#1
paradoxrunway , Jul 5, 2010 11:30 pm
Suspended
Jul 6, 2010are live Maine lobsters suitable for eating raw as lobster sashimi?
I've had lobster sashimi when I was in Japan. It was very good. However, they use a different kind of lobster over there. Not sure what it's called... it's the kind that doesn't have big claws like the Maine lobsters found in the North Atlantic.
The reason I'm asking is that my local Japanese restaurant recently put out a new menu and listed "Lobster Sashimi For Two" for $65. The chef told me it's for a whole 2 or 3-pound lobster. When asked if it's okay to eat these lobsters raw, he just said "no problem!" and smiled. The lobsters are kept live in a tank, just like how Red Lobster restaurants keep them alive.
I've had lobster sashimi when I was in Japan. It was very good. However, they use a different kind of lobster over there. Not sure what it's called... it's the kind that doesn't have big claws like the Maine lobsters found in the North Atlantic.
The reason I'm asking is that my local Japanese restaurant recently put out a new menu and listed "Lobster Sashimi For Two" for $65. The chef told me it's for a whole 2 or 3-pound lobster. When asked if it's okay to eat these lobsters raw, he just said "no problem!" and smiled. The lobsters are kept live in a tank, just like how Red Lobster restaurants keep them alive.
#2
Quote:
I think Red Lobster lobsters come off the back of a Sysco truck and are plugged in so they appear alive.Originally Posted by paradoxrunway
The lobsters are kept live in a tank, just like how Red Lobster restaurants keep them alive.
#3
All lobsters are edible raw and Maine lobsters are just as safe (or unsafe) to eat as those special Japanese ones. Flavour will be different. As with most raw seafood, there is a small risk of Vibrio vulnificus infection (but a healthy immune system generally handles this, so it is a concern primarily if your immune system is compromised). Rather strangely 85% of victims are male, females are much less susceptible. Eating raw oyster (something I love) is the primary source of Vibrio vulnificus infection, fwiw.
#4
I find the texture to be weird of the Maine (and Canada and that type) of lobster when it's raw. It's too gooey for my taste usually. The spiny lobsters from where ever spiny lobsters come from is firmer when it's raw.
#6
Quote:
by the time a lobster gets to 3lbs, it is starting to get tough. long time cooking softens it up. Originally Posted by paradoxrunway
The chef told me it's for a whole 2 or 3-pound lobster. When asked if it's okay to eat these lobsters raw, he just said "no problem!" and smiled. The lobsters are kept live in a tank, just like how Red Lobster restaurants keep them alive.
a long time ago, we bought 6-8 lb lobsters in the waltham market. regular price $0.79 a lb. special, $0.69 a pound. those babies were tough. cook for about an hour, then chop them up for salad.
#7
clarence5ybr , Jul 7, 2010 11:07 am
Oceano in RNO does a great lobster sashimi...you eat the tail raw, then they take it away, and cook the claws and body in miso broth, then bring out a bowl of the lobster/miso broth with the cooked claw meat. I have to admit I don't like raw lobster as much as I like raw fish, but the miso/lobster soup is so delicious it makes the whole dish worthwhile!
#8
At the Sushi bar at Sandbar in Vancouver, in season, you can have the lobster course with the lobster tail sashimi and the lobster meat miso soup (the broth made with the lobster shells). Very expensive but VERY tasty!!
#9
MayaLavender , May 22, 2014 10:38 am
I make lobster sashimi quite frequently at home and find it delicious. I use Live Maine Lobsters. Usually about 1 1/2 pounds. What I do is take my knife (very sharp!) and first slice the head portion in half lengthwise to kill it as quickly and "humanly" as possible. There are lots of videos on line to show this killing technique and it is popular among many chefs. I have a pot of water boiling and after separating the tail from the body I dunk the tail in the water for maybe 30 seconds..this does not cook the meat but makes it easier to separate the shell from the tail. While slicing up the tail meat I generally steam the body and claws for 10-15 minutes or until the shell turns red..YUM!
#10
Remember with lobsters bigger is not better. The smaller ones will be softer and juicier than the giant ones. Also Maine lobsters are the most flavorful...you can tell them because they are the ones with the claws vs. pacific or Caribbean ones that do not have claws.
#11
dchristiva , May 23, 2014 7:23 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Quote:
a long time ago, we bought 6-8 lb lobsters in the waltham market. regular price $0.79 a lb. special, $0.69 a pound. those babies were tough. cook for about an hour, then chop them up for salad.
That's been my experience, too. I have established a relationship with a lobsterman in Maine and he told me that he wouldn't sell me a lobster much bigger than 2 lbs. Beyond that, he says, the flavor really suffers.Originally Posted by slawecki
by the time a lobster gets to 3lbs, it is starting to get tough. long time cooking softens it up. a long time ago, we bought 6-8 lb lobsters in the waltham market. regular price $0.79 a lb. special, $0.69 a pound. those babies were tough. cook for about an hour, then chop them up for salad.
#12
tentseller , May 23, 2014 9:14 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Quote:
The aged 'toughness" of the meat lends itself to better sashimi slices. But like everything else, there is a limit.Originally Posted by dchristiva
That's been my experience, too. I have established a relationship with a lobsterman in Maine and he told me that he wouldn't sell me a lobster much bigger than 2 lbs. Beyond that, he says, the flavor really suffers.
#13
broadwayblue , May 24, 2014 5:13 pm
I thought the whole bigger lobsters are tougher business was a myth. Larger lobsters are easier to overcook, making them tougher...but cooked properly they are no tougher. Also, meat from soft-shell lobsters is more tender than that from hard-shell lobsters. At least that's what I've read.