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.

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
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
Add the lobster
Hold the lobster by the tail and lower it quickly in head first, so the water stays at a boil.
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
Cool
Let the lobster stay in the cooking water until it has cooled.
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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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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