Crack a lobster after it is fully cooked and cool enough to handle safely. Work over a tray or plate with room for shells, and keep a separate bowl for the meat. This chapter covers opening a cooked lobster; use the cooking directions for your lobster before beginning.
Set out your tools
You will need a few tools nearby as you dine: a lobster cracker or sturdy nutcracker, kitchen shears, and a seafood pick or small fork. Add napkins and a shell bowl. Shell edges can be sharp, so cut or crack away from your hand and work slowly.
1. Remove the claws and knuckles
Twist each claw assembly where it joins the body. Separate the claw from the knuckle at the joint. Gently move the smaller pincer and pull it away; check for meat inside before discarding the shell.
Crack the thick claw shell in a few controlled places rather than crushing it into small fragments. Lift out the meat and check for shell pieces and the firm cartilage inside. Open the knuckle sections with crackers or shears and push the meat out with a pick.
2. Open the tail
Hold the body and twist off the tail. Cut along the softer underside with kitchen shears, keeping the blade away from your fingers. Spread the shell and lift the tail meat out. Remove the dark intestinal tract if present, and check the meat for shell fragments.
3. Pick the small legs
Twist off the small walking legs. Bend them at the joints and use a pick to remove accessible meat. Do not force a sharp shell against your mouth or fingers; the amount of meat varies with lobster size.
4. Handle the body carefully
There may be small pockets of white meat in the body. Avoid the gills and internal organs while picking. Maine’s Department of Marine Resources advises against eating the green tomalley, which can accumulate contaminants and naturally occurring toxins. Cooking does not make that advice unnecessary.
Source: Maine DMR shellfish-consumption reminder. Reviewed September 22, 2026.
Serve or refrigerate promptly
Serve the picked meat promptly or refrigerate it in a covered container. Do not leave it on the table throughout a long evening. There is no fixed cup yield for every lobster: whole weight, shell condition, and picking method all affect the amount recovered.
For your next dinner, look at everything we have to offer on our website. Choose a whole, live lobster for the traditional cracking experience or lobster tails when you prefer fewer parts to open.
