How to Shell Lobster

Lobster must be at least partially cooked to shell easily.

First, twist off the tail from the body.

Next, remove the claws by twisting them off.

To remove the meat from the tail, pull off all the flippers at the end of the tail and push the meat out through the front end of the shell with your finger.

You also can use a scissor to cut through the shell on the underside of the tail, then lift out the meat.

Bend the lower, smaller pincer shell on the claw from side to side and then pull it away from the claw. With luck, the pincer will come free and bring with it the cartilage within the claw.

Then, with the back of a chef's knife, crack the top side of the claw without crushing the meat inside. Rock the knife until the claw splits open.

Break open the claw shell and remove the claw meat in one piece.

Cut open the small pincer and arm sections with scissors and remove the meat.

There's a lot more meat on this carcass if you're willing to work for it. You can pick over the body, the tail fins, and, using a small rolling pin, you can extract more meat from the legs.

Instructor: Paul Grimes