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Boiling Lobster

Erken's basic recipe for boiling live lobster in plenty of water with 50 g salt per liter: head first into vigorously boiling water, hard boiling for 5 minutes and then gentle simmering by size, cooled in the cooking water, and the shell brushed with butter or oil.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 142 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

A basic technique in the crustacean section of the fish chapter. Erken first explains how to choose a good lobster and that crustaceans are cooked live, then gives the classic method with heavily salted water. The glowing fire tongs were meant to keep the water at a boil when the lobster was put in – a trick from wood-fired stoves.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Boil the water

    Put plenty of water in a large pot, enough to be sure it covers the lobster. Add 50 g salt per liter and bring the water to a rolling boil.

  2. 2

    Add the lobster

    Hold the lobster by the tail and lower it quickly in head first, so the water stays at a boil.

  3. 3

    Boil

    Boil hard for 5 minutes, then let it simmer on by size – about 10–15 minutes for a medium lobster. Skim as you go. Too long a boil makes the meat stringy; too short a boil keeps the roe from turning red.

  4. 4

    Cool

    Let the lobster stay in the cooking water until it has cooled.

  5. 5

    Polish the shell

    Take the lobster out and rub or brush the shell with a little butter or oil for a shinier look; it can be wiped off later. Let it lie on its back until it is to be used, as it stays juiciest that way.

Changes from the original

The glowing fire tongs are omitted in the modern method; instead, plenty of rolling boiling water is recommended. The cooking time is adjusted in line with modern practice (the original gives ½–¾ hour). The salt is kept at 50 g per liter of water.

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Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914Modernised
To1914Modernised
Modernised → 1914 (proofread, p. 142)~88% of the text changedremovedadded
2 stk hummer (levende, mellomstore). 4 liter vann (eller nok til å dekke hummeren). 200 g salt (50 g per liter vann). 1 ss smør eller olje (til pensling av skallet). Ha rikelig vann Hummer skal kokes straks den kommer i en stor gryte, så mye hus. I gryten maa man ha nok kokende vand, d. v. s. saa meget vand, at man er sikker paa, det sikkert dekker vil staa over hummeren. Tilsett Man skal ta 50 g gr. salt per til hver liter vand. Naar vandet med saltet foskoker og la vannet fosskoke.. Hold hummeren i halen man har en ildtang glødende, holder man denne med høire haand og senk stikker den raskt ned i vandet samtidig med, at man lægger hummeren i med hodet først, så vannet venstre haand, idet man holder seg den i kok.. halen. Altid skal hodet stikkes først i og saa hurtig som mulig. Den glødende tang gjør, at vandet ikke stanser i koken, naar hummerne lægges i. Kok kraftig sterkt i 5 minutter, og la den deretter småkoke videre etter størrelsen – minutter; smaakok derefter ca. 10–15 minutter ½—¾ time efter størrelsen; glem ikke at skumme. Hvis hummeren koker for mellomstor hummer. Skum underveis. For lang koking gir længe, blir kjøttet trevlet kjøtt, for kort koking gjør at og hvis den ikke er nok kokt, blir rognen ikke rød. Naar de er kokt, blir rød.. La hummeren ligge de liggende i kokevannet vandet, til den de er avkjølt.. Ta hummeren opp og gni avkjølet, tages da op, skallene gnides eller pensle skallet pensles over med litt smør eller olje for blankere utseende; det olje, som siden kan tørkes tørres av senere. La igjen. Dette gir den et blankere utseende. Den kokte hummer bør ligge på ryggen til paa ryggen, indtil den skal brukes, da holder brukes; den seg saftigst. holder sig saftigst paa denne maate.

Note on Modernised

Den glødende ildtangen er utelatt i moderne framgangsmåte; i stedet anbefales rikelig fossende kokende vann. Koketiden er nedjustert i tråd med moderne praksis (originalen oppgir ½–¾ time). Salt er beholdt på 50 g per liter vann.

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Frequently asked questions

How much salt should I use in the cooking water?
50 grams of salt per liter of water, and enough water for the lobster to be fully submerged.
How long should the lobster boil?
Boil hard for 5 minutes, then simmer gently for about ½–¾ hour depending on the size. Skim as you go. If it boils too long, the meat becomes stringy and white.
How do I put the lobster into the pot?
Hold the lobster by the tail and put it in head first, as quickly as possible, into rolling boiling water. Erken recommends at the same time thrusting a glowing pair of fire tongs into the water so the boil does not stop.
How fresh must the lobster be?
According to the recipe (Stor kokebok 1914, p. 142), lobster should be boiled as soon as it arrives in the house.

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