Reasonable people may disagree about whether jumbo lobsters can produce the same sweet and tender meat as their smaller counterparts. The simple truth is that jumbo lobsters are capable of delivering the same high-quality meat as smaller Maine lobsters, but they’re much more difficult to cook just right. In fact, most experts will tell you that to cook a jumbo lobster all the way through without toughening up the meat, you should steam the lobster instead of boiling it. Even then, you have to know what you’re doing and have a keen sense for exactly when to remove the lobster from the heat. A 5-pound jumbo lobster might take anywhere from 35-45 minutes or more when steam cooking.

Company Min. Order Price/lb Shipping* Go To
Lucky Catch Lobster 2 $94.99 FREE
Lobster Trap Company 1 $92.00 $30
Lobster Anywhere 1 $129.00 $27

You may read that it’s illegal to harvest the largest jumbo lobsters. This is true, but only in designated fishing waters off the coast of Maine where strict regulations are in place to protect the local lobster population. Lobstermen who travel north to Canadian waters can harvest these oversized lobsters, and there’s no prohibition against returning with and selling these jumbo lobsters.

It’s also worth pointing out that given the limited supply of jumbo lobsters, they tend to be the most expensive sized lobster per pound. It’s one thing to be willing to splurge on an impressive spread of oversized fresh Maine lobster for a special occasion. It’s another to spend several hundred or more than a thousand dollars on a meal when you don’t have a reliable way to prepare it to people’s expectations.

A 4-pound lobster should yield about 12-14 oz of cooked lobster with the following nutritional information:

340-360 calories

70-74 grams of protein

230-250 mg of cholesterol

4 grams of fat

A 5-pound lobster should yield about 15-17 oz of cooked lobster with the following nutritional information:

430-455 calories

89-94 grams of protein

295-315 mg of cholesterol

5 grams of fat

A 6-pound lobster should yield about 19-20 oz of cooked lobster meat with the following nutritional information:

520-550 calories

108-114 grams of protein

360-380 mg of cholesterol

6 grams of fat