On the other hand, the Maine lobster (Homarus americanus) is a crustacean with two large, strong, and unequal-sized claws for feeding. It is October 1, the first day of recreational spiny lobster season this year. The large tails are perfect for grilling. In this post, youll find out what makes our lobster so good. That means theres a veritable feast waiting for you if you book a trip to Maine. You can always clean your lobster and store the meat in the refrigerator so you can make lobster rolls the next day, or eat it cold with clarified butter and crackers. ), its time to eat! Well, youve come to the right place. Lobster has become so entwined with the culture and cuisine of Maine that the state even hosts an annual lobster festival. They inhabit the cold waters of the Atlantic and contrary to the myth of mating for life and that episode of Friends, they prefer to live singularly. 16 Types Of Lobster Explained - Tasting Table This includes both hand fishing, and where legal, spear fishing. Youll want to store your lobster in the refrigerator until youre ready to cook and eat it. font-size:80%; Keys Fisheries offer spiny lobster tails at $38.95 per pound, and Bradley's Fish sells whole raw rock lobsters weighing 600-800g for 35.00. Western Atlantic Coast in North America, from Canada to North Carolina. Hi all. We see this most clearly in the types of lobsters that youll find in restaurants. Naturally, most anyone from the northern half of the United States would quickly reply (in all caps): MAINE LOBSTER! They are widely prized and valued because of their delicious claw meat, but their taste varies due to the respective habitats they live in. Whereas the American lobster has marketable meat in its claws, body, and tail, the spiny lobster only has marketable meat in its tail. They prefer colder waters, and due to the change in water temperature, their populations are becoming more abandoned in their habitat. Have some feedback for us? Right on the water in west, Rhythms is the spot late Sunday afternoon for a proper lime with music, beach, rum, and, of course, lobster. Belfast offers several lobster cruises on lobster boats where you can also eat lobster rolls! No, our lobster (also known as Caribbean spiny lobster), native to the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Golf of Mexico, is not a close relative of the cold water Maine lobster. Unlike rock lobsters where you can only cook the tail, the claws and knuckles of Maine lobster are prized for their sweet, succulent flavor and texture. Claws up and lets dive into the fascinating sea of lobster. Spiny Lobster will have a lighter coloration of spots on their tails while. And thats what makes spiny lobster without claws the most delicious type of lobster on the planet At least at the moment youre eating it. Spiny Lobster vs Maine Lobster: What Are The Differences? The claws often have sweet and tasty meat, and to many people, this is the best part of the lobster. Once that is done, youll be able to see little bits of meat here and there. Add lobster meat in a mound next to the shell opening and place lobster tails on a plate. The orange is roe. This is why you will sometimes hear them referred to as Florida lobsters. But lobster didn't always have such a posh reputation. Editor's note: The Crucian Contessa is back with a lobster salad treat for us to try our hands at mastering to bring a taste of the West Indies to our homes! Some may possess a blue shell when born. Often, though, you will need to crack the tail open. Maine lobsters are typically between 8 and 24 inches in length and may have a mass of over 20.1 kg (44lbs). Lets begin! Boiling a lobster at home is quite easy, although, again, it is now accepted practice to kill the lobster first instead of boiling it alive! Keep the body shell for plating your dishes. The claws and tails of the lobster are the parts that most people like to eat, but there is a lot of meat in other places as well. Each type has many different sizes so the price is also different accordingly. Difference Between Maine Lobster and Spiny Lobster Shipped overnight to ensure maximum freshness. They use their strong mandibles to crack the shells of their prey. These traps will stay on the ocean floor for up to two days. If you have the chance to get to Maine to eat truly fresh lobster, youll find theres nothing like it. Unlike Hannibal, we recommend pairing this delicacy with a dry ros and not chianti. First, find the tail. They are warm water creatures and migrate to deeper waters in the winter. }. Sometimes, this antenna can be longer than the body. The average beach price for Western Rock Lobsters . Sometimes, this antenna can be longer than the body. The Maine lobster gets its rich flavor from the cold, mineral-rich waters of the Gulf of Maine. Mainer notes that the cold water Maine lobster is cultivated in makes the meat sweeter because the icy conditions keep the meat from absorbing excess salt from the water. Our offerings include tails of all sizes, whole live lobsters, and even restaurant-quality lobster rolls ready to serve. Lobsters are usually twice as big as Norway lobsters, and when cooked have a darker red color. Lobsters can't see clear images or colors; antennas are their main sensory organs. See this Lobster Cooking Guide for an in-depth tutorial. As you might imagine, these spikes make holding and preparing the lobsters (live or dead) not so fun for home cooks. Heres what you should know about the other lobster species found in the United States, rock lobsters. As you can see in the above photo the Spiny Lobster gets its name from having many sharp spines on top of their head and body. The star of the show was a spiny lobster all . So why is Maine lobster so much better than any other type of lobster? Unlike Maine lobster that protects itself with its impressive claws, rock lobsters fend off predators with forward pointing spines that cover their body. That's right! display: none; Asides from writing, I enjoy surfing the internet and listening to music. When they grow up, they will be harvested in the cage. Another visible difference is that Spiny Lobster have small spines on the top of their bodies for protection while the top of Maine Lobster is smooth. Others cut them with a knife. It is estimated that less than 1% of all of the eggs released from the female will make it to legal size. No, spiny lobster isnt what many Americans grew up with from visits to the likes of Red Lobster. They have strong claws used for feeding. Next, place a hollowed lobster shell on each plate on top of the greens. Cut lobster tail into 4 pieces with shell intact. Immediately, a moray eel poked its head out and I jumped back, conceding defeat. This narrative of domestic seafood being shipped to other countries isn't just limited to spiny lobsters. Jan 16th, 2007 01:59 PM. When it comes to food, nothing is simpler or more delicious than perfectly cooked Maine lobster. Do you know the difference between Main Lobster and Spiny Lobster? These tasty crustaceans are found as far north as Labrador in Canada and as far south as North Carolina. In Maine, the most common way of catching lobsters is by dropping a long rectangular trap along the ocean floor. Give the Authentic Maine experience to family, friends or special clients. The absolutely amazing lobster, though, is not-to-be-missed! According to Marine Biology, they prey mostly on sea urchins. Norway lobster is often sold as a premium . Their diet consists primarily of small crustaceans, mollusks, fish, snails, decayed plants, shrimp, mussels, and clams on the sea bottom. They can both be used in a number of ways to make a perfect dish. .more-snake-card-image { max-height:140px !important; }, Massive Lakes: The 10 Largest Lakes by Volume in the United States. The colder water makes Maine Lobsters tastier, not "fishy". What Is Spiny Lobster? Spiny lobsters are mostly found in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the coast of Asia, the Caribbean Sea, and the South of Brazil. The meat tastes better if only because they are fresher. More sumptuous lobster meat is always the right answer. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. They are the ultimate escape artist," he says. Just kidding. 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro. Well, youve come to the right place. It's all about persistence," he says. You can do this by cutting down the center of the underneath part of the tail. In Australia and New Zealand, this family also includes crayfish. You can use the succulent meat of a Maine lobster in a number of ways. "You have to pin the lobsters down. The live in crevices of rocks and coral reefs and tend to only come out at night to feed on snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins, and sea hares. Here are just a few of the of the highlights well cover. Overnight delivery. Lobster first became a desired dish in the mid-19th century when it began to be canned and shipped across the nation. Rock lobsters tend to a wider range of colors than the Maine kind as well, so you'll see a lot of relatively pale yellows and browns as opposed to the Maine lobster's usual dark green-brown with hints of red. If you can find a freshly caught lobster and you cook it in a pot of seawater over a fire on the beach, cracking it with rocks, well, thats the best way you will ever have it! If you grill or steam spiny lobster meat, try adding an herb or spicy sauce such as compound butter or a spicy salsa to infuse the dish with more flavor. Remove lobster from pan and keep warm. What Size Hooks Should I Use For Rockfish, Magnet Fishing: Everything You Need To Know, Best Image Stabilized Binoculars for Fishing. 3 ounces. The B-52s mightve sung about Rock Lobster but this article will cover everything you ever wanted to know or didnt think to ask about the uniqueness of these two species of crustaceans. And why is Maine lobster so good? Watch those namesthey can be confusing! Lobster season in the Caribbean is one of the best times to find yourself in the West Indies. Place a bed of greens on each plate. The Meaty Difference Between Spiny And Maine Lobsters. The spiny lobster is often sold as just lobster tails. If you see these signs, youve probably found yourself a great lobster shack. The most obvious and well-known difference is the taste. This is why some lobster shells will be so hard and thick, while others are almost pliable. The type of eater you are and the setting in which youll be eating your lobster will determine what you do with yours. Slipper lobster. "Mitch's Seafood is fantastic," Masury says. Florida lobsters are a type of Spiny lobster, so all the differences noted above between Maine Lobster and Spiny (or Rock Lobster) hold true for Florida lobster. These species of Lobsters have a sweet and peculiar taste that differs depending on habitat. During the daylight hours you will find lobster hiding in structure. Their texture is succulent and meaty, never dry or grainy. Tucked right into the bay at Island Harbour, this bar and restaurant on a tiny coral cay is the perfect spot for a day of fun, food, and friends. There are 2 popular kinds of lobsters: Spiny Lobsters and Maine Lobsters/ Canada Lobsters. You can even be tailgate ready with handheld mini lobster sliders. Lobster Meat (Low End) Lobster Meat (High End) 1.25 lb / 20 oz. They molt about 25 times in their first 5 to 7 years of life, and once per year when they're older. You can even pick your delivery date when ordering. Discover the Largest Lobster Ever Caught! Dont forget the knuckles! Types Of Lobster That You Should Know - Fishermen's Net Atlantic lobsters also have a naturally sweeter flavor that needs little to no seasoning to shine on the plate. Parboil your Caribbean lobster until bright red, then put into a 300 F oven with a little melted butter until the sauce below is done. - The raw meat of spiny lobsters is white, crispy, sweet, and full of sea flavor. Commonly-used names include the rock lobster, langouste, or langusta. My only experience has really been when dining with people that have insisted I try a bite. As mentioned above the biggest and most obvious difference between Maine lobster and Spiny lobster is that the Maine Lobster has claws. It will go from done to rubber quickly. The key differences between spiny lobsters and Maine lobsters are their claws and antennae. Next, find the claws. It all starts with a name. Pour sauce over lobster and serve the rest in dipping bowls. Sportfishinglures.com also participates in other affiliate programs. "The minimum size limit for California spiny lobster is three and one-fourth inches, from the horn of the lobster to the rear edge of the body shell," Thomas Templar, a scuba instructor at Ocean Safari, says. It may have been how it was prepared, or it may be the water or simply the differences in species. Sometimes Simple is Best - Florida Lobster Rolls - Recipes Randy Cooks Pre-heat the broiler then split the lobster tails, brush with 2 Tbsp melted butter, and broil until just cooked through, being careful not to overcook.