If you are visiting the east coast of Canada, a great souvenir to take home is one of All For Knot’s reclaimed lobster rope sailors wreath, trivet or bowls.
Another great memory is enjoying a traditional cooked lobster dinner or lobster roll.
It’s easy to do. Prior to cooking we put the lobster on the deck or garage floor for the youngsters to inspect, question, learn and have fun.
The best lobster in the world is fished in Nova Scotia, Canada!
All For Knot retrieves retired lobster fishing rope from the fishers around the Mushaboom area on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. The fishers are more than happy to give their rope a second life. All For Knot is proud of the more than 8 tons of rope we have kept out of the landfills to date. The lobster fishing season varies along the coast of NS, and the eastern shore lobster fishing season has just opened.
The tastiest lobster is the American Lobster (Homarus Americanus) fished in Atlantic Canada. For our lobster and a lot of other seafood, the colder the water, the sweeter the meat. Homarus Americanus is best eaten fresh and with the proper amount of salt added.
To prepare lobster, I will share an old recipe and a family method of testing for doneness. My tried ’n true lobster recipe is from Landlubbers Lobster Pound, River John, on the north shore of NS.
How to Cook Lobster
Land Lubbers Lobster Pound, River John, N.S.
- Choose a pot that is big enough to hold an amount of water to completely cover the lobsters once they are placed inside.
- a) If using fresh water add ½ cup of salt per gallon of water.
b) If using salt water then use ¼ cup of salt per gallon of water.
- Bring water to a full boil.
- Add lobsters head down, and cook for approximately:
a) 17 minutes for canner size-under a pound
b) 20 minutes for market size- 1-2 pounds
c) If market lobsters are larger than 2 lbs then add 5 minutes. You can also use a thermometer placed in the tail and when it reaches 145°F (57°C) it’s cooked, remove immediately.
- Pour off the hot water & pour cold water with about ¼ cup of salt over them.
- Ready to serve hot or cold.
How To Test For Doneness
This method is passed down through generations of my mother’s family, the Justasons, based in Charlotte Co. New Brunswick, Canada.
Important safety note: Protect yourself from splashes of hot water!
- Withdraw a lobster by the antenna from the pot
- Hold it over the pot
- Jerk the lobster upwards
- If the antenna breaks and lobster falls back into the pot, it is cooked
- If the antenna doesn’t break off, cook for a couple more minutes and re-test
I still test if lobster is cooked using this method.
If you want to remain safe from the splash and possible burns from hot water then use a thermometer. When a thermometer is placed through the tail into the meat and reads 145°F (57°C) it’s cooked, remove immediately.
It’s not cooked if the meat is translucent. Very slight curl of the tail, is ok. Overcooked if the tail is curled up.
Share The Magic
As the lobster cooks, you will see the magic of the lobster changing color from green to orange/red.
The lobster travels from the coast in the fall, many miles off shore in the winter as the water cools down. It travels along the ocean bottom, seeing many happenings along it’s journey.
Due to the rough environment the lobster lives in, the rope used for fishing must be strong, durable and waterproof. It’s the same rope we use in the doormats and wreaths we hand weave with traditional seafaring knots and finishes.
All For Knot’s Signature Series Lobster Tale lobster rope doormat colours represent the red lobster, and the tales of his journey as he travels under the blue and aqua ocean waters.
