Fresh. However, spiny lobsters can grow up to 60 cm, or two feet, in length with a weight of about 15 pounds. 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. Maine lobsters are typically between 8 and 24 inches in length and may have a mass of over 20.1 kg (44lbs). This makes sense, since the whole point of visiting Maine is to enjoy the stunning scenery. Lets talk about boiled lobster. 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. At the top of where each little leg was attached, youll find little coins of meat. Many restaurants offer Maine lobster in its whole form, steamed, roasted or grilled. Considered more of a nuisance than a food source, they were used as fertilizer and given to the lower classes of society, according to Insider. - Most spiny lobsters are raised in cages. Maine lobster is the king of all crustaceans. It's not a big dealthere are still many months left in the season. 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. 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. In this post, youll find out what makes our lobster so good. Next, place a hollowed lobster shell on each plate on top of the greens. The clawless species known as slipper lobsters (family Scyllaridae) differ significantly from spiny lobsters. While the bugs can't be found in most supermarkets or restaurants, they can be directly bought online from buyers like Catalina Offshore Products; there are also a few restaurants and markets, like Mitch's Seafood and the Tuna Dockside Harbor in San Diego, that make a point of selling homegrown seafood. As you might guess, Maine lobsters are found in Maine. When it comes to food, nothing is simpler or more delicious than perfectly cooked Maine lobster. There are two main lobster varieties harvested and sold in the USRock vs Maine lobsterbut it can be difficult for first timers to know which type is the hands-down best choice for home cooks. According to Masury, seafood buyers in China initially preferred the Australian spiny lobster. Slipper lobster. When it comes to size, Spiny Lobster take the prize. First, make sure its lobster season which varies by every islands fisheries management organization, next check out a few of these amazing eateries that we love. Sheephead and calico, like the spiny lobster, can't be found in the average American supermarket. It will go from done to rubber quickly. While there is no official ranking list for the best lobster shacks in the state, there are a few key indicators that you can watch out for: Is the restaurant located close to the ocean? For us, though, one of the best places to sample some is Scilly Cay. "That means Maine lobsters instead of California ones because Maine lobsters are cheaper.". Maine lobsters generally taste better and hold more meat compared to the slightly less-inspiring and usually smaller meat from Florida lobsters. at the most vs. on a Maine . When it comes to flavor, texture, versatility, and bang for your buck, the best choice every time is Maine lobster. Lobster season in the Caribbean is one of the best times to find yourself in the West Indies. Now, lets look at even more differences between them. Expert lobstermen and chefs agree. Tails usually have the most meat, so many people start here. Here is the run-down of what home cooks need to know about Maine lobsters and where to find them. Why do people choose Maine lobster vs other lobster? Maine lobsters carry more meat in their robust claws and knuckles, which spiny lobsters are lacking entirely. Its never been easier to have the freshest Maine lobster delivered directly to your door than with LobsterAnywhere. He'll personally deliver some of them to the Los Angeles International Airport, into the hands of a buyer, who will put a box of crustaceans directly on a freight flight to China. As a result of their soft meat and weight, they are considered the heaviest crustaceans globally. Maine Lobster vs. Spiny Lobster March 24, 2007 In a no holds barred cage match, Captain Spiny would crush Maine Man. 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. "It's hard to tell if that's affecting the lobster population.". Which, fortunately, coincides with the short but fabulous Maine summer. This includes both hand fishing, and where legal, spear fishing. A raucous time is had by all. Of course, as similar as they are, Im pretty sure Maine lobster is still better! Maine's 2023 James Beard nominees Are There Wolves in Maine? If you really want to impress your family and friends invite them over and cook up the freshest of the fresh live Maine lobsters. Their diet consists primarily of small crustaceans, mollusks, fish, snails, decayed plants, shrimp, mussels, and clams on the sea bottom. Anomurans are superficially crab-like. Next, find the claws. 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. "You have to pin the lobsters down. Discover the Largest Lobster Ever Caught! In addition to their impressive claws, Maine lobsters have 10 spindly legs (which have a small amount of meat in them), and a long, thick tail. Decayed plants, small mollusks, snails, and fishes. Some stores will even cook the lobster you purchase from them for free. At night they come out in search for food and will often congregate in small social groups. Lobster Alive Barbados is the best location for lobster on the island thanks to its location, but especially because it has the freshest lobster on island! It is October 1, the first day of recreational spiny lobster season this year. Rock Lobsters or Spiny Lobsters do not have large edible claws like Maine lobster, but only tiny claws, which don't have any edible meat. On the other hand, Maine lobster is more delicate in both flavor and texture with a sweet, clean flavor. Belfast offers several lobster cruises on lobster boats where you can also eat lobster rolls. Maine Lobsters are considered to have better taste because of the colder living environment. 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. As a food, the Norway lobster is similar to crab taste and texture, and is sweeter than shrimp. Place a bed of greens on each plate. Here are seven reasons good reasons (especially if youre eating it in Maine): Lobsters are marine creatures, but not all coastal waters are created equal. This is an accurate description of a Maine lobster, except for the color; lobsters only turn red when they are cooked. However, like spiny lobsters, they live in muddy caves, rock reefs, crevices, or burrows on the sea floors worldwide. Sportfishinglures.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, and may earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Norway lobster is often sold as a premium . Now that weve dived into some of the name differences and the different ways they cook up, lets break them down by species, starting with the Maine lobster. If the tank is full of dark reddish-brown shellfish with a smooth body and prominent claws, youre looking at true lobsters (yet another name for Maine lobsters). You will know its done when it turns bright red. 5. It makes a great lobster roll, lobster bisque, and lobster salad. Those creatures commonly called squat lobsters also possess claws but they are much smaller and differ significantly from the animals specialists describe as lobsters. Split the rolls and brush with butter. Maine Lobster live in the cold waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean from NewFoundland down to North Carolina. The spiny lobster is often sold as just lobster tails. seafood company. Asides from writing, I enjoy surfing the internet and listening to music. They can also be caught with nets such as gill nets and trammel nets. There are a few more differences that will be good for anyone looking for either species of lobster to know. Spiny lobsters have the capability to grow up to 20 pounds but are usually harvested. The technical species name for Maine lobster is Homarus americanus. The only edible portion is the tail. Its the biggest festival in Maine and the longest-running culinary festival in the U.S. Lobster use their antennae to track down food that is further away from their homes. Now you can pull the little claw off and find a tiny strip of meat in it. You can cook rock lobster similarly to Atlantic lobster, such as by grilling or steaming. When divers grab these lobster they wear special Kevlar gloves to keep from getting poked by these spines. No one knows because it doesnt happen. Poaching in butter was wonderful ! Sometimes, this antenna can be longer than the body. Grade B lobsters caught in the summer months are likely to only contain 15% meat by weight. "The first bite is slightly chewy. Heres what you should know about the other lobster species found in the United States, rock lobsters. Each type has many different sizes so the price is also different accordingly. Another difference between Maine Lobster and Spiny Lobster is where you will find each species. .mobile-top-content a:hover { color: #fff; text-decoration: underline; }, @media (max-width: 480px) { We started teaching English online so we could travel and I could walk in as many bodies of water as possible around the globe. The shell of this type of lobster is usually shiny and has a characteristic color of blue with green. By the time youre done reading this youll be able to dazzle your friends with all of the lobster facts while serving up piled high buttery Lobster Rolls. 100% real lobster with no added preservatives. Spiny lobsters can live for 50 years or more, while Maine lobsters can live for about 100 years. New England lobster is Homarus americanus, in the family Homaridae. As mentioned above the biggest and most obvious difference between Maine lobster and Spiny lobster is that the Maine Lobster has claws. They can both be used in a number of ways to make a perfect dish. It is estimated that less than 1% of all of the eggs released from the female will make it to legal size. In Maine, the most common way of catching lobsters is by dropping a long rectangular trap along the ocean floor. The orange is roe. background-color: #06a10b; Traps are also used in commercial fishing of rock lobsters. It all starts with a name. You basically get a tail, about 1/2 of a lb. This process makes the butter clear and allows the sweetness of the lobster to come through even better. 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! Rock Lobsters vs Maine Lobsters: What Are The Differences? They are widely prized and valued because of their delicious claw meat, but their taste varies due to the respective habitats they live in. They molt about 25 times in their first 5 to 7 years of life, and once per year when they're older. Caribbean lobsters are smaller and not as tasty in the 4-5 times we have had them over the years. However, most are collected just north of New Jersey to Maine. One of the differences between crayfish and lobster is their size. For example, the most common lobster in American restaurants is Homarus americanus, known as the Maine lobster, because it just tastes the best due to the coastal environment of Maine. "I would be very happy to sell all those lobsters to the United States," says Dave Rudie, the owner of Catalina Offshore Products, one of the largest seafood import and export companies in California. a Cantonese-style spiny lobster with garlic butter lo mein. ), Crayfish Quiz - Only The Top 1% Can Ace our Animal Quizzes, Watch a Fisherman Catch a Rare, 1-in-2 Million Blue Lobster Then Do the Unthinkable, Tiny Crab Nearly Drowns a Large Bald Eagle in Impressive Fight, Discover The Largest Lobster Ever Caught in Maine. The large tails are perfect for grilling. They are not true lobsters, but are more closely related to spiny lobsters and furry lobsters. Spiny lobsters have smaller claws that are inedible and long antennae, while Maine lobsters have shorter antennae but larger claws with edible meat. This is why the Rock lobsters at Red Lobster only come in tails. This article will uncover all you need to know about both species of lobster, including their diets, preferred habitats, tastes, and behaviors. Our offerings include tails of all sizes, whole live lobsters, and even restaurant-quality lobster rolls ready to serve. Maine lobster has a delicate and sweet flavor, which makes it a favorite for most people. Maine Lobster vs Canadian Lobster Maine Lobster vs Spiny (or Rock) Lobster Maine Lobster vs Florida (or Spiny) Lobster Why Maine Has The Best Lobstah Evah The Essential Guide To Preparing Lobster 5 Steps To Eating Lobster Like A Mainer. OK, so youre sold on spiny lobster and dying to try some for yourself. Saut onion, jerk seasoning, and sweet pepper in remaining melted butter and cook until onion turns translucent. Ideally, youll want to consume your lobster within 24 hours of purchase. Here is a Map Showing each of their habitats. Fresh Maine lobster tastes so much better than lobster that has been living in a crowded, dirty tank in a grocery store for who knows how long. Have you ever wondered about the differences between spiny lobsters and Maine lobsters? You can actually separate the body from the shell by just pulling it apart. Clarified butter is essential to enjoying the authentic Maine lobster experience. Check this link for Langoustines Recipes. At Lobster Anywhere, we believe in selling our customers the finest North Atlantic lobsters we can find. That said, wonderful spiny lobster can be found on plates all over the island. Lobsters can't see clear images or colors; antennas are their main sensory organs. They have strong claws used for feeding. Overnight delivery. In fact, when prepared in certain ways, its really good. Langostinos are in the Anomura infraorder, with and hermit and porcelain crabs, and in the Galatheidae family. 95% of them are shipped to China, as that market fetches up to 3X more than local customers. Does the restaurant offer a view of the water? Lobster Size. No, spiny lobster doesnt have oversized front claws full of tasty flesh. Caribbean lobsters are smaller and not as tasty in the 4-5 times we have had them over the years. Rudie estimates that 95 percent of his lobsters are currently shipped to China. If you can find a fresh lobster that has been caught recently, its a great choice since it tastes the best. Even if you cant eat it on a beach boiled in seawater, you now know how to find a good lobster restaurantany local will also point you in the right direction. Boothbay Harbor has an actual lobster pier and there are restaurants on it. Now you know the difference between Maine, Canadian, and Spiny (or Rock or Florida) lobster. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. 2. You can use the succulent meat of a Maine lobster in a number of ways. The second one is the most profoundit has a creamy and extremely nutty flavor.". Due to the colder habitat they inhabit, Maine lobsters are considered to taste better than spiny lobsters. Because they live in warmer waters, theyre flavor is brinier, and what some might consider fishier. There are about 60 Species of spiny Lobster. Also, there is actually meat in the little flaps of the lobster tail if you want to take the time to get it out. If you are unsure whether or not it is cooked, remove the lobster from the water, flip it over, and check the tail meat. Check out our article for the best lobster diving gear and equipment. If the only way you have to tell the difference between Maine Lobster and Spiny Lobster is the tail itself, you can still distinguish them with relative certainty. For the best taste and texture, youll want to boil your lobster. Make sure you have bowls because as you crack open your lobster, youll get a lot of water running out! So, thanks to his relationships with the commercial fishery in the area, he flies home with a planeful of lobsterstheir long antennae waving in the air. Theres plenty on the menu, but be sure to catch some lobster while youre there. Slipper lobsters are instantly recognisable by their enlarged antennae . Maine lobsters are generally a greenish-brown or black color when alive. Now that your lobster is ready, your table is covered with newspapers, and youve got your clarified butter (and maybe your Saltines! In Australia and New Zealand, this family also includes crayfish. To begin with, if you love the succulent lobster claw, your only option is the Atlantic lobster from the north. At Rhythms at Rainbow Beach, monster lobster go into making lobster bites, lobster tacos, and other treats, elevating the good times like never before. Around the time that European settlers arrived in North America, lobsters were so plentiful that they would wash up on the eastern shores in piles. 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. Long considered a delicacy, many people save such an entre for special occasions and holiday feasts. November 29, 2022 Huy Le There are many types of lobsters. In fact, Maine lobsters are also the longest decapod (10-legged animal) in the world. Advertisement The water temperature is 65 degrees and although the visibility isn't fantastic underwater, the. One look at both of these species side by side and you will be able to tell the difference. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Once that is done, youll be able to see little bits of meat here and there. Spiny lobsters have small pointing spines covering their bodies for protection against predators, from which their name originated. Others cut them with a knife. The reason is that clarified butter has had all of the milk solids removed from it. The biggest difference between Maine Lobster and Spiny Lobster is that Maine Lobster have claws and Spiny lobster do not. If the overall dish is your goal and not the standout sweet and succulent flavor of naturally buttery Maine lobster, then rock lobster may be a good choice. 3 ounces. The best part for home cooks is that fresh Maine lobster is flavorful enough to shine all on its own with minimal seasoning or prep work. Saut onion, jerk seasoning, and sweet pepper in remaining melted butter and cook until onion turns translucent. 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. Female lobsters with eggs are given a v notch in their tails before being released. However, the fisheries in Australia could not keep up with Chinese demand and by the early 2000s, the California lobster started to be transported to China in large numbers to meet sales. Here I am, eating seafood from California in California that most Californians rarely get the chance to eat. Pound for pound, spiny lobster has more meat than New England lobster does. The key differences between spiny lobsters and Maine lobsters are their claws and antennae. Crayfish Vs Lobster: Habitat "Mitch's Seafood is fantastic," Masury says. Add lobster pieces and saut 5 minutes, or until mostly cooked through. Boiled lobster is enjoyed whole. Of course, if youre not near the Caribbean sea, you can still spice your meal with nostalgic memories of time spent in the sunny islands by picking up some spiny live lobsters of your own and fixing up some at home. But in most cases, youre going to want something more flavorful to really bring the seafood to life. Also keep in mind that this is a firmer meat so be careful of pounding it with high heat and over cooking it. Spiny lobsters have small pointing spines covering their bodies for protection against predators, from which their name originated. So, the next time you see a package of lobster tails for sale at your local supermarket, chances are it's spiny lobster. "The problem is that as much as people talk about buying local, they actually buy based on the price.". You will often see these antennae sticking out of the rocks well before you can see any other part of the Lobster. The key differences between spiny lobsters and Maine lobsters are appearance, size, habitat, taste, and lifespan. The common term for a one-pound lobster is a chicken while a two ponder is referred to as a deuce. (Usually, it would be from spiny lobster fisheries near the Florida Keys.) "Catching lobsters, for me, is a combination of Christmas morning and Easter egg hunting," Hank Parfitt says, grinning. Not only do they have different names, but they also have completely different characteristics when cooked. Unlike Hannibal, we recommend pairing this delicacy with a dry ros and not chianti. The lobster festival is a 10-day celebration that takes place in mid-August every year. Incredibly, both lobsters serve as food for humans. Lobster Alive is the ultimate place to sample spiny lobster tail on Barbados because its the freshest place to get lobster on the island. }. These shellfish are remarkably buttery and sweet and their texture is known for being tender yet meaty and satisfying. Maine lobster is caught off the coast of New England in the Atlantic Ocean. Required fields are marked *, LobsterAnywhere.com, Inc. Interesting FactBack in the day, like waaaay back in the day, lobsters were fed to prisoners in Maine because they were so abundant they were considered a pest species! These true lobsters are the most sought-after crustaceans on the market for a reason: Now that youve got the run down on rock vs. Maine lobster, we know the craving is real! After the soak the lobstermen remove the lobsters that are of legal size and release those that are too small or too large. Parfitt shakes his head as I tell him this story. Spiny lobsters seek warmer waters by migrating to deeper water in winter, and they do this by following each other in a single file line. And you won't find them in Maine or anywhere along the Northern East coast, but rather, off the warm shores of the southeastern U.S. from North Carolina down through Florida, and into Texas, via NOAA Fisheries. Lobsters have the ability to regrow legs, claws, and antennae if they fall off due to injury or disease. That's right, Lobster are cannibals. Since Spiny Lobster live in warmer tropical areas their flesh tastes more like typical seafood. Anguilla is more known for something called crayfishwhich is neither the creature you may be expecting nor exactly spiny lobster. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is extremely strict about the regulations. Its no secret that we (Mainers) are obsessed with our native crustaceans. Unlike Maine lobster, rock lobsters are often caught by hand either from diving, or snorkeling. They would probably add that its the only true lobster, whatever that means. My only experience has really been when dining with people that have insisted I try a bite. Even Parfitt, a recreational scuba diver, has observed the increased demand for lobster during his four decades of hunting. - Spiny lobsters have a smaller size than Alaska lobster but larger than baby lobster, blue lobster. While it's perfectly fine to substitute spiny lobster for Maine lobster, Oceanfood Sales Limitedsuggests that some find spiny lobster meat less succulent and tender than Maine lobster. Naturally, most anyone from the northern half of the United States would quickly reply (in all caps): MAINE LOBSTER! The older they get, the bigger they get! Have you ever wondered about the differences between spiny lobsters and Maine lobsters? Andy Rios, the divemaster in my group, spears a handful of calico bass and a large sheephead. Seems pretty straight forward right? So why is Maine lobster so much better than any other type of lobster? It would be too easy to be drawn into the debate about whats the tastiest lobster. Spiny lobsters also prefer warm waters, while Maine lobsters prefer cold water. ), its time to eat! They can both be used in a number of ways to make a perfect dish. This will depend on where you buy them. Best Portland Hotels w/Indoor Pools Portland to Acadia National Park 15+ Great Winter Festivals, Maine Lobster vs Florida (or Spiny) Lobster. Decayed plants, small mollusks, snails, and fishes. Few flavors complete a trip to the Caribbean quite like lobster. 6. Look for a lively one, as you would with a Maine lobster, and never buy a dead lobster that has not been frozen, as enzymes in the lobster can rot the meat very quickly. Norway lobster has a light orange color similar to the color of shrimp. Why is clarified butter better than regular butter for lobster? However, like spiny lobsters, they live in muddy caves, rock reefs, crevices, or burrows on the sea floors worldwide. They are about 8 to 24 inches in length and may have a mass of over 20kg (44lbs). They are about 8 to 24 inches in length and may have a mass of over 20kg (44lbs). Maine Lobster have a more fanned out rounded off tail where as. The Canadian lobster is the Maine lobsters closest rival. Technically speaking, rock lobsters are actually a whole family of 60 different crawling, water-dwelling animals. Spiny Lobster will have a lighter coloration of spots on their tails while. Spiny Lobster vs Maine Lobster: What Are The Differences? If you really want to get everything you can out of the lobster, youll have to head into the body cavity. These species are grouped into 12 genera, which include Palinurus, Panulirus, Linuparus, and Nupalirus ( word play on the family name). There are two things to look at on the tail of the Lobster in order to identify them correctly. In China, spiny lobsters are often stir-fried with a sweet and savory soy and ginger sauce to compensate for the more muted flavor of the meat. The Best, Lobsterman-Approved Ways to Cook Maine Lobster, The Easiest Way to Get Your Hands on Maine Lobster, Diagnosing Cheap Lobster: Mushy Meat, Discoloration, Fake Lobster, and More, The best ways to find and prepare Maine vs Rock Lobsters. Well, youve come to the right place. Lobster first became a desired dish in the mid-19th century when it began to be canned and shipped across the nation. It is just not as good as Maine lobster. Theyre also known as North American and Atlantic lobsters because they live throughout the icy cold waters of the northeast.