Lobsters are highly prized seafood that can be eaten on their own, but also used in several dishes. Lobsters can be cooked different ways. Some are steamed, while some are boiled and others are broiled. Either way, determining when a lobster is done is important. No matter what method of cooking is utilized, there are a few general rules to help tell when a lobster is done cooking.
Pull the lobster out of the pot that it is cooking in with tongs. Hold it up in the air and examine its body. Notice its color. If the lobster is not bright red, it needs to cook more.
Pull on one of its antennae or yank off one of its small walking legs. Both the walking leg and the antenna will come off easily if the lobster is done. Continue cooking if the legs or antennae do not come off easily.
Examine the meat inside the lobster to see whether it is white and firm. Check to see if it has an opaque color, and verify that the meat inside most of the body cavity is a greenish-yellow color.
Check the underside of the lobster. The roe will be orangish-red if it is completely cooked and a dark greenish-black if it is undercooked. The roe is found only on females.
Stick a thermometer inside the lobster to find out its temperature. A properly cooked lobster has an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.