Crack open a cooked lobster and you may discover something unexpected hiding beneath the bright red shell: a soft green substance.
If you’ve never eaten a whole lobster before, your first reaction might be to wonder whether something has gone wrong.
Is the lobster spoiled? Is the green material edible? And why do some seafood lovers consider it a delicacy?
That mysterious substance is usually tomalley, a normal part of lobster anatomy. But whether you should eat it requires a little more explanation.
What Exactly Is Lobster Tomalley?
Tomalley is the lobster’s hepatopancreas, an organ that performs functions somewhat comparable to both the liver and pancreas in humans.
It helps with digestion and the processing and storage of nutrients.
Depending on the lobster and how it was prepared, tomalley can appear:
- Green
- Yellow-green
- Olive-colored
- Creamy or paste-like
So if you open a properly cooked lobster and discover green material inside the body cavity, its color alone doesn’t mean the lobster is spoiled.
What Does Tomalley Taste Like?
People who enjoy tomalley often describe it as intensely rich, savory, and briny.
Its flavor is considerably stronger than ordinary lobster meat, and its soft texture can be surprising if you’ve never tried it.
Some lobster enthusiasts eat a small amount directly, while cooks have traditionally incorporated it into sauces and other seafood preparations.
Others dislike it completely.
It’s very much a matter of personal preference.
Is Tomalley the Same as Lobster Roe?
No.
These two parts are frequently confused.
Tomalley is a digestive organ and can occur in both male and female lobsters.
Roe consists of eggs and occurs in female lobsters.
They can also look different depending on whether they’re raw or cooked.
