To Boil Lobsters is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic method of cooking lobsters by boiling in salted water. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To Boil Lobsters.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
270. INGREDIENTS.—1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.
Mode.—Buy the lobsters alive, and choose those that are heavy and full of motion, which is an indication of their freshness. When the shell is incrusted, it is a sign they are old: medium-sized lobsters are the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling quickly from 20 minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again.
Time.—Small lobster, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; large ditto, 1/2 to 1/3 hour.
Average cost, medium size, 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d.
Seasonable all the year, but best from March to October.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2 lobsters
25g salt per 1l of water
Method:
When choosing lobsters pick lively ones. Either make an incision just behind the head or place the lobster in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to kill it. Bring a pan of water to a boil (this should have salt in it at the ratio of 25g salt per 1l of water). Add the lobster and boil for between 20 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the lobster.
If the lobster is cooked too long then the meat will become stringy, if not cooked sufficiently then the spawn will not be red. As a rule of thumb, a small lobster should be cooked for about 25 minutes and a large lobster for about 40 minutes.
