lotsa  lobster  answers 
Frequently  Asked  Questions.....

What is the difference between Hard shell and Soft shell lobsters?

Lobsters grow by molting, or by shedding their shells each year. Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened, and they are, sometimes called "shedders." Soft shell are tender, sweet, and delicious, and represent about 90% of the catch during the summer months. They contain less meat than a hard shell lobster of the same size, because their body has not yet grown into its new shell, and so the lobster's shell is larger than its body.

Can I put my lobster in the bathtub?

Never place lobsters in tap water to try to keep them alive; lobsters are salt water creatures, and fresh water will kill them.

Why do lobsters turn red when they are cooked?

When a lobster is cooked, protein molecules in its shell bend into new shapes, which reflect only the red wave lengths in light. Lobster blood is a clear fluid. When the lobster is boiled, the blood turns to an opaque whitish gel, it has no discernible flavor and is perfectly safe to eat.

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How OLD is my lobster?

Lobsters can live a long time. It takes a lobster approximately 5-7 years to reach legal harvest size which is 1 - 1/4lb.  Lobsters are thought to be capable of living over 100 years!

Why do some lobsters have a big right claw and some have a big left claw?

Lobsters exhibit 'handedness,' some will have the crusher claw on the right side while others will have it on the left.  

Are lobsters a healthy food?

Lobsters are an incredibly healthy, low cholesterol food, which have fewer calories and saturated fats than both chicken and turkey.

CHOLESTEROL CALORIES SATURATED FATS

• Maine Lobster 72 mg 98 0.1 g

• Skinless Chicken 85 mg 173 1.3 g

• Skinless Turkey 86 mg 140 0.4 g

Source: The National Institute of Health based on a 3.5 oz. Serving

What is the clump of red stuff in my lobsters tail?

Lobster eggs. You have a female lobster that has immature eggs which she hasn't yet released to the outside of her tail. It is called coral or roe, and many people feel it is a delicacy; lobster caviar, if you will. Lobster eggs turn red when cooked, but are naturally black, so if you are splitting a live lobster for stuffing the coral will appear black.

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What IS that black gooey stuff in the body of my cooked lobster?

There is nothing wrong with your lobster! It is just the uncooked eggs that haven't yet moved down to the tail. If you put that black gooey stuff in the microwave it would cook and turn red.

What is the "green stuff" you find in the cooked lobsters? Can you eat it?
This is the tomalley or tamali, which functions like the liver, pancreas in the lobster. Many find it delicious to eat.