# Internal Temperature of Cooked Lobster



## kat50 (Sep 11, 2013)

Hi Folks,

Can anyone advise what the internal temperature of cooked lobster should be?  Opaque is a loose term and I don't want to have to cut into the meat. 

I appreciate the information.


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## helloitslucas (Apr 8, 2013)

140-145f is the suggested temperature.


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## kat50 (Sep 11, 2013)

Thank you.  I want to try to poaching and my thought is the liquid should be the temperature of the desired doneness.  Do you agree?


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

Kat50 said:


> Thank you. I want to try to poaching and my thought is the liquid should be the temperature of the desired doneness. Do you agree?


That would be sous vide cooking. Which is how I do my lobsters.

dcarch


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## kat50 (Sep 11, 2013)

Great.  Thank you for the information!


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

dcarch said:


> ...That would be sous vide cooking. Which is how I do my lobsters.


Um, if the lobster is _under vacuum_ it could be sous vide, otherwise it is simply poaching.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Kat50 said:


> Thank you. I want to try to poaching and my thought is the liquid should be the temperature of the desired doneness. Do you agree?


Only with special equipment is this really possible and may not be desirable in all cases. Poaching in the traditional style is done at about 170-180 degrees. These temp points can be hit and held with common equipment. The food is usually removed before it reaches that temperature. Lower temps are more difficult to maintain, such as your 145.

Sous vide equipment also uses circulator pumps to help keep the liquid in contact with the food at the right temp or else a gradient develops with cooler temperatures around the food itself that can cause problems.

Butter poaching is a technique I think you'll find rewarding with lobster.


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## kat50 (Sep 11, 2013)

@phatch, 

What temperature would you recommend the butter poaching liquid be for lobster?

Thank you very much!


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

PeteMcCracken said:


> Um, if the lobster is _under vacuum_ it could be sous vide, otherwise it is simply poaching.


I believe vacuum is not an essential aspect of sous vide cooking.

Sous vide needs to have air bubbles removed for better water/food heat conduction. Many people sous vide using Ziplock bags without drawing a vacuum.

Food needs to be in a bag, so that flavor will not be washed away by moving hot water. Also, for low temperature cooking, less chance for contamination.

dcarch


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## garball (Dec 9, 2012)

I make a beurre monte and take it up to 160F and drop a couple lobster tails in and take it off the heat.  The initial heat takes care of any surface bacteria that might occur and the heat drops to about 140-145F where I try to maintain it.  Lots of flavor, little chance of over-cooking


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## kat50 (Sep 11, 2013)

@garball

That is excellent advise. I am going to try it!

Thank you!


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## helloitslucas (Apr 8, 2013)

dcarch said:


> I believe vacuum is not an essential aspect of sous vide cooking.
> 
> Sous vide needs to have air bubbles removed for better water/food heat conduction. Many people sous vide using Ziplock bags without drawing a vacuum.
> 
> ...


Sous-vide means "under vacuum". Anything else will be poaching. Whenever you see the ziplock "sous-vide" it is usually labelled as "improvised sous-vide". Not trying to argue.


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