Cooking fresh whole lobster

Can you purchase a lobster in the morning, have it cut up in pieces by the fish monger, and then cook it later that day....how best would one keep it?

Lynne Rothenberg
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6 Comments

Sam1148
Sam1148 June 26, 2013
You can also hold a live Lobster overnight in a ice chest lined with wet newspaper..(preferably in a chilled salted water to moisten the paper)on top and bottom of the bug. And a few ice packs or cubes to keep the temp down below 55 or so to slow it's metabolism.
 
Lynne R.
Lynne R. June 26, 2013
Thanks so much. I think I can do this.
 

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ChefOno
ChefOno June 26, 2013

Don't do it. Lobsters are sold live because their digestive enzymes begin turning muscle tissue to mush immediately after death. Either buy a fully cooked bug or take a live one home and hold it in the refrigerator in moist wrapping until you're ready to cook it. You can dispatch it with a knife or anaesthetize it in salted ice water for 30 minutes before cutting it up. The shell is packed with flavor so it's best to cook it shell-on which will intensify the outer layer of meat.

 
pierino
pierino June 27, 2013
Absolutely agree with ChefOno on this. Crustaceons begin to decay as soon as they are dead. But a live lobster will survive on ice for at least four hours. How you dispatch the lobster is up to you. And I also agree on the importance of the shell. The French sauce Homard L'Americane is based on incorporating the shell.
 
ChefJune
ChefJune June 26, 2013
Lobsters are generally sold live. Not sure I'd want to cook an already dead lobster. I normally store fish in the fridge by rewrapping it in waxed paper and setting the package atop a bowl of ice water. I suppose that would work for your lobster pieces as well.
 
Monita
Monita June 26, 2013
Just keep it cold in the fridge
 
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