Lobster Cooking Time

Depending in how you cook lobster, cooking time will vary. For instance, a stuffed lobster baking in the oven is going to take longer to heat than a lobster that is totally submerged in a pot of boiling water on the stove top.

Other factors come into play, also...

Are you planning on grilling lobster? If so, you need to take into consideration the size of the lobster, how hot the coals are, AND...

...how many lobsters will be competing for grill space, thus sharing the precious heat source.

However, there are simple guidelines to follow when determining lobster cooking time, and thankfully...

...a cooked lobster has different characteristics than an uncooked lobster, so there will be clues along the way.

Please note... These are WHOLE fresh lobster cooking times. If you are looking for instructions on cooking a lobster tail...

You may be interested in:
Baking Lobster Tails, Boiled Lobster Tails, Grilled Lobster Tails, How to Cook Lobster Tail

How Long to Cook Live Lobster

There are many ways to cook lobster, each of which will have its own cooking time. Lobster size, and the number of lobsters that will be cooked simultaneously, will also contribute to cooking time. ;

However, lobsters have a great way of letting you know when they are ready for consumption.

The shell of an uncooked lobster is tinted with shades of green and brown, and the meat is translucent. On the other hand...

...a cooked lobster has a red or bright orange shell, with meat that is firm and white.

Are you cooking a hard shell lobster or soft shell lobster?

Lobster cooking time is usually 2-3 minutes less, per pound, for a soft shell lobster than its hard shell counterpart.

Lobster cooking time steaming lobster...

Instructions for cooking lobster, provided by the Maine Lobster Council - and who would know better than THE Maine lobster authority - suggest the following cooking times for steamed lobster.

Lobster cooking time boiling lobster...

Some cooks say that because boiling lobster is submerged in water, it takes a few minutes less to boil a lobster than to steam one.

Other people will argue that since steam is hotter than water, it will take a little longer to steam a lobster than to boil one.

I use the same cooking time for steamed lobster and boiled lobster and have always had a good outcome.

Lobster cooking time baked stuffed lobster, baked lobster...

The cooking time for a baked lobster or baked stuffed lobster is around 25 minutes - in a 450 degree preheated oven - for a lobster that weights 1-/12 pounds. For larger lobsters add a 2 to 3 minutes per 1/2 pound.

You will know the lobster is cooked when the shell has turned a dark orange color and the meat inside is white.

Lobster cooking time grilled lobster...

• Put lobster(s) into a pot of water, bring water to a boil
• Boil for 6 minutes.
• Remove lobster(s) from the pot.
• Place lobster(s) on the grill, shell side down
• Grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until done

These cooking times are for 1-1/2 pound lobsters. Adjust the time accordingly for a small or large lobster, generally 2-3 minutes per 1/2 pound.

To promote quicker, more even cooking, some people prefer to split that lobster before putting it on the grill. To do so...

...remove the lobster from the boiling water and place it on its back, shell side down. With a sharp knife cut through the middle of the soft shell, being careful not to cut through the back shell.

Brush the inside of the lobster with butter, if desired, then place it on the grill, shell side down, and cook for 10 minutes, or until done.

If you have NOT partially cooked the lobster, cooking time on a grill (medium-high heat) will be around 7-8 minutes on each side.

Keep in mind that grilling tends to dry the lobster meat...

...and they can become overcooked very easily. You want to watch them closely and remove them from the heat as soon as they appear done. If necessary, you can always return them to the grill.

Lobster cooking times are all approximate... If you are cooking several lobsters together, allow a few extra minutes. And, be aware that stove top and oven temperatures vary, and you may need to adjust cooking time accordingly.