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Buying, Storage and Handling
Live:
Remember to purchase seafood last and keep it cold during
the trip home.
Spiny Lobsters should have some leg movement when handled.
A lobster should curl its tail when picked up.
Refrigerate at a constant 41 degrees F in a breathable
container (a bag or cardboard box).
Do not store directly on ice.
Not live:
Remember to purchase seafood last and keep it cold during
the trip home.
Spiny Lobster should have a mild aroma (similar to the
ocean), tightly adhering shells and firm flesh.
Store them in the coldest part of your refrigerator at
32 degrees F and use within two days, or freeze at 0 degrees
F for up to six months.
Preparation
Always marinate seafood in the refrigerator.
Discard marinade; it contains raw juices which may harbor
bacteria.
When marinade is needed for basting reserve a portion
before adding raw seafood.
Cooking
Whole lobsters: place head first in to boiling salt water.
Return water to boiling and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
Lobster tails: same as whole except reduce cooking time
to 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size.
The shell of a spiny lobster turns a bright red-orange
when cooked.
To heat cold cooked lobster: place whole lobster or tails
on a rack over a small amount of boiling water in a covered
saucepan or steamer. (Do not immerse rack in water.) Steam
just long enough to heat thoroughly.
Glazing on Frozen Florida Lobster
It is industry practice to package frozen lobster in plastic
bags. The practice is to protect the product from dehydration
and freezer burn. Some others apply a thin coat of ice over
the frozen lobster. This thin coat of ice is referred to
as "glaze." When the thin coat of ice is excessive
and you are charged lobster price for the ice, it becomes
mislabeling. The net weight listed on the box must be the
weight of the product. For example if the net weight of
the package is 10 pounds, then the "unglazed"
weight of the product must be 10 pounds. For weighing purposes,
the product should be rinsed only long enough to remove
the glaze. It should also be noted that many seafood products
including Florida lobster continue to lose weight after
thawing, therefore most seafood should be cooked as soon
as possible after thawing. If you suspect products you purchased
are mislabeled, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services, Division of Food Safety, at (850)
488-3951.
Nutrition
Nutritional values for approximately 4 ounces (114 grams)
of raw, edible portions
| Calories |
90 |
|
| Calories From Fat |
15 |
|
| Total Fat |
1.5 |
g |
| Saturated Fat |
0 |
g |
| Cholesterol |
120 |
mg |
| Sodium |
140 |
mg |
| Total Carbohydrates |
1 |
g |
| Protein |
18 |
g |
More About the Spiny Lobster
The spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) is a crustacean
related to crabs, shrimp, crayfish and the Spanish lobster.
Common names include crawfish (this is not the freshwater
crawfish) and Florida lobster. In Florida, the spiny lobstre
is caught off the Keys and around the southern tip of
the state from waters of the Atlantic Ocean near the Florida
Reef Tract.
The spiny lobster is characterized by numerous spines
on the body, two large, hooked horns over the eyes, a
pair of long jointed antennae and five pairs of walking
legs. It has mottled coloring of yellow, brown, orange
and blue markings over the body and tail. The tail is
segmented and can be rapidly curled under the body to
propel the obster backward.
Like all crustaceans, the spiny lobster molts or sheds
its shell to grow. Its diet consists of clams, snails,
seaweed and small marine organisms. Lobsters form a single
line, called "marches," and move from shallow
to deep water during seasonal migration.
Spiny
lobsters are harvested using special traps at depths
of 6 to 300 feet and are usually landed live. They are
marketed as whole lobster, lobter tails, split tails and
lobtser meat. These products are available fresh or frozen,
raw or cooked. The term "green" is used to refer
to raw loster.
• Spiny
Lobster
• Reef
Lobster
Also:
• New Zealand lobster tails
• Grilled Lobster tails
• Lobster Tail Party Platter
• Order
delicious Lobsters online at Gortons fresh seafood
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