Put on the bib. (Water can squirt at the least expected moment, not to mention that you will feel years younger.)
Twist off the claws.
Crack each claw and knuckle with a nutcracker, pliers, knife or rock. Remove the meat.
Separate the tail from the body and break off the tail flippers. There's a morsel of meat in each flipper, too!
Insert a fork and push the tail meat out in one piece. Remove and discard the black vein that runs the entire length of the tail meat.
Separate the shell of the body from the underside by pulling them apart. Discard the green substance called the tomalley.
Open the underside of the body by cracking it apart in the middle, with the small walking legs on either side. Lobster meat lies in the four pockets, or joints, where the small walking legs are attached. The walking legs also contain excellent meat that can be removed by biting down on the leg and squeezing the meat out with your teeth.
Use the wet napkins to clean up.
Source: Maine Lobster Promotion Council