Maine Lobster Dinner

Ingredients

• 2 count whole live Maine lobsters (1.5 pounds each)
• ¼ cup sea salt
• 2 quarts water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 count fresh lemon
• 3 count fresh thyme sprigs
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Fill a 12-quart stainless steel stockpot with 2 quarts of water and add 0.25 cup of sea salt—the water should taste like the ocean. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. You want a vigorous, sustained boil, not just a gentle simmer, because the lobster needs to cook quickly and evenly.

2. 2

   While the water heats, prepare the drawn butter: place 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Let it melt slowly without stirring, about 3-4 minutes. Once melted and calm, carefully pour the clear liquid butter into a serving ramekin, leaving the white milk solids at the bottom of the pan—discard the solids. This yields pure, golden drawn butter that won't mask the lobster's delicate flavor.

3. 3

   Cut 1 fresh lemon in half and have it ready on a small plate. Strip the leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs.

4. 4

   Once the water is at a full rolling boil, carefully lower both 1.5-pound lobsters head-first into the pot using tongs—they'll thrash briefly, which is normal. Immediately cover the pot with its lid. Return to a boil, which should take about 1-2 minutes.

5. 5

   Once boiling again, set a timer for 12 minutes. The lobsters are done when their shells turn a deep, vibrant red and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tail (where it meets the body) reads 190°F. At 1.5 pounds, 12 minutes is standard, but always verify with temperature—undercooked lobster is rubbery, overcooked is mushy.

6. 6

   Stir the 3 thyme sprigs into the warm drawn butter and season with 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper. Let infuse for 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Using tongs, transfer each cooked lobster to a cutting board to rest for 2 minutes—this prevents excessive moisture loss when you begin eating. The shells will still be steaming.

8. 8

   Place each lobster on a warm dinner plate. Set the ramekin of thyme-infused drawn butter and the lemon halves alongside. Serve immediately with a wooden lobster cracker and small seafood fork for extracting the tender meat from the claws and tail.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-quart stainless steel stockpot with lid
• small saucepan
• instant-read thermometer
• kitchen tongs
• small serving ramekin
• cutting board
• wooden lobster cracker
• small seafood fork
• dinner plates

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