I was at the local grocery a couple years back and I noticed a couple times previous a VERY large Lobstuh in the tank. He'd been there a couple weeks and I was asking the seafood mgr about it. It was 10.5lbs. At the price they had it listed for it was almost $200. I asked what happens if it doesn't sell and he told me after about two weeks they let them go for $50 or so. I asked him if I offered $50 right now he would let it go? He said he would. I had NO plans for such a beast on a weeknight in Feb but I HAD to have him.
I took him home and got my 5gal steamer pot boiling at half full. The mammoth was twice as long as the pot was tall. This was going to be tricky. I practice the motion a couple times and made the plunge and forcing the lid down as hard as I could until the water came back to a boil. I could hear the shell cracking I was forcing so hard. When the water returned to a boil I dumped the whole thing in the sink and washed in cold water for several minutes. I then double bagged him and froze him for future consumption.
Later that summer, I took the cooking grids off the gas grill and placed the largest disposable foil pan I could find directly on the heat exchanger with about 1/2" of water and replaced the cooking grids. Jumbo, thawed out, went on the grates when the water came to a boil and was allowed to steam for almost 1/2 hr. he fed 3 families and kids that summer day. I've heard people say that the bigger they are, the tougher they are and that IS NOT TRUE!
Thanks for the memory!