Steamed Lobsters in a Turkey Deep Fryer

Rory's first lobster ... a local one, of course!

My parents own a turkey deep fryer but they really would never even consider using it to actually fry a turkey. They purchased a turkey deep fryer for steaming lobsters, of course. We converted to this style of lobster steaming a few years ago once my children actually started eating their fair share of this delicious shellfish and there were simply too many lobsters to steam on the stovetop.  We can fit about 10 to 12 lobsters at once into this "steamer."

The "lobster steamer"

Many, many years ago, we used to boil lobsters but the flavor of steamed lobsters is actually much tastier and it is harder to overcook. Whether you are using a turkey deep fryer or a big pot on your stove, you only need about 2 inches of water to steam the lobsters. You can add some sea salt if you wish. Bring the water to a boil, add the lobsters head first into the boiling water. Once all the lobsters are in, bring the water back to a boil, cover and steam for about 14 to 15 minutes. Your lobsters should be bright red when they are done. Carefully remove the very hot lobsters from your pot using tongs and place on serving trays - the lobsters will continue to cook a little bit after you have removed them from the pot. (If you are only cooking one or two small lobsters you will need a little bit less time - more like 8 - 10 minutes.)

My dad ... the chef

Steaming lobsters is really an easy endeavor. Cracking them open to eat them can be a little more of a challenge, but practice makes perfect so eat up! 

Lobster tips: Lobsters need to be alive when they are cooked! If you are selecting lobsters from the lobster pound, look for feisty ones. There is no need to take off the rubber bands around the lobster claws unless you would like to get pinched. If you need to keep your lobsters for a little while before you cook them, keep them in paper bags in the bottom of your refrigerator.

My kids are crazy about lobstah!

When you serve your lobsters at home, it might be helpful to have a large plate for preparing your lobster - watch out for the water that might come out when you start to crack it open - and a smaller plate for actually eating your lobster. A large "discard" bucket for shells and such in the middle of the table also helps keep the mess to a minimum.

We keep our lobster meals very simple - melted butter is a must-have but you don't need to get too fancy with the side dishes. Potato chips, fresh corn on the cob, or potato salad all go very well and don't require much preparation.