Live Lobsters on the cheap
 

article in wash post reporting dock prices of $2.50/lb. anyone seen econo lobsters in their area? seen any in the DC area? i have an urge for a lobster pig out. they usually show up cheap on mother's day, and mem day. i saw none.

Funny, one local store had them for $5 a lb for the holiday, and just released their ad for this week

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8822/stews.jpg

When we were buying last week for the 4th, they said because of the glut of them we may see prices like $2.99 or $2.50 a lb this summer from time to time.

Looks like a Stew Leonard's ad--I'll have to check this out! Were they good?

The ones last week were wonderful, they turn them over so fast that they come in every day.

for those in the Chicago area, H Mart (Korean mega grocery store) in Niles had live lobster for $5.98lb, that is the lowest I've seen in Chicago in years. Normal price is $9.98lb which isn't bad at all.

Stories are starting to come out of Maine saying the fisherman want the state to step in and do something about the prices.

Apparently because of the warmer winter, and warmer water the molting happened a month and a half earlier than usual. Soft shell critters can't be shipped as far, so they usually get $2 a pound or so less at wholesale.

Currently, softshells are only getting $1.50/lb wholesale (though others quoted say that number is not real it's a bit higher), supposedly according to one of their congressmen, anything less than $2 or $2.50 and they can't make a profit on them.

Early in the season Canada had a huge catch (which is why prices have been low for months) so the processing houses are all backlogged and can't take the ones being caught in Maine now. They can't ship them very far, they can't sell them to the processing houses whose freezers are full, so they are dumping them at whatever price they can get.

The state can not legally shut down the lobster industry as some of the fisherman have asked, but some people have said they won't go out and bring more in at these prices.

"The department will not be closing the lobster fishery," Keliher said. "Based on the concerns that have been raised by the industry, I have reviewed our statutory authorities and they do not allow us to shut down the fishery for economic reasons.

"We have heard that fishermen are seeking to impose a de facto shutdown of the fishery and coercing others into complying by threatening to cut off their gear," he said. "The state will not tolerate any trap molestation, and any such actions will be met with targeted and swift enforcement or other appropriate action. Harvesters should also be aware that such actions may be in violation of federal antitrust laws."

All I can add is Yummie :D

I also saw a report on the "lobster glut" (the last one was right after the Financial Crisis hit in 2008) but I haven't seen any remarkably low lobster prices outside of New England yet. In the Mid-Atlantic, our cheapest lobster prices are usually at Shoprite. They've been doing $5.99/lb. off and on the past couple of months -- which isn't any better than last year. During the last glut, they got down to $3.99. I'm guessing patience will bring a better sale this summer. My lobster pot is at the ready. :)

Didn't "they" forecasted - earlier - higher prices for lobsters coming out of Atlantic this year? This is great for the "tummy" - feets on the ground this weekend & doing a family BBQ in the rear yards, heading over to the local supermarkets and going to checkout "retail" pricing to see ... Hmmm, time to do lobster-clam bake, NE style. Chains like Red Lobster or even Summer Shacks aren't going to lower their "seasonal prices" that much and this is definitely a DIY, bring out the old newspaper & the mallet. :D

Cruise lines are still serving warm water lobster tail in halved size - must be the economy, you know (as they said) :o :rolleyes:

Wow.... these prices are just crazy.... :eek:

I need to invent a machine to Teleport these critters over to Asia... talk about an interesting business model.... :p

or take a look at what Kona (yes THAT Kona) Cold water Lobster company did: http://konacoldlobsters.com/about_us.html

I recall being in Hawaii and seeing Kona cold water lobsters on the menu, intrigued I ask about them. Back then I was told that lobster fry were shipped from NE US to Kona, where they were then raised using the cold deep water off Kona. From the article I quoted, it appears the entire life cycle is now done at their farms.

Feeling pretty good about my chances of finding some good lobster next week when I fly DCA-PWM for a little vacation. :D

in dc, or those great pacific ocean lobsters in portland?

Any ideas where to find some at a good price in Charleston SC? I know they'll never reach here at that price so next week up there will be my best chance to grab some!

The same Korean supermarket chain is selling lobster for $4.99 and $5.99 in the Mid-Atlantic. It sounds like it sells out fast on the weekend, though.

http://slickdeals.net/f/4850094-HMar...e-Lobster-Glut

EDIT: So I was going to be in Philly tomorrow and thought I might try to pick up some cheap lobsters at the HMart in Upper Darby. My phone call to them was comical, however: I was literally transferred between 6 people, almost all with limited English skills, until somebody just hung up on me.

Me thinks the odds are low of getting lobsters there, but if you just show up, maybe it will work out.

i went to the dc warf today to buy live lobster. i was offered the discount price of $12.75 since i was buying 3. $12.75/lb!!!!! i bought squid.

$5.99 at Shoprite next week. I want $4.99 -- but not enough to make a trip to see the Koreans. :)

What does Spanish Octopus go for...???

How much was squid?

$4.99 cleaned, 4.49 whole. i bought the whole, as i thought it might be fresher. it was very fresh.

Last week they were $6.99 at Giant (chicken lobsters), $7.99 at Lotte in Chantilly, $5.99 at Grand (sold out when I got there around 1:00 pm Tuesday afternoon). I think Super H Mart (big Korean grocery in Fairfax) was advertising them at $5.99.

I would have gotten some at Lotte in Chantilly--they tend to carry larger lobsters than the ones at Giant, but when I was there the tank water was murky and there was a dead one splayed out on it's back on one end of the tank and all the live ones were backed into and stacked upon one another in the opposite end, as far away as they could get from it. There was an employee sitting right there ostensibly "working" the lobster part of the seafood department, but she left the dead one in there for who knows how long. I ended up getting four chicken lobsters from Giant. I was back in Giant today and the price is back up to $11.99/pound.

update--the Hmart ad shows lobster for $5.49/pound until Sunday in the Virginia stores. If I had known earlier, I would have gone there today! Link to store circular here.

Just got back from H Mart in Fairfax, Virginia, with a couple of lobsters @ $5.49/lb. Of course now I'm thinking I should have grabbed a couple more of them . . .

Nice, clean lobster tank--in fact, it's a three-level, infinity pool-type lobster tank. Observe:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7...2bf29809_b.jpg

Also . . . store was very nice. Beautiful produce section. No funky fish smell permeating the store, not even permeating the seafood department. LOVE this store!

Hmmm -- they look good. I migt try finding the Koreans again. They've been charging a dollar less in Philly. Are lobsters $4.49 there now? That would give me some incentive. :)

A restaurant in the Ft. Lauderdale area has been holding "all-you-can-eat lobster" specials for $39.99. A local radio station did a remote broadcast from there, and the owner stated that the lobsters are the 1 1/4 pound size, and that the average patron eats "three to five". :)

Looks like they're $4.99 at the H Mart in Upper Darby until tomorrow, according to that particular store's circular. Enjoy!

Which restaurant is this? the Lobster House in Plantation?

I haven't seen any cheap supermarket lobster prices down here, and definitely not on the west coast :(

Earlier this week in the PWM area - the glut is so bad there were guys selling live lobsters out of trucks (small tanks) for $3.50/lb. Stores were closer to $4/lb. Not too bad. Suffice to say I ate damn near my weight in lobsters. :D I'm done for awhile.

Ha! Good to know you're doing your part. :)

I'm always frustrated when I go down there - it seems that the vendors constantly try to gouge you, and they wonder why they lose business to grocery stores. Even Whole foods is cheaper than that!

Out here in SoCal I haven't seen anything decent for less than around $14/lb. I hate you all! ;););)

HMart in Diamond Bar had live lobster at 5.99/lb in their flyer - probably still a valid price. Ranch99 might be similar - although having spent far too much time in various Ranch99's, I would be cautious about buying seafood there - make sure any lobsters are still alive and kickin'. HMart should be no problem, freshness-wise.

Thanks for the suggestion but Diamond Bar is about 45 miles from me. I'll just have to keep an eye out for something closer to me.

Yes, I just returned from Maine as well. The issue is that the season came in early due to the warm winter. So they have LOTS of softer shell lobsters which they can not ship very far. Hence, the uber-low prices are really found primarily in New England.

We took advantage of the situation by enjoying grilled beef tenderloin filets topped with chunks of freshly cooked lobster meat and Bearnaise sauce. ^

And I fly back to Maine next week! :D

45 miles for cheap lobster is worth the drive :)

There should be some HMart or 99 locations closer to you - are you near San Gabriel or deep-south OC?

I've seen them for $3.99 a pound in MA at Market basket and at a local fish store.

This thread prompted me to look at our local Ranch 99 ad:

http://www.99ranch.com/coupons_flyer...rnia/flyer.htm

Way OT, but I like the bottom of page 1, "Duck (parts missing) $1.79/lb."

I'm imagining a bag of feet, bills and anuses :D

The beef finger meat is interesting too...I didn't know cows had fingers.

a business in our neighborhood is selling roasted duck feet for dogs. the price was $7 a pound, or maybe 8. so i decided to look on line and buy a few lbs of duck feet and roast them. they are readily available from china. they are priced by the 32' container. that is 32 x 8 x8 ' container of duck feet. i did not bother to check the price.........

off topic but I gotta know, how did you utilize the squid?

When we go to Maine every August, our mantra is "No meat(beef) in Maine."

If it's all you can eat!:)

Neither, West Side.

My local Albertson's has live lobsters for around $14/lb, give or take, so the savings at HMart aren't high enough to warrant the drive. Can eat only so much. I'll have to check the Oriental markets that are much closer.

But I appreciate the "heads up."