# Lobster tail to body ratio?



## mikel33 (Jun 4, 2008)

Hello,

I realize that this is a very hard question to answer, but can someone please give me an approximate ratio for body to tail meat? For example, how much of a 3lb lobster is the tail? A pound maybe? 

If possible, for both spiny and Maine lobsters. 

Thank!


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## ChefJune (Jun 4, 2008)

More than 50% of the meat is in the tail (for Maine Lobsters) and then the two claws.  There is little to no meat in the body, unless you are into the tomalley and the roe.

For spiny lobsters, the ratio of claw meat to tail meat is greater, because there is less meat in their tails.


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## mikel33 (Jun 4, 2008)

*I think I asked my question wrong..*

What I meant to ask was, in a live 3 pound lobster, how much of the 3 pounds is the tail? 

But thanks for the reply, it was also useful!


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## Andy M. (Jun 4, 2008)

mikel33 said:


> What I meant to ask was, in a live 3 pound lobster, how much of the 3 pounds is the tail?
> 
> But thanks for the reply, it was also useful!


 

Tail including shell or just the meat?  

Cooked or raw?


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## kitchenelf (Jun 4, 2008)

mikel33 said:


> What I meant to ask was, in a live 3 pound lobster, how much of the 3 pounds is the tail?
> 
> But thanks for the reply, it was also useful!



More than 50% is about as specific as you can get, as June said.  If you want to know exactly I think that is impossible to tell you.


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## Mr Kram (Jun 5, 2008)

i would guess that the tail meat is maybe a third of the total body weight of a whole maine lobster.


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## buckytom (Jun 5, 2008)

the general rule of thumb (that i've heard) is the yield of meat from a lobster's tail is around 20 - 25% of the total weight, depending if it's hard or soft shell.

so, a 3lb lobster yields about 10-12 ozs. of tail meat, or slightly less.


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## ChefJune (Jun 5, 2008)

I understood OP to be asking the percentage of the meat from the lobster, as opposed to the ratio of meat to tbw.


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## GB (Jun 5, 2008)

The OP actually asked for both. He asked for a ratio, but then asked for it in pounds.

BTW, there is meat in the body if you are willing to dig for it. Where the swimmeretts attach inside the body, there is a decent amount of flaky meat. It takes a lot of cracking and digging to get at, but if you love lobster like I do then it is worth it.


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## buckytom (Jun 5, 2008)

use a rolling pin for the leglets!

or try the nuker method.


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## Alix (Jun 5, 2008)

Nuker method? Elaborate please?


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## buckytom (Jun 5, 2008)

YouTube - Popcorn Lobster Leg


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## Alix (Jun 5, 2008)

COOL! now that is low effort.


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## GB (Jun 5, 2008)

Hey now that is pretty cool. Have you tried it BT? I am wondering if it makes the meat tough.


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## buckytom (Jun 5, 2008)

i've never tried it, not having the heart to tear the legs from a live creature.

(i prefer to toss them head first into a boiling cauldron.)

but it does look cool.

the rolling pin method works well on cooked lobbies.


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## GB (Jun 5, 2008)

Oh I didn't catch that they were raw.

I personally like the teeth and suck method. I have it down to a science.


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