Maine Lobster Facts
A delicacy the world over, Maine Lobsters are always delicious. At Pine Point Seafood, a fleet of fishermen bring their catch to our facility daily. The lobsters are placed in ice cold, clear, ocean water to await shipment. As orders are received, the lobsters are packed in special air freight containers, and shipped direct to your door the very next day.
Choose from the choices below to explore our library of interesting facts and handling tips
- How do I handle my live lobsters
- How do I handle my cooked lobsters
- How can I tell if my lobsters arrived alive
- What is the difference between Hardshell and Softshell lobsters
- How does a lobster grow
- What is a legal size lobster
- Why do lobsters turn red when they are cooked
- Are lobsters good for me - Nutritional information
- What is this clump of little red balls in my lobsters tail
- How do I hold my lobster so I don't get bit
- What is the white substance covering my lobsters meat
How do I handle my live lobsters
Live lobsters are very perishable, and require a controlled salt water environment to remain alive. They do not generally live much beyond a day out of water. We recommend that you cook your lobsters on the day you receive them. Cooked lobsters will stay fresh for at least three days in the refrigerator. Never place lobsters in water to try to keep them alive. The best way to keep them alive at home is to refrigerate them. Cover your lobsters with moist seaweed, or a damp cloth to keep your lobsters moist, and leave them in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
How do I handle my cooked lobsters
If you purchased our special partially cooked lobsters, you may keep them refrigerated for up to three days. When you are ready to serve them, place them in a pot of rapidly boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, start timing. In just five minutes, your lobsters will be ready to enjoy. Our partially cooked lobsters are the perfect choice for ease of preparation. We boil your lobsters in sea water to lock in the "fresh taste of Maine", then rush them to your door. You never need to worry about the quality of your lobster dinner, We have done it all for you. Consistent quality & easy preparation, what more could you ask for?
How can I tell if my lobsters arrived alive
If you ordered live lobsters, they will have been out of water for almost 24 hours when you receive them. Occasionally, one may appear weak or lifeless. This is a normal occurrence. In most cases, as long as the packaging material is in good condition, and the refrigerant is still cold, your lobsters will be fine. The best way to check is to boil the lobster. As long as the lobster's tail curls when cooked, and the meat in the tail is firm, and in one piece, then the lobster was alive when it was cooked. In the unlikely event that your packaging arrives damaged, please note it with the delivery driver and contact us immediately so we can arrange for full credit or replacement. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed at Pine Point Seafood.
What is the difference between Hardshell and Softshell lobsters
Lobsters grow by molting, or shedding their shells each year. Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened. This usually takes a few months. Then they are once again known as "Hardshell" lobsters. Softshell (also called "Newshell") lobsters are not as full of meat because their new shell is larger than the muscle. This allows for another year's growth.
Newshell lobsters represent 90% of the catch during the summer months. They are always less expensive and generally contain sweeter and juicier meat than the Hardshells.
Newshell lobsters do not travel as well and are often shipped pre-cooked. This special process guarantees your lobster will arrive fresh and ready to serve. Just refrigerate until ready to use, then heat and serve. Our special salt water cooking process locks in the fresh flavor without the worry of keeping them alive until you're ready to serve them. Pre-cooking also gives your lobsters a three day refrigerated shelf life for your convenience.
An adult female lobster will produce approximately 10,000 eggs when she is fertile. Each egg is the size of the head of a pin. As they grow, the eggs are held under the mothers tail with a special glue-like substance. The female will carry her eggs for almost a year. Then the eggs are released as larvae. It has been estimated that less than 1% of the eggs will survive to grow into an adult.
Lobsters grow by molting, or shedding their shells. Just after they molt, they are soft and fragile until their new shell has hardened. During this time, the lobster buries itself in the mud to hide from its natural enemies. When they are young, an immature lobster will molt several times each year. It takes approximately seven years for a lobster to grow to legal harvesting size (1-1 1/4 lb.). At this age, they molt just once a year, usually during the summer months. Each molt will increase their size by 1/4 lb. on average. When lobsters get older, they will often skip years, and molt less frequently.
The State of Maine has special laws that are designed to protect our lobster fishery for years to come. We use a special gauge to measure the lobsters carapace (body). There are both minimum and maximum size measurements. The minimum size is designed to make sure that all lobsters are mature enough to breed at least once before they are harvested. The maximum size limit is designed to protect the breeding stock. A minimum size lobster will weigh around 1 lb., while a maximum size lobster will weigh between 3-4 lbs. The most plentiful, and most popular size of Maine Lobsters are 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb. each. Maine is the only state to protect the resource like this. If you are offered a smaller or larger lobster than this, you can guarantee it is not a genuine Maine Lobster.
Why do lobsters turn red when they are cooked
Live lobsters are usually bluish green in color. On rare occasions, one is
landed that is orange, yellow, or blue. The lobster's color is caused by
pigments in the shell. When the lobster is cooked, all of the color pigments are
masked except the red background color.
Are lobsters good for me - Nutritional information
You Bet! Lobsters aren't just good - They're good for you. Maine Lobster has less cholesterol, calories, and saturated fats than both chicken and turkey.
CHOLESTEROL CALORIES SATURATED FATS Maine Lobster 72 mg 98 0.1 g Skinless Chicken 85 mg 173 1.3 g Skinless Turkey 86 mg 140 0.4 g source: The National Institute of Health based on a 3.5 oz. Serving
What is this clump of little red balls in my lobsters tail
You are the proud owner of a female lobster that has immature eggs that she hadn't released to her tail yet. It is called coral, and many people feel it is a delicacy. Lobster caviar if you will. If you are splitting a live lobster for stuffing, or if your lobster is undercooked, the coral will appear black.
How do I hold my lobster so I won't get bit
Your lobsters will come to you with heavy rubber bands on their claws. The fisherman put those on as soon as the lobsters are removed from their traps. These bands are to protect the lobsters from damaging each other. To pick up a lobster, grab it by the back, just above where the tail connects to the carapace (body). The lobster won't be able to bend his claws back enough to get you. Be careful not to let your fingers get below the tail. The shell on the underside of the tail has some sharp edges, and may cut you if the lobster flips it's tail as if it was swimming. That's right, lobsters swim backwards by flipping that powerful tail. You've probably heard the old adage "crabs crawl sideways and lobsters swim back."
What is the white substance covering my lobsters meat
Lobsters have a primitive circulatory system and blood. When they are alive, their blood appears clear, but once they have been cooked, the blood congeals and turns white. You will often see it on the claws in particular. The cooked blood has no taste and is harmless. You can easily scrape it off if you wish. Sometimes you will see some blood in your pot as you boil your lobsters. Once again it is perfectly harmless and quite normal.