The Squeezing Trick To Ensure You're Buying The Best Lobster

While you are busy Googling "how to grill lobster tail" to best enjoy this succulent seafood, you are actually overlooking a much more important query — how to choose a good live lobster in the first place. Throwing out lobster shells is a common mistake to avoid, because they make a superb stock, but did you know that the shell of a live lobster can actually tell you a lot about whether it will be good eatin' once cooked up?

Before you purchase a lobster, ask the employee at the seafood counter if you can squeeze its shell. A hard shell, which doesn't give under pressure, translates to a more meaty and yummy lobster. Softer-shelled lobsters are in a different stage of the molting cycle than their hard-shelled brethren and the texture won't be as succulent. While you're palpating the lobster, you can also check out its swimmerets, or pleopods, the first set of legs where the tail joins the body. Male lobsters have heftier, stiffer legs, while lady lobsters' are more spindly. Do you actually care about your lobster's sex? Well ... maybe. Male lobsters will have bigger claws, which are some folks' favorite part of the crustacean. On the other hand, female lobsters contain roe, which is considered a delicacy. 

Lobster prices have done nothing but rise in recent years, making this shellfish a relatively spendy meal. If you feel awkward about asking to squeeze your lobsters' shells, don't. You deserve to get a delicious lobster that's worth your money!

Examine the live lobsters in the tank before picking one. Ideally, you want a feisty lobster. If it is droopy and not moving much, it may be sick and/or near-death, which is not something you want to eat. You can also eyeball its exterior, including shells and antennae. Has mossy seaweed begun to grow on the carapace, or has the lobster lost some or all of its antennae? These are signs that the lobster has been hanging out in the murky tank waters for a long time and isn't freshly-caught. Consider moving on to another source if all the lobsters on display look like this.

In general, lobsters bought at a well-trafficked seafood market are likely to be higher-quality than those found in a grocery store, especially if you live in a locale far away from where lobsters are typically caught. There are reputable companies online that will ship you live lobster, which may be a good option if you are located, say, in the landlocked middle of the country a thousand miles away from saltwater. A healthy, fresh lobster is one that will taste the best. Once you've picked out a great specimen, all that's left to do is figure out how you will serve it (Risotto? Lobster roll? Seafood boil?) and fasten your cringey lobster bib before digging in.