How to Eat Lobster

Lobster claws, melted butter and lemon wedges

You'll need:

  • A nutcracker
  • A small lobster fork

Eating the legs

  1. Grasp the lobster by its back and gently twist the legs to detach them at the base.
  2. Break the legs at the joints and suck on the ends to savor the meat and lobster juice.
  3. Use your lobster fork to remove strings of meat.

Eating the arms and claws

  1. Twist the claws so they come away from the lobster at their base, and break off each arm from its claw at the point of connection.
  2. Use your lobster fork to remove the meat inside the arm. You may have to open up the shell with the nutcracker to get at the meat fully.
  3. The claw looks like a mitten, with a "thumb" opposing the rest of the claw. Separate the thumb from the claw with your fingers — then, you can usually pull the meat from the thumb by pulling it out with your lobster fork.
  4. To get the claw meat, use your nutcracker to crack and remove the tip of the claw.
  5. Insert a finger or your lobster fork into the hole at the tip of the claw, and push the meat out of the hole you've made at the wrist.

Eating the tail

  1. With one hand, firmly grasp the top of the lobster's back. With the other hand, grasp the lobster's tail in the same way.
  2. Twist the two parts of the lobster in opposite directions until they separate. At this point, you have a choice of two different ways to get at the tail meat.

Tip: Before eating the tail, peel off the digestive tract — it runs down the middle of the back of the tail.

Method 1

  1. The underside of the tail is covered in a white or translucent plastic-like material. Use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of the tail underside, along its length.
  2. Split the tail open and remove the meat.

Tip: Start at the wide end of the tail and work your way down to the fan.

Method 2

  1. At the end of a lobster's tail, you'll see the fan — it looks like a cluster of mini flippers. Pull these flippers off of the tail to create a narrow hole at the end of the tail.
  2. Insert a finger — or your lobster fork — into this narrow hole, and push the tail meat through the widest section of the tail.

Tip: Each section of the tail fan contains a bit of delicious meat. Break open the shell of each section and snag the meat with your lobster fork.


More cooking delights



News, special offers & promotions!

Sign up to receive email.

Submit Email

Plan Your Shopping Trip

My Perks

Sign in or Register to view your fuelperks!® statement.

Visit the fuelperks main page for complete program information.