Going out to a seafood restaurant for a lobster dinner is not easy on anyone’s wallet. Even if lobster prices at the dock have dropped, you will have to pay higher prices in restaurants. But, there are reasons why lobsters have steep prices. Keep reading to know them.
Farming Lobster is Not Easy
Unlike the majority of fisheries, there are no commercial farms available to cheaply offer plenty of lobsters. Lobsters tend to grow slowly, eat a lot, and can easily become sick due to contagious diseases. Also, their eggs are hard to raise. These are the reasons why markets depend on lobsters caught in the wild. Those who don’t live in Maine and want Maine lobsters should get the crustaceans shipped to them. Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep them alive when shipping since they have to stay cool and moist while getting enough oxygen to breathe and survive. A crab shack near me would want to cook lobsters alive to ensure their customers experience the best taste. When frozen or cooked when dead, lobsters are tough and rubbery.
They are Susceptible to Bacteria Invasion
Did you know that bacteria love to stay inside lobsters? That is why they need to be properly cooked. When they die long before they are cooked, the bacteria will have enough time to grow and spoil the meat. Stronger lobsters are sent to restaurants and stores that sell them live. The less vibrant ones are sold for processing. However, processing these animals is difficult. A lobster’s meat is the one people are after and getting it out of the shell when uncooked is quite hard. Plus, cooking the lobster before packaging can cause the meat to harden when prepared later for eating.
Whether lobsters are processed or sold alive, they change hands several times on its way from the sea to your plate. From the fisherman, they usually go to the dealer, then to a processor or live market, then to restaurants or grocery stores for consumers to buy. Lobster prices increase every time they are passed along.
People Love Eating Expensive Food
Just like other luxury goods, the expense for lobsters is associated with enjoyment. Some studies have found out that people choose inexpensive wines in blind taste tests; however, they tend to enjoy drinking wine if they have been told it is expensive. Those who want more affordable lobsters will have to prepare for the expenses as they travel to the coast during lobster season.