H-E-B Chef Brent shows you quick and easy tips to crack open a lobster and remove the meat.

To crack lobster you will need the following items, available at H-E-B:

Step 1: Take Apart the Lobster When the lobster is cool to the touch, move it over to the cutting board. First, remove the tail by holding the body with one hand and twist the tail with your other hand until it twists apart and set aside. You'll find succulent meat here as well. This portion of the body contains the tomalley, or liver, of the lobster, which turns green when cooked. For some people, the tomalley is the best eating experience of the entire lobster. Second, separate the lobster claws. Hold the body of the lobster with one hand and twist the claw from the body using your other hand. Repeat the process to remove the second claw and set aside. Third, remove the lobster legs. Hold the body of the lobster with one hand and twist off each of the lobster's legs using your other hand and set aside. Tip: Use two bowls; one for the lobster meat and the other for any waste.		Step 2: Remove the Meat from the Lobster Tail Starting with the tail, place the shell side down on the cutting board and use the kitchen shears to cut through the bottom of the lobster. Make sure you don't cut too deep or you'll cut into the lobster meat. Then crack open the shell and remove the meat from the inside and set aside.
Step 3: Remove the Meat from the Lobster Claws Cut the rubber band from the claw and discard. Then use your hand to remove the claw from the claw arm. To crack the claw, wrap with a clean kitchen towel and take the back side of your knife to hit the claw very hard a couple of times. Once cracked, be careful removing the pieces of the shell as they are sharp. The goal is to remove the meat in one piece. Use the lobster pick to remove any meat from the pincher claw, this meat is very flavorful.		Step 4: Remove Meat from the Lobster Legs The legs are the most underutilized because the lobster meat is the hardest to remove with a lobster pick. Here's a trick to get the most meat from your lobster: Use a rolling pin, starting at one end of the leg and roll outwards to the other end, so the meat comes out of the leg. Repeat for the remaining legs. Tip: Lobster leg meat is great to use in salads and sauces.
Step 5: Lobster is Ready Serve the lobster with fresh lemons and drawn butter.

See recipe for White Wine and Garlic Drawn Butter

​See full lobster cooking guide