- Tie the claws together with string or with a rubber band. If the lobster is alive you may prefer to place it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes prior to cooking, where it will quietly fall asleep.
- Place the lobster, dead or alive, in a large pan of salted with flavoring vegetables, if liked, and slowly bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the dark shell turns bright red.
- Leave the lobster to cool in the cooking liquid.
- Twist off the claws and remove the legs. Using shellfish crackers, or a hammer, crack the claws and pull out the meat.
- Cut away the thin under shell of the tail section using sharp scissors, and carefully pull out the flesh.
- Place the lobster tail on a board and cut in half along its length with a sharp knife. Remove the thin grey vein of intestine running along its length.
- Scrape out the red coral (if present) and reserve.
- If liked, add the liver to the flesh. This is the green-grey flesh near the head, and is delicious.
- Carefully lift out the bony part of the head and break it into pieces. Using a lobster pick or skewer, pick out the flesh and any remaining liver and roe.
- Pull away the grey spongy gills and stomach sac from the top of the head and discard.
- Wash the shell and dry well. This method of preparation means that both the head and tail sections of the lobster may be used to hold and serve the meat.
