Did you know that in Colonial times, lobsters were considered the poor man’s chicken? People used to feed lobster to their pigs and goats, and only lower-class people would eat it.
However, if you’re looking for a luxurious meal today, there’s no better way to go than by eating lobster.
While many people love this succulent shellfish, it can be difficult to know what parts of a lobster to eat, especially if you don’t eat it very often. Fortunately, we’ve made a brief guide on the edible parts of a lobster, so you don’t have to waste any part of it.
The Tail
Whether you’ve eaten lobster before or not, you probably know that the tail is the main attraction. The tail is the most popular part of the lobster because of its meaty texture, and how easy it is to cook.
If you’re cooking lobster, it’s important to know how to serve it too. Check out this guide on cutting a lobster tail so you can make the most out of your lobster dinner!
The Claws
The claws are the next most popular meat in the lobster. Lobster claws have softer meat that’s got a sweeter flavor than the tail. In order to get the meat out, you’ll need special utensils to break the claw open.
The Knuckles
The knuckles are the part of the lobster that connects the claws to the body, but did you know that they have good meat in them?
The meat in the knuckles is extra rich and sweet, but it’s quite a challenge to extract it from the lobster. You should be able to get a chunk of meat out that’s about the size of a nickel.
The Legs
Many people overlook the lobster legs because it requires a bit of effort to get them open. However, just like crab legs, lobster legs are also packed with juicy meat. Just break the legs with a utensil or your teeth, and bite down on the meat to pull it out.
The Ribs
The ribs don’t offer a lot of meat, but when you’ve finished with the rest of the lobster, you may enjoy picking at the scraps. You can use a pick to scrape the last bits of meat out of the carcass.
Roe
Roe is unfertilized lobster eggs that can be found at the base of a female lobster’s tail. While these eggs used to be considered a delicacy, they’re quite different from caviar.
If you’re interested in eating the roe, you can pop the pearls right into your mouth, or mix them with butter, lemon, and garlic first.
Tomalley
Lobster tomalley looks gross, but some people swear that it’s the best part. If you can get past the appearance and texture, it may be worth trying. However, it’s important to know that the FDA doesn’t recommend eating the tomalley because it contains toxins that cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning.
Enjoying the Edible Parts of a Lobster
Lobster is expensive, so you probably want to get every bit of meat that you can from it. Hopefully, our guide taught you everything you needed to know about the edible parts of a lobster. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to take a look at some of our other great food-related content!