Do you kill lobsters and crabs BEFORE you cook them? And how?

I've not been around lobsters much in my life. One memorable time was at another student's house when she made sauteed lobster to go with our classes' efforts to make our own tagliatelle.. but that lobster was from a market, probably Santa Monica Seafood (far as I know, the largest seafood distributor in the U S).

I've several times bought fresh dungeness crabs from a shack by the water in downtown Eureka - but the guy there steams them for you, before you quickly run home with your treasure. I've no idea if they somehow kill them in a 'kinder' way first or if there is a kinder way.

Of course I remember the Annie Hall lobster scene..

interesting thread, Tsar, I'll be listening.

NOOOOOOOO JEEZUS CHRISTE. they must be boiled.Always keep a lid on top so you muffle their pitiful screams

I thought hearing the screams was part of the enjoyment later while chomp chomp chomping away on the cooked critter.

it is a guilty pleasure

Can't you just put 'em in head first?

Head first plunge into boiling water.

I said steamed but I don't remember what I saw, probably boiled.

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/crab.htm

According to actual gossip, they die in fresh water, so you are supposed to put them into fresh water before cooking. I do not know why this is supposed to be more pleasant.

I’ve never cooked one before.

How I would cook it would depend on the lobsters temperament, now if this lobster tried to pinch me with its claws then I would slowly lower it into the hot boiling water, just enough to dip his claws in then pull him back out, keep doing that for about ten minutes.

Now if it were a nice lobster I would just toss it in the boiling water as fast as I could to put it out of its misery.

Maine lobsters deserve a cooking i cold sea water whichi sbrought up to temperature. That assures that the lobster dies quietly.
Plunhing them into boiling water is, of course, quicker but the oter way is like lulling the thing to sleep.


Whats the best accompaniment to a lobster??
NOTHING
maybe just some butter but a good hard shell doesnt need butter. Never eat a lobster bigger than say, 2 pounds, the bigger they are, the rubberier they taste after being in a pound. If ya gotta eat a big 4 pounder, buy it from the boat as it lands.

Ive actually gone out with my neighbor inEastport(hes a lobstahman) and its work lemme tell ya.( None of those southern "rock" lobsters *which are just big langusta).

A lobster dies in the boiling pot.
Oh pity the bluefish, too.
Yet they're quickly gone and they suffer not
Like the ache I bear for you my dear Mary Anne . . .

Ferk.

Ok this is horrible... I remember so well. Why REMIND ME?



My grandmother boiled yabbies (simular) on the "river , river boat" I was 11.


Sheez, she put cold water , gas on, check, boiled.... and all of a sudden, we were sitting there and the screeching high pitched voice, never forget as long as I live, off course I am 39 now It was horrible, horrible, horrible........

She mean't for the water to be hot.

Even then, I know it it seconds, but how do you break their friggen necks, no other way I reckon (Aussie talk) ... Boiling hot water.

Can't do it personally.................................................frozen, cope.

That reminds me of another way to actually do it Found Soul.

I heard that you put the lobster in the freezer for an hour. Supposedly puts the lobster into a coma so it doesn't know what hits him when he hits the boiling water.

Yep. Heard of that one too...

This Festive season we bought a lobster and prawns.. What is ironic is they state "FRESH" Lobsters and prawns. Well fresh to me, means, just cooked .

In SA, not sure about other States, you have to cook them and then freeze them now. So, "FROZEN" sounds more like it........

Doesn't taste the same ... Just doesn't......................

My friend's husband is a cray fisherman. She told me to put the cray/lobster in a bucket of fresh water for about 20 mins - you need the lid on! They've been in the business for many years and believe that's the most humane way to kill them - so I trust that.

you need to boil them in seawater, for best flavor

Or steam them with a whole lock (?) of seaweed.

I just tell 'em my jokes! It kills 'em quickly!

DD, That's how I learned to cook crabs and lobsters.