that? And isn't this a weird way to do it? The "filming" the cream on? Her books are so weird sometimes 😅

[@keely_cn8924]

@@SharpAssKnittingNeedles yes, that was a weird way to do it. That sauce breaking was 100% not his fault those were bad instructions. Also, cream back in the day had a higher fat content so she was probably able to get away with whatever that was. But with today's cream that was not a great way to do it.

[@ilovestrongheroines1999]

I appreciated how concerned Jamie was with preventing prolonged suffering for the lobster. Im fortunate to not have been in a situation where I personally had to kill what I was going to eat. I doubt I would do it as decently clean as Jamie.

[@LadyDeft30]

My man BRUTALIZED that roux...

[@BigHenFor]

Man, Julia is not an easy teacher. Talk about having to plan your campaign of attack. And not Formatting the recipes in a user friendly way. Hats off to ya.

[@tildessmoo]

Check out historical cooking channels like Tasting History with Max Miller, 18th century cooking on Townsends, or Victorian cooking on English Heritage. Julia basically revolutionized the readability and repeatability of recipe books. Of course, as the first English-language chef to do things like try to put things in order, reference other recipes by page number, and include a list of ingredients with actual measurements, she wasn't up to today's standards, but still a massive step forward. (Disclaimer: Not quite actually the first English-language chef to do all that, but definitely early, and probably the first to do so comprehensively with French recipes. The only earlier book with those features you can probably get relatively easily today is Joy of Cooking.)

[@judithrussell2812]

Julia wrote the cooking book when people traditionally cooked at home and going out or grabbing something from fast food didn't exist or was a treat when it did exist. Meaning, the terms and understanding she used was more common. We are a spoiled society where now you can even just walk into a grocery store and buy fresh food ready to be "steamed

[@sooziesonhiem1833]

The garbage retrieval of 🦞 lobster shells was hysterical.. by far one of my favorite episodes!!!

[@gagamba9198]

Transformed the dish from homard thermidor to homard thermidor servi dans des carapaces récupérées de la poubelle.

[@John_oR.]

I think Julia once said in her show that you coat the sauce with a thin layer of cream so the sauce won't skin!

[@antichef]

Interesting!

[@lisaspikes4291]

Yep. That’s the reason.

[@cms4229]

I couldn’t stop thinking of when I made my Sims lobster thermidor when I was playing as a kid.

[@MsPea]

Regarding whether lobsters feel pain -- Most scientists agree that lobsters feel pain based on the following criteria: possessing a peripheral nervous system with appropriate receptors, reaction to opioids, guarding injuries, learning to avoid negative stimuli, and electing to avoid negative stimuli over meeting other needs. Putting lobsters on ice or boiling them alive is illegal in some locations, including Switzerland, New Zealand, and the Italian city of Reggio Emilia. The most humane way to kill a lobster is by electrocution using a device called CrustaStun.

[@baritoneman9158]

Julia can be a challenge.....but, that’s why you’re doing it, right? The satisfying look when you tasted the lobster seemed to make it all worthwhile. I love the Julia series!

[@miguelandres78]

Next time the butter breaks, it means it lack water, just put a splash and the sauce will reconstitute

[@shirowoh5850]

cooking at too high of a temp will also break a sauce, which makes sense, because water turns to steam, sauce has less hydration.

[@Heiryuu]

That’s a really good tip thank you

[@jasonalvarado7029]

@@Heiryuu i would add the butter in with the heat off and let it melt slowly while stirring constantly

[@Alexlalpaca]

@@shirowoh5850 That's not why it breaks at high heat. Butter contains an emulsifying protein called casein, the same one that allows milk and cream to remain mixed at room temperature. At high enough temperatures (I believe it was uh... above 60ºC? I could google it but I don't want to) casein denaturalizes and can no longer emulsify water and fat, causing the cream to rise and sauces to break. Pretty cool IMO but I'm a huge nerd.

[@TheAnon232]

I don’t see how this could be right… clarified butter lacks all water and doesn’t break

[@manonvernon8646]

This is testament to why you should always read the full recipe before you start 😅 Great video

[@obliviouz]

Jamie's kind of an idiot... the need for the shell is in the name lol.

[@kennethkauzlaric8948]

All I could think about was the "lobster killa" scene from "Julie and Julia".LOL! I'm glad you tried this, because now I don't have to.

[@el_jetset.1498]

Me too!

[@VickiTakacs.]

See Annie Hall, the lobster scene with Diane Keaton and Woody Allen.

[@memahselfni]

I thought you had abandoned Julia Child! I'm happy to see this!

[@joehutter4816]

The end result looked pretty damn good, especially when considering all the chaos during the execution of this lobster recipe...pun intended!!! 😂😂😂

[@KMHill]

I love Jamie & Julia. More, please. You're so entertaining. I love how messy you get in the kitchen.

[@ParadiseVids]

I never think his kitchen is messy. He’s one of the cleanest cooks. I don’t know why he gets so many comments about having a messy kitchen.

[@tburgzkta]

I've learned that Julia has very roundabout ways of doing things watching this series. It's fun seeing you improve and learn to interpret these recipes

[@brianhardison9881]

No, Jamie just has a very loose approach to following a recipe. I've yet to see an improvement on any of Julia's recipes.

[@SakuraShirakawa]

Watching this older video and comparing it to your newer ones. Glad to see you are still skipping parts of or modifying the recipes and then looking bewildered at what could have possibly gone wrong.

[@rebeccahenry4930]

Love a chef who can salvage parts from the trash. Way to keep it real.

[@candidwings5609]

I really appreciate that you researched the newest information to make sure you killed it in the most humane way possible.

[@markkindermannart4028]

Humane? It’s not a human!

[@MindfulMya]

You did it. I honestly felt the same pain you were going through and it was a humane and wholesome death to good to plate.

[@mygirldarby]

Wholesome? No. Humane? Nope. Did I unsubscribe? You bet. Instead of feeling the pain of the poor lobster, you felt this man's pain? That's messed up.

[@srkh8966]

@@mygirldarby Why would you watch a non vegan cooking show, or do you not understand that animals have to die for cooking

[@harbing3r_1]

@@mygirldarby humane is understanding where your food is coming from, treating it well, and killing it in the most painless way possible. It's about respect. All creatures need to eat, and humans are omnivores. We are intelligent enough to treat our food with respect when we decide we're hungry. Also, if you don't like something, good for you. Don't harass, cry, whine, or bitch to others to force them to confirm themselves to your personal morals and values. You can be a vegan or whatever you please. Don't force it down people's throats just cuz you're butthurt and don't understand things/want everyone to follow your moral rules.

[@tessie7e777]

@@srkh8966 totally agree. I always find vegans who can’t find compassion for humans an odd mix. I’ve gone vegan a few times, but my health deteriorated. I don’t think I could kill my own food, so I have respect for those who can do so in a respectful way. He even thanked the lobster for its service. Aside from NOT cooking the lobster not sure what more Jamie could have done. He did an amazing job of being a human omnivore.

[@jacobbush6505]

Bless you for letting/showing this process be so unforgiving.

[@Facetimer864]

When you start to respect the ingredients, and how every one of them is contributing to the layers of flavors You will have greater success,and less stress

[@dungotaaja]

There is no other cooking chanel like yours 😄 Thank you for encouraging me and others to play more freely in the kitchen. Mistakes are allowed.. and without them it just wouldnt be as fun! 🤭 😊👍

[@shawnsmith2052]

Well at least you are REAL. That is what Julia Child was all about. She worked very hard for her cookbook. I like you. Keep up your good work.

[@brendalucian6219]

That looked so good when it was finished! Funny story- the last time I bought live lobsters to cook at home,I put them in the boiling water,and didn't quite cover them with the lid fast enough.They almost flipped right back out of the pan onto the stove!😅Now when I buy lobsters, I have the store steam them for me.

[@robertwaguespack9414]

I remember hearing my aunts talking about how the crabs they bought at the French market tried to escape out the kitchen.

[@2010stoof]

Your kitchen keeps changing as I'm watching this series lol

[@victoriakaterina5279]

When I worked as a chef in fine dining they always asked me to kill the lobster. I was a crustacean’s worst nightmare.

[@AmeliaBell28]

It's pretty impressive how many times I'm watching these videos and the process has been so fraught that I'm like "there's no way this is going to turn out okay" and then you pull it out of the oven and the final product somehow looks beautiful. I don't know how you do it, but it's definitely encouraging me not to give up when one thing goes wrong! All it takes is some melted cheese and good plating and suddenly- gourmet perfection.

[@gosiamiletti4173]

"ok I went into the garbage and found more of the lobster shells..." 🤣 😍

[@antichef]

🤭

[@MintyFreshCupcakes]

“Don’t eat what you can’t kill” is why I’m a vegetarian haha. Love watching all sorts of cooking videos though

[@mygirldarby]

Me too. I couldn't watch this and I unsubscribed. I'm assuming he killed this poor thing to make a disgusting dinner and get some views. I can't support this behavior.

[@MintyFreshCupcakes]

@@mygirldarby I don't think it turned out disgusting. It looked like he enjoyed it. I think a man buying and killing a fish isn't that different than a hawk catching a fish. It just grosses me out!

[@tessie7e777]

@@mygirldarby if you didn’t watch this then it isn’t fair to have an opinion about his motivations. He was very respectful to the sacrifice of the animal. He is a very sincere soul working his way through the cookbook. And his statement that you shouldn’t eat what you won’t kill shows a lot of integrity and moral consistency. Making others kill for you is degrading to those other humans. Personally, my health deteriorates when I go vegan for more than a month, so I need to listen to my body. I try to at least choose humanely raised meat sources. We are all on this planet just doing the best we can. Not all animals are vegetarian. Do you judge them too?

[@BioYuGi]

​@@mygirldarbyI feel this is kind of disingenuous because if you've watched other videos of his than most of the recipes include meat of some sort. So all of those animals were also killed. This is just the first one where he had to do the deed himself, but either way these animals are dying and they're being used for food. Which is part of the food chain which is natural.

[@sweetpiece6922]

You did an awesome job 👏 and your real about your mistakes and the process. Keep going. Your doing an amazing thing. Love from ny usa

[@Gr3g3r9]

Just found your channel. And I bloody love it, haha! The strife. The determination! Everything about it is both educational and, not least, very funny and entertaining. When the lobster is done, put it in iced water or it will continue cooking. Keep up the good work!

[@valvopaul]

I give you credit for working through this. It was frustrating watching you though! I find myself yelling at the iPad “use a whisk, USE A WHISK!”

[@clairewright8153]

In Australia we put them in the freezer, they go to sleep sleep and then you cook them.

[@KingofDoubleBogey]

That’s the way you should do it

[@Farhaan_Enigmatic]

This channel deserves more subscribers ❤️ Great job man!! Keep going 👍🏻

[@saraatppkdotpt8140]

Nice video & great to watch 😊 it's something I never tried in another way, always had it grilled

[@lets.get.intoit.]

This is the first time I've ever seen a cook be as conflicted and anxiety-riddled about boiling/killing a lobster as I know I would be

[@rojergrison3752]

LOVE this series !

[@carl44acq]

It really helps if, before tackling a new recipe (especially one of Julia's) you read through it first so you have a basic idea where you are going with it.

[@user-jwill]

Julia makes the most complicated things it seems but they’re stunningly delicious looking when they come together.

[@harrywilson945]

One of the best videos Jamie has ever done. He channels what everyone thinks when they cook a lobster for the first time. I'm the same way doing mussels.

[@ronaldsteele6151]

Never had lobster but do say that the end results did look delicious. The sacrifice part was pretty funny after a long day at work it was needed. You give cooking a whole new meaning and how it really happens in kitchens.

[@Karenforcompassion]

I recently read they found a 1 in 30 million bright orange lobster in a shipment at red lobster and the manager saved it and sent it to an aquarium.

[@ashrowan2143]

Good on you for cleanly dispatching the lobster before you put it in the pot, lobster are particularly uncomfortable to cook because they have some very stubborn synapses that just keep firing even after they are very dead so they can twitch around like they are still alive even after death which can be extremely uncomfortable for a lot of people. Especially because we are starting to have some studies that are very inconclusive on lobsters experiencing pain they are starting to think that while they may not experience it the same way we do they do experience it so dispatching them with a knife like this is the kindest thing you can do

[@simplysavyyy]

I’d have a mental break down if I made this. I couldn’t kill it and I’d probably cry

[@thatfuzzypotato1877]

Putting the ocean bug in the freezer for like 10min slows down its nervous system enough that being a little unsteady when killing it won't make it suffer more, helps make it an easier process

[@brooklyn-kx4eh]

Anxiously been waiting for this since your photo update!!

[@mahnoorirfan8890]

Love the enthusiasm.Keep it up!

[@lorifeil895]

I love your honesty! Looks delicious 😋!

[@TalysAlankil]

i commend you for the honesty of showing you taking the shells out of the garbage :')

[@annamarieh333]

Your kitchen is amazing!

[@amycampbell1529]

You should really do a Redemption video for this. I think you can do it!

[@mitchybooooy]

Oh this was before the “ORDER UP” bit… that’s my favourite bit I have to add… I’m a new fan..

[@dsnyguy1]

Good job- looks delicious!

[@ladygreenlife]

OMG! you are my kind of chef!

[@hellomandarkk]

Just going through all your old videos-- I LOVE your longer hair haha~ and this kitchen is *antichef kiss*

[@joesandven]

brave man! keep up the good work. Julia would be proud.

[@antichef]

Thanks Joe! 🦞 🙌🏼

[@teagenthetiefling5296]

I really respect you for killing the lobster and trying to do it as humanely as possible

[@stronghandhanson]

You worrying about subbing out ingredients is all good man I usually have a dish in mind when I’m cooking and how it’s made and just fill in gaps with things I know work etc it just takes time you did great winging it!

[@DimT670]

Lobsters absolutely do feel pain, as do all crustaceans. They are animals, ofc they have pain stimulus, how eslse would they know when they are harmed or in danger. And studies have shown they learn based on pain stimulus from unpleasant or painful experiences and don't repeat them. They also soothe themselves by rubbing injured areas or areas exposed to painful chemicals. They also naturally try to escape stressful situations and seek pleasurable situation and respond to shock therapy. So they absolutely feel pain and in the way we do too. Frankly i doubt there's any animal that doesn't

[@LeesaDeAndrea]

Being a landlocked denizen of the midwest, I never acquired a taste for lobster. I had it once. That was plenty. Watching him work on that lobster was an education. Lobsters are like bugs in that they have an exoskeleton. And I have heard that bugs don't feel pain. So maybe lobsters don"t feel pain either. On the other hand, people used to say that about animals too.

[@veritorossi]

A lobster is still an animal.

[@lisaspikes4291]

I think they say that to make us not feel so bad about boiling them alive. I’m in the quick knife to the brain camp myself. That way it’s quick and relatively pain free. Just incase they do feel pain.

[@fun2building]

People used to say that about children, too

[@iknowyouwanttofly]

And newborn babies! 🙄

[@joaogomes9405]

They absolutely feel pain. Not because they have an exoskeleton, but because their brains register feelings, even though they are more primitive than mammalian brains. In fact, research points to them feeling pain when cut in half much worse than a mammal would, since their nervous systems don't have the ability to go into shock due to prolonged or intense trauma. Meaning if you cut a lobster in half it will feel that for all 60 or so minutes it takes for the lobster to finally die, rather than going into shock after a few minutes at most like we would.

[@_letstartariot]

My fav part is where he thanks the lobster ‘for its service’.

[@rebo2610]

Even after all the mistakes... I'd eat it! Love your vids. I watch them out of order, which makes the older one funnier.

[@manuelakahlfuss4602]

This is how I cook and interpret difficult receipes

[@yugoxgc]

You might have learned at this point but just in case. What you made by cooking off flour with butter is called a "roux" Very commonly used to thicken sauces or base for Béchamel Sauce ( just add milk & season )

[@christopherkarr1872]

2:50 Our lobster friend is just chillin'.

[@My5sons1114]

That looked so good! I love lobster and I felt your pain when you murde….I mean cooked him. 😇🦞❤️🦞

[@moogie1954]

I know I'm late to the game... but one way to "mend" a broken cream sauce, is to beat the hell out of it! I can usually save the sauce doing that.

[@terramarini6880]

I think he may have shorted his flour amt as well, recipe said more than the 1 1/2 tbsp he used, not enough starch to bind the butter. I make an excellent white sauce but hollandaise still evades me.

[@manuelakahlfuss4602]

Love it.

[@beaches3220]

I love how your cooking skills have improved to a level where are you knew how to fix that sauce... I likely would've thrown it out

[@Gina1010]

Honestly your channel is halarious in such a good way

[@RJFOODROCKS]

It's the lobster action at the top of this vid for me 🤣

[@girlinthe_garden]

When you threw out the shells I yelled nooooooooo 🤣🤣🤣

[@VickiTakacs.]

Good on you dispatching him. Three minutes is an eternity. I like you even more.

[@patricksmith3135]

Hysterical moment when you retrieved the shells pieces. Were you supposed to keep the whole half intact? I can't find my JC CB to see.

[@ellawalsh9571]

Years ago I bought a live lobster and just about gave myself a heart attack attempting to cook it. Now my local grocery stores that sell live lobsters will steam them for you to take home (I'm in S. Ontario).

[@joshuapatrick682]

If you’re ever cooking a delicate protein like this you absolutely must make sure to have an ice bath ready to halt the cooking process after you take it out of the water.

[@varaffxiv2219]

to be fair, everyone's first bechamel breaks, glad to see you've come so far along

[@BPage114]

I'm just asking because I don't cook much, but is the Lady Bug spatula essential to this recipe?

[@Digital_Dreaming_]

Yesss!!! Couldn't have clicked faster 😁😁

[@MSUki10]

I'm exhausted just having watched you make that dish. lols Happy you enjoyed the fruits of your labor! Nothing's worse than putting in the effort and the end result just being meh. Great job!

[@2010stoof]

When your sauce breaks, if you have immersion blender it can bring it back together. Re-emusify.

[@joshuapatrick682]

So if you love a certain food, know how it’s cooked but only take issue when you have to do it the issue isn’t with the cooking method but with you

[@ldg2655]

15 pots, pans, cookie sheets, and baking dishes later, … and voila!

[@kimberlee3243]

You only need an inch of water to steam it. Put the lobsters in while the water is cool and put the lid on , high heat to a boil 👍🏼 about 5 minutes until it’s red then take off the heat..this way it won’t be chewy

[@Consequator]

I think this was a lesson in 'reading the whole recipe before getting started'.

[@user-qe4dw8dy9i]

It’s interesting to look at an older video like this and see how your cooking has developed. When you were psyching yourself up to kill the lobster I had flashbacks to a few years ago when I had to kill a couple of roosters. It was very traumatic.

[@gsm156]

I had exactly the same issues that you had. Julia Child is amazing, but her instructions aren't always clear and very difficult to replicate her results as described in her book.

[@yazmigianna2422]

This was so entertaining 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@kiriaioulia]

My hubby asked what was wrong when I "cringed and cried out" with you when you "dispatched" poor Larry!!!! But, YUM!!!!

[@gregoryambres1897]

You want to sauteé the lobster meat in Armañac and white (or golden) truffles. You would have extracted that meat with pincers and conserved the shell (carapace) and claws whole, later to be filled with the finished meat and the whole thing finally sauced, allowing for an elegant presentation.

[@donnahepworth9946]

I’ve come to the conclusion that this show should be called the “ADD Chef” instead of “Anti Chef”

[@xelochai4418]

Man took a life and it changed him.