It's indisputable.
The lobster is the king of the seafood kingdom.
When it comes to taste and nutrition it's simply unmatched.
There's nothing like a fresh juicy lobster to spice up the dinner table.
Lobsters can truly make a dinner par excellence.
If we want to continue enjoying scrumptious lobster dinners, they have to be preserved so that they arrive live and fresh off the coast of Maine.
Have you ever wondered how live lobsters are preserved? It can't be easy getting that lobster to stay alive while it is shipped around the country.
As soon as a fresh live lobster is trapped, it is placed into a container which provides for connection to another similar system or container.
From the time the lobster is caught until it is sold, it is constantly sprayed with aerated salt water which is set at a particular temperature.
In the container the lobster is placed on a tray which has a mesh surface so as to allow the spray of salt water and the waste of the lobster to drain out.
When you place an order online, the live lobster has to be shipped from the coast to your doorstep.
Moreover, it has to get there fresh and alive.
Nobody wants to see a dead lobster when they open the container.
Therefore, immense care has to be taken to preserve a lobster during shipment.
Lobsters can't survive without oxygen.
Hence, during shipment it is critical that lobsters are kept absolutely cool and moist.
If the temperature is high, the lobster uses up all the oxygen and may end up dead.
Moreover, lobsters cannot sustain themselves in fresh water.
So, it's not really advisable to put them on ice because the ice may melt creating a problem.
The best way to ship lobsters is to cool them before they are packed.
The most desirable temperature to ship lobsters is between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ideally, the lobsters shouldn't be fed two days before shipping.
Tap water and sea water are a definite no-no while shipping live lobsters.
The container should be roomy and certainly not airtight.
The lobsters should be packed properly to protect their shells from breakage during shipping.
When the lobster arrives, it's best to cook it on the same day.
If you want to cook it the next day, you can keep it alive in your refrigerator without freezing.
Undoubtedly, lobster tastes best when cooked live and fresh within a day of arriving at your doorstep.
But if you want to cook and preserve it, here's what you can do.
Dip the lobster in salt water and cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Remove it, drain it and leave it to cool.
Once the lobster is cooled put it in a plastic bag and cover it with brine solution.
Seal the bag and freeze it.
Whenever you want to serve lobster, cook the frozen lobster in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
This is one of the simplest and easiest ways to preserve lobster for future meals.
When you purchase a lobster online, all the precautions are taken to preserving it so that it can get to your doorstep alive.
Once, the lobster arrives at your doorstep in one piece, it's up to you to preserve it.
Cook it today, tomorrow or the day after.
If it's well preserved, you can enjoy this tasty dish whenever you feel like it.