A Nova Scotia vacation would not be complete without enjoying some of our great restaurants and sampling our fabulous cuisine. Nova Scotia lobster is world-famous—and for good reason. We have some of the most fertile lobster fishing grounds, not just in Canada, but on the planet.
Learn everything from how they’re caught to the best ways to prepare them on your Nova Scotia vacation.
Lobster is at its best when prepared as simply as possible and served either hot or cold, shelled or in the shell, accompanied with melted butter, lemon wedges and lots of napkins. The traditional Nova Scotia way of boiling lobster is on a sandy beach over an open driftwood fire in a boiling pot of salt water fresh from the ocean.
To prepare lobster at home first ensure that the lobster is alive by checking for movement - pull it's tail back to see if it springs back to the curled position. Place live lobster head-first in salted, boiling water; 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt per 1 quart (1 L) water. Cover the pot. Begin timing once water returns to a rolling boil. Cook for 10 minutes for the first 1 lb (500 g) and 3 minutes for each additional 1 lb (500 g). The lobster is cooked when it is bright red and the legs pull away from the body with ease.
If by chance you have any lobster left over it can be easily frozen:
Points for freezing:
Freeze lobster after it has been cooked and cooled.
For best results, freeze shelled lobster meat. Place meat in a freezer container and cover with a cold brine solution. Leave 1-inch (2.5 cm) space, seal tightly and label.
Whole, cooked lobster can be frozen by placing it in a freezer container and covering it with a brine solution.
Brine solution: ¼ cup (50 mL) salt for each 1-quart (1L) fresh water.
*Note: If lobster meat is frozen for less than one month, a brine solution is not necessary.