Lobster Question

Mr Libido Incognito said:

jmcquown wrote on 27 Aug 2005 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

Sheldon said:

Keith wrote:
> For example, why couldn't you store the lobster in the freezer and
> boil > it when required?

You can

(snip)
so haw many lobster you

Quoted message said:

talking?

Sheldon

Depends on how many you can fit into a bathtub. (giggling)

Nancy will get you for that!

Shhhhh! I was hoping she wouldn't notice! LOL

jacqui{JB} said:

"Keith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know why Lobster needs to be
cooked live? For example, why couldn't you
store the lobster in the freezer and boil it when
required?

It doesn't need to be cooked live, technically -- you can kill it (inserting
a knife into its brain) and cook it immediately thereafter. Lobster
contains enzymes which start breaking down the meat immediately upon death,
which is why lobster is sold live, cooked, and uncooked/frozen.

You could *try* freezing a fresh-killed lobster tail, along with the legs,
but I don't think freezing the whole thing is a good idea. Personally, I
haven't been happy with the frozen lobster tails I've purchased, but I
haven't purchased any recently.

We get whole frozen lobster from a seafood place. It really isn't bad
when you are a few thousand miles from fresh lobster 😉 The lobsters in
the grocery store tanks are in starvation mode and don't taste very good.

Quoted message said:

If you try the experiment, please post and let us know how it worked out.
-j

sf said:

Sheldon said:

I don't know why folks buy frozen lobster tails, other than that they have extremely low IQs.

<sf is thumbing her nose at Sheldon>

That's not going to change my mind. I still think whole lobster is
more trouble than it's worth and love lobster tail - aka: salt water
crayfish.

:-P

No way! Whole lobster is well worth the effort and then some. The more
lobster the better!

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Dee Randall said:

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jacqui{JB} said:

Personally, I
haven't been happy with the frozen lobster tails I've purchased, but I
haven't purchased any recently.

I find that dead sea creatures (like shrimp) benefit from a salt water
"bath" before cooking.

How would that be -- I'm imagining taken frozen shrimp out of my freezer,
putting them in a pan (in the sink) in salt water to reviven vs. letting
running water drain over them to thaw them, which is one way that I do. (I
usually only buy frozen shrimp, thinking that when I buy them unfrozen from
the grocery store, that they have been previously frozen before they put
them in the case for sale.)
Thanks,
Dee Dee

Dee, unless you get them off a fishing boat at the dock, every shrimp
you buy has been previously frozen....maybe, "technically" they
weren't frozen, but it's like those bowling ball chickens that they
try to tell you aren't really frozen, but they are hard enough to
qualify as frozen to me.

When I say give them salt water bath, I don't mean thaw a block of
shrimp in salt water( although it's something I hadn't considered).
I'm talking about soaking the thawed shrimp you buy at the store in
salt water for a few minute (shell on or shell off).

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Problem is, I don't like to bother with them. Too small so not enough
meat to make them worth the trouble.

The coast is also a 3 hour drive away.

I can get live lobsters at our local Wal-mart and live dungeness in
season at Central Market in Austin.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

Dee Randall said:

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:24:54 +0200, jacqui{JB} wrote:

> Personally, I
> haven't been happy with the frozen lobster tails I've purchased, but I
> haven't purchased any recently.

I find that dead sea creatures (like shrimp) benefit from a salt water
"bath" before cooking.

How would that be -- I'm imagining taken frozen shrimp out of my freezer,
putting them in a pan (in the sink) in salt water to reviven vs. letting
running water drain over them to thaw them, which is one way that I do.
(I
usually only buy frozen shrimp, thinking that when I buy them unfrozen
from
the grocery store, that they have been previously frozen before they put
them in the case for sale.)
Thanks,
Dee Dee

Dee, unless you get them off a fishing boat at the dock, every shrimp
you buy has been previously frozen....maybe, "technically" they
weren't frozen, but it's like those bowling ball chickens that they
try to tell you aren't really frozen, but they are hard enough to
qualify as frozen to me.

When I say give them salt water bath, I don't mean thaw a block of
shrimp in salt water( although it's something I hadn't considered).
I'm talking about soaking the thawed shrimp you buy at the store in
salt water for a few minute (shell on or shell off).

If you boil shrimp (or even fresh crab) in salt water, it seems to
improve the texture.

I normally remove the shells from thawed shrimp tho' and sautee' them
quickly in butter and olive oil just until they turn pink. I HATE
overcooked shrimp! :-P

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

Stone Crabs..

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

sf said:

On 27 Aug 2005 09:14:47 -0700, Sheldon wrote:

> I don't know why folks buy frozen lobster tails, other than
> that they have extremely low IQs.

<sf is thumbing her nose at Sheldon>

That's not going to change my mind. I still think whole lobster is
more trouble than it's worth and love lobster tail - aka: salt
water crayfish.

Back in the days when the only lobster available was the cooked and
frozen variety or a trip to the
only seafood restaurant where it cost an arm and a leg, I wasn't
impressed with lobster. But then I
had fresh caught lobster at a place in Bar Harbor, and that
impressed me.

I think that the tastiest meat on a lobster comes from the legs, but
it has to be a good sized
lobster before it is worth the work. The next best is the meat in
the claws.

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack
Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Problem is, I don't like to bother with them. Too small so not enough
meat to make them worth the trouble.

The coast is also a 3 hour drive away.

I can get live lobsters at our local Wal-mart and live dungeness in
season at Central Market in Austin.

Cheers!

My father used to go crabbing... you're right about blue crab. It's
delicious but so very time consuming. I remember once visiting and we had
blue crab for dinner. One crab was bound and determined *not* to be tossed
in the pot. It grabbed the tongs and hung on (literally) for dear life! We
were all laughing. Of course, it's not funny to be shoved into a big
boiling pot of water. But despite the screams of vegetarians everywhere and
the pain of shelling and picking over the blue crabs, all in all a delicious
meal.

Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to have a
bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of napkins.
Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted many times before).

Jill

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted post said:

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

sf wrote:

> On 27 Aug 2005 09:14:47 -0700, Sheldon wrote:
>
> > I don't know why folks buy frozen lobster tails, other than
> > that they have extremely low IQs.
>
> <sf is thumbing her nose at Sheldon>
>
> That's not going to change my mind. I still think whole lobster is
> more trouble than it's worth and love lobster tail - aka: salt
> water crayfish.

Back in the days when the only lobster available was the cooked and
frozen variety or a trip to the
only seafood restaurant where it cost an arm and a leg, I wasn't
impressed with lobster. But then I
had fresh caught lobster at a place in Bar Harbor, and that
impressed me.

I think that the tastiest meat on a lobster comes from the legs, but
it has to be a good sized
lobster before it is worth the work. The next best is the meat in
the claws.

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

Stone Crabs..

Just the claws right?
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Problem is, I don't like to bother with them. Too small so not enough
meat to make them worth the trouble.

The coast is also a 3 hour drive away.

I can get live lobsters at our local Wal-mart and live dungeness in
season at Central Market in Austin.

Cheers!

My father used to go crabbing... you're right about blue crab. It's
delicious but so very time consuming. I remember once visiting and we had
blue crab for dinner. One crab was bound and determined *not* to be tossed
in the pot. It grabbed the tongs and hung on (literally) for dear life! We
were all laughing. Of course, it's not funny to be shoved into a big
boiling pot of water. But despite the screams of vegetarians everywhere and
the pain of shelling and picking over the blue crabs, all in all a delicious
meal.

<lol> Yeah, blue crab are fiesty creatures!
And they do have a good flavor...
They ore often sold live at the oriental market alongside live crawfish.
Inexpensive too!

Now if they'd just sell fresh eels.
The frozen eels they sell tend to be kinda old. :-P

Quoted message said:

Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to have a
bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of napkins.
Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted many times before).

Jill

Is that like a clam bake?

Quoted message said:

--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 20:24:54 +0200, jacqui{JB} wrote:

> Personally, I
> haven't been happy with the frozen lobster tails I've purchased, but

I

Quoted message said:

> haven't purchased any recently.

I find that dead sea creatures (like shrimp) benefit from a salt water
"bath" before cooking.

How would that be -- I'm imagining taken frozen shrimp out of my
freezer,
putting them in a pan (in the sink) in salt water to reviven vs.
letting
running water drain over them to thaw them, which is one way that I do.
(I
usually only buy frozen shrimp, thinking that when I buy them unfrozen
from
the grocery store, that they have been previously frozen before they put
them in the case for sale.)
Thanks,
Dee Dee

Dee, unless you get them off a fishing boat at the dock, every shrimp
you buy has been previously frozen....maybe, "technically" they
weren't frozen, but it's like those bowling ball chickens that they
try to tell you aren't really frozen, but they are hard enough to
qualify as frozen to me.

When I say give them salt water bath, I don't mean thaw a block of
shrimp in salt water( although it's something I hadn't considered).
I'm talking about soaking the thawed shrimp you buy at the store in
salt water for a few minute (shell on or shell off).

My frozen shrimp aren't frozen in a block, but I can pull them out of the
package separately. Sometimes I do it this way (probably the 30 to a lb,
don't know for sure): Pull 20 out and put them uncovered in a glass bowl
overnight and 'don't' let them thaw enough that they are setting in their
thawing water. Then I'll put them under running water to finish thawing
before cooking.

Now perhaps I'll put them in a pan of salted water to thaw that extra bit
(instead of running water) before cooking.
Good idea. Thanks.
Dee Dee

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Problem is, I don't like to bother with them. Too small so not enough
meat to make them worth the trouble.

The coast is also a 3 hour drive away.

I can get live lobsters at our local Wal-mart and live dungeness in
season at Central Market in Austin.

Cheers!
--
Om.

I've seen the lobsters in Walmart and oft wondered whether anyone bought
them (or they were just for the kids, ha ha!)
Dee Dee

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

sf said:

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

<VBG>
You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Problem is, I don't like to bother with them. Too small so not enough
meat to make them worth the trouble.

The coast is also a 3 hour drive away.

I can get live lobsters at our local Wal-mart and live dungeness in
season at Central Market in Austin.

Cheers!
--
Om.

I've seen the lobsters in Walmart and oft wondered whether anyone bought
them (or they were just for the kids, ha ha!)
Dee Dee

Yes, I've seen people buy them.
I've never bought them there, but I don't see anything wrong with them.
The price compares to the ones at the local grocery store in the fish
section.
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
sf <[email hidden]> wrote:

> On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>
>> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)
>
> <VBG>
> You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!

Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.

Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to have
a bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of
napkins. Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted
many times before).

Jill

Is that like a clam bake?

http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/frogmore.htm#Stew

Frogmore used to be the name of the town, until some hoity-toity residents
decided it sounded too country and changed the name back to St. Helena.

I've eaten at The Steamers (a.k.a. Steamy's Oyster Bar & Grill)... great
food!

Jill

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <[email hidden]>,
> sf <[email hidden]> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>>
>>> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)
>>
>> <VBG>
>> You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!
>
> Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to have
a bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of
napkins. Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted
many times before).

Jill

Is that like a clam bake?

http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/frogmore.htm#Stew

Frogmore used to be the name of the town, until some hoity-toity residents
decided it sounded too country and changed the name back to St. Helena.

I've eaten at The Steamers (a.k.a. Steamy's Oyster Bar & Grill)... great
food!

Jill

I've seen pictures of this. :-)
I think I'd clean the crabs ahead of time and break them in half down
the mid-line, and cut the corn into 1/3 ears.

I've also seen people add small whole clams (in the shell) to this mix.

I'd really like to try this someday, but NOT in that quantity! <lol>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted post said:

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
Dave Smith <[email hidden]> wrote:

> sf wrote:
>
> > On 27 Aug 2005 09:14:47 -0700, Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > > I don't know why folks buy frozen lobster tails, other than
> > > that they have extremely low IQs.
> >
> > <sf is thumbing her nose at Sheldon>
> >
> > That's not going to change my mind. I still think whole lobster is
> > more trouble than it's worth and love lobster tail - aka: salt
> > water crayfish.
>
> Back in the days when the only lobster available was the cooked and
> frozen variety or a trip to the
> only seafood restaurant where it cost an arm and a leg, I wasn't
> impressed with lobster. But then I
> had fresh caught lobster at a place in Bar Harbor, and that
> impressed me.
>
> I think that the tastiest meat on a lobster comes from the legs, but
> it has to be a good sized
> lobster before it is worth the work. The next best is the meat in
> the claws.
>

Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)

Stone Crabs..

Just the claws right?

Right. Too much work!

MoM

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <[email hidden]>,
> sf <[email hidden]> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>>
>>> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)
>>
>> <VBG>
>> You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!
>
> Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf coast.
Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to have
a bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of
napkins. Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted
many times before).

Jill

Is that like a clam bake?

http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/frogmore.htm#Stew

Frogmore used to be the name of the town, until some hoity-toity residents
decided it sounded too country and changed the name back to St. Helena.

I've eaten at The Steamers (a.k.a. Steamy's Oyster Bar & Grill)... great
food!

Jill

Beaufort! That's where we bought crab pots and crabbed for 2 weeks and
brought all the lovely meat home.

A park just outside Beaufort.

MoM

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>> In article <[email hidden]>,
>> sf <[email hidden]> wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 16:03:58 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>>>
>>>> Lobster is good, but IMHO King or Dungeness crab is better. ;-)
>>>
>>> <VBG>
>>> You'd like it even more if you weren't landlocked, m'hearty!
>>
>> Probably right... but I can catch live blue crabs in the gulf
>> coast.
> Try Frogmore Stew sometime... it's a great meal but you have to
> have
> a bucket to toss the corn cobs and crab shells in and plenty of
> napkins. Recipe available upon request (although it's been posted
> many times before).
>
> Jill

Is that like a clam bake?

http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/frogmore.htm#Stew

Frogmore used to be the name of the town, until some hoity-toity
residents decided it sounded too country and changed the name back
to St. Helena.

I've eaten at The Steamers (a.k.a. Steamy's Oyster Bar & Grill)...
great food!

Jill

I've seen pictures of this. :-)
I think I'd clean the crabs ahead of time and break them in half down
the mid-line, and cut the corn into 1/3 ears.

I've also seen people add small whole clams (in the shell) to this
mix.

I'd really like to try this someday, but NOT in that quantity! <lol>

For 6:

In a large pot 1 lb. link pork sausage (Frogmore sausage is hard to find,
try Italian or Chaurice or Andouille); 3 lbs. new potatoes covered well with
water and beer. Boil 7 minutes. Add 1 large chopped onion and chopped bell
pepper, 3 ribs chopped celery, 2 Tbs. seafood seasoning. Boil 10 minutes.
Add 6 fresh blue crabs, 6 ears corn on the cob, broken. Boil 10 minutes.
Add 3 lbs. fresh cleaned shrimp and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and
let stand 5 minutes. Drain and serve with plenty of napkins and buckets to
toss the corn cobs, shrimp shells and crab shells in.

Jill

In article <[email hidden]>, "jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote:
[...]

Quoted message said:

For 6:

In a large pot 1 lb. link pork sausage (Frogmore sausage is hard to find,
try Italian or Chaurice or Andouille); 3 lbs. new potatoes covered well with
water and beer. Boil 7 minutes. Add 1 large chopped onion and chopped bell
pepper, 3 ribs chopped celery, 2 Tbs. seafood seasoning. Boil 10 minutes.
Add 6 fresh blue crabs, 6 ears corn on the cob, broken. Boil 10 minutes.
Add 3 lbs. fresh cleaned shrimp and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and
let stand 5 minutes. Drain and serve with plenty of napkins and buckets to
toss the corn cobs, shrimp shells and crab shells in.

So when's the party, Jill? :-)

[It's my ambition to one day eat "enough" mud crab -- you know, you
just keep going until you can say "That's enough." One is not
"enough", but three probably would be. It's possible that two would
meet the criterion, if they were big enough. Dunno about your blue
swimmers though. If they're the same as ours, they're a bit fiddly to
eat and never grow big enough anyway.]

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]