What is the most humane way to kill a lobster? Knife down through the head or boiling?

Answer 1

Slaughtering the lobster

Animal rights issues
A Norwegian study released in February of 2005 suggested that lobsters may not be able to feel pain, but should be given the benefit of the doubt,[2] while a Scottish study released that same year concluded that lobsters probably do feel pain.[1]

The most common way of killing a lobster is by placing it in boiling water. This method is controversial though, and some believe the lobster should be de-sensitized beforehand by placing it in a freezer for some time. The Norwegian study states that the lobster may be de-sensitized by placing it in a salt-solution 15 mins. before killing it. The quickest way to kill a lobster may be to insert a knife into its head and claw the head in two, thereby destroying two of the most important nerve clusters of the lobster. Some feel that this is more humane than placing the live lobster into boiling water. Freezing the lobster for 15 minutes to 2 hours before boiling [2] may de-sensitize the lobster, but no proof of this exists.


Culinary issues
If the lobster is to be eaten boiled, most cooks place the live lobster in boiling water. If the lobster is to be fried, grilled or baked it is best not to boil the lobster before further cooking. Note that freezing the lobster may toughen the meat.

Some chefs claim the only way to keep the real flavour of a lobster, without water inside, is to steam it ten minutes on the turned over basket of a pressure cooker, and to serve it cold, which they serve with mayonnaise.

Answer 2

Lobster dont mate for life the female does the choosing usually the biggest male much like what human girls do, and then after a few days they part forever. Lobsters are also cannibals.

The most safest way of cooking them though is boiling them alive as it is very dangerous to kill a lobster then cook as infection of bacteria can permeate making the lobster inedible

Answer 3

maximum study study shows that lobster likely sense no soreness. Yeah likely - meaning no individual knows for efficient. employing a knife must be the fastest and least painful way in the adventure that they do infact sense some sort of soreness. THEY DO sense soreness A zoologist with The Humane Society of usa of america made a written announcement that lobsters can sense soreness after a chef dismembered and sauteed a stay lobster to practice a Lobster Fra Diavolo dish on NBC's "in the present day'' tutor in 1994. they do no longer sense soreness "that is a semantic element: No mind, no soreness,'' suggested Loughlin, who now works as a biologist on the Maine Atlantic Salmon fee. See - human beings, even experts, will curiously continually debate in the adventure that they do or do no longer.

Answer 4

Lobsters are cold-blooded, so if you put it straight into a pot of boiling water it won't feel it. BUT if you put it into the water when it's still heating up, it may be alive long enough to feel the pain. So make sure the water is at boiling point before you chuck it in. And also, you might want to avoid giving the lobster a name. It's easier to kill it if you don't know him as Larry.

Answer 5

Thanks Gar... I was going to approach that "mating for life' issue brought up by super_star as tactfully as possible! As for the "Why should you want to kill one anyway?"... well duh! To eat 'em!!
The writer Annamarie is also right... the "screaming" noise is actually the air rapidly escaping from the cavities in the body as it gets superheated in the boiling water! There really is no difference as to which is more humane, and as one writer put it, they're just big bugs! I usually prefer to pop 'em in the freezer for 15 minutes to numb 'em, then into the (rapidly) boiling water... but they're also delicious on the grill, especially this time of year. After scrambling their brain / nerve center pretty well take your chefs knife to the back of the beasty and split it down the middle (lengthwise), slather it with some melted butter and place open side down on the grill for about 5-7 miutes, flip and heat through for another 4-5. Absolutely YUMMY!!!

Answer 6

Not 1st hand knowledge, but this is what I've read and seen on TV.
- soak them in vodka in the fridge for a while. It not only cleans their digestive systems out but it makes them sleep thru it
- boiling water the screaming noise is from the cavity and it's after they're dead
- they are just big bugs anyway don't worry about them
- simmering water makes them sleep thru it

I know the answers conflict but that's what the big chefs had to say.

Answer 7

Why should you want to kill one anyway?

A Lobster mates for life, when you take one out of the sea, its mate, left behind, will NEVER find another ! How cruel?

There are plenty more fish in the sea, but not for Lobster!

Don't eat it, its cruel.

Answer 8

as humane concerns human beings and not animals it is of no relevance if there is or is not a humane way however there is a correct way to cut them up and that is to split the head through the center of the cross towards the antena or drop in to rapidly boiling water. they are lower in the food chain than humans and therefore are there to provide sustance for us

Answer 9

I saw a show on TLC, and the chef put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes, then put it in the boiling water. He didn't "knife it in the head". He said putting it in the freezer, causes it to go to sleep, then when you put it in the boiling water, it dies instantly. So there's no pain.

Answer 10

Put it in the freezer for 30 min to make him pass out - then use the knife on his head. Much less painful than being burned. Then drop him in the pot.