Maine Lobster Roll
intro
Sweet, tender chilled lobster meat in light creamy dressing, stuffed into a buttery toasted split bun: Maine’s iconic summer coastal sandwich.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook and chill lobster
Fill a large stockpot with 4 liters of cold water, add 120g (approx 1/2 cup) of the kosher salt to reach seawater salinity, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Plunge lobsters headfirst into the boiling water, cover the pot, and return to a full boil. Cook for exactly 8 minutes for 450g lobsters, then use tongs to transfer lobsters immediately to a large bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to stop cooking and cool completely.
Pick lobster meat
Once lobsters are fully cooled to handling temperature, use a seafood cracker and small pick to crack claws, knuckles, and tails over a large mixing bowl, collecting all meat and discarding shells, tomalley, and roe if preferred. Keep meat in large 2.5cm (1 inch) bite-sized chunks instead of shredding to preserve tender, succulent texture; you should yield approximately 680g (1.5 lbs) of picked meat. Pat the lobster meat very gently with paper towels to remove excess surface water, which would make the filling watery.
Mix lobster filling
To the bowl of picked lobster meat, add 80ml full-fat mayonnaise, 70g finely diced celery, 15ml fresh lemon juice, the remaining 5g (1 tsp) kosher salt, 1g freshly ground black pepper, and 3g (1 tbsp) of the chopped chives. Toss extremely gently with a rubber spatula until all ingredients are evenly coated, taking care not to break up the delicate lobster chunks. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Butter and toast buns
When the filling is nearly done chilling, melt 42g (3 tbsp) of the unsalted butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat (150°C / 300°F). Gently open the split top of each New England-style bun without pulling the two sides fully apart, and place the buns cut-side down in the melted butter. Toast for 2-3 minutes per side until the cut surfaces are deep golden brown and crispy, and the outer sides of the buns are soft and warm. Use the remaining 14g (1 tbsp) butter to add to the skillet if the pan dries out during toasting.
Assemble the rolls
Remove the chilled lobster filling from the refrigerator and give it one slow, gentle stir to redistribute the dressing. Divide the filling evenly between the 4 toasted buns, mounding approximately 170g of filling per roll so it sits slightly above the bun edge. Do not press or pack the filling down tightly, as this will crush the lobster and make the rolls dense.
Garnish and serve
Sprinkle the top of each filled roll with the remaining 3g (1 tbsp) of chopped chives for a bright, fresh garnish. Serve immediately while the buns are still warm and the lobster filling is chilled, paired with salted ridged potato chips and extra lemon wedges if desired.
Tips
2.Gently pat picked lobster meat dry with paper towels before mixing with dressing; residual cooking water will thin the mayonnaise and lead to a soggy, less flavorful filling.
3.Keep lobster meat in large 2.5cm (1-inch) chunks rather than shredding it; tender, sizable lobster pieces are the signature of an authentic Maine lobster roll.
OMG, I made these for our backyard cookout this past weekend and every single person asked for the recipe! I was worried lobster would be too fancy for a casual potluck but it was such a hit. The split-top buttered buns make ALL the difference, no sad soggy rolls here! 10/10 will be making these all summer long.
Game changer! I’ve been overcomplicating lobster rolls for years with too much celery and weird seasonings, this simple classic recipe is exactly what I was missing. The light mayo touch, a little squeeze of lemon, that hint of chive? Chef’s kiss. My wife said it tastes just like the rolls we got on our Bar Harbor trip a few years back.
Super easy to follow even for a total seafood newbie like me! I was so intimidated to cook lobster for the first time but the step-by-step for poaching was so straightforward, no rubbery lobster at all. Made these for date night in and my boyfriend thought I ordered takeout from that fancy seafood spot downtown lmao.
Made these for Father’s Day lunch and my kids devoured two each! Even my super picky 7 year old who “hates all seafood” asked for seconds. Skipped the celery like one reviewer mentioned and it was perfect for our crew. Will be adding this to the regular summer rotation.
Wait, has anyone tried making these with a little Old Bay mixed in? I’m a Maryland girl so I put Old Bay on literally everything, wondering if it would mess up the classic Maine vibe?
SO good! I prepped the lobster salad on Sunday and kept it in the fridge, then assembled rolls for quick lunches all week. It held up way better than I thought it would, no weird soggy mess even on day 3. Saved me so much money instead of buying lobster rolls from the food truck by campus!
We served mini versions of these as appetizers at our backyard wedding reception and they were the first platter to get cleaned out! People are still texting me asking where we got the caterer, little do they know I made 80 of these myself with this recipe lmao. Worth every minute of cooking time.
Finally, a lobster roll recipe that doesn’t drown the lobster in a ton of goopy mayo! I caught a bunch of lobster on a trip up north last month and have been looking for the right recipe to use it on, this did not disappoint. Only change I made was add a tiny extra drizzle of melted butter on top because why not.
Brought these to our neighborhood block party and I swear people were lining up for seconds! I was worried the price of lobster would be a waste but everyone raved so much it was 100% worth it. The recipe says 45 minutes total and that was spot on for me, no extra time fumbling around.
Easy enough for a weeknight dinner? Wait I thought lobster rolls were a weekend-only thing because of how long they take, but 45 minutes sounds doable after work. Has anyone made this on a weeknight without being stressed?
My granddaughter has been begging for lobster rolls ever since we went to Maine last summer, and this recipe tasted exactly like the ones we had at that little shack on the coast! She gave me a big hug after dinner and said it was better than the restaurant version. My heart is so full.
Wait a second, do you *have* to use split-top hot dog buns? My grocery store only had the regular side-split ones this week, will that ruin it?
I lightened this up a little by using half Greek yogurt half mayo, and it was still incredible! I was worried it would taste tangy or weird but it paired so nicely with the sweet lobster, cut down a little on the calories too for anyone tracking macros.
Made these for our Super Bowl watch party back in February and people are still talking about them! Wait, how far in advance can I make the lobster salad? I want to make them for our Fourth of July party but I don’t want to be stuck cooking all day when guests are over.
Quick question—my son has a celery allergy, will the recipe still taste good if I leave the celery out entirely? I don’t want to substitute something random if it’s going to throw off the whole flavor.
Dude, this is so much better than the lobster rolls I paid $32 for at that tourist trap seafood place by the pier last weekend. The lobster is the star here, no weird filler, just that perfect light creamy coating. I’ll never waste money on takeout lobster rolls again.
Help! I overcooked my lobster the first time I tried this and it was so rubbery 😭 What heat level should I have the poaching water at? I had it at a rolling boil and I think that’s where I messed up.
We made these on our camping trip last weekend! I pre-cooked the lobster at home and brought the salad in a cooler, then picked up buns from the little general store near our campground. Best camp meal I’ve ever had, beats hot dogs and hamburgers by a mile.
My twin teen boys are going through a massive growth spurt and eat literally everything in the house, so I doubled the recipe for dinner last night. They each ate three rolls, my husband ate two, and I barely got one for myself lmao. 10/10, the whole family was obsessed.
I was skeptical a recipe labeled “easy” could make a restaurant-worthy lobster roll, but wow, this delivered. The little bit of lemon zest in the salad is such a small detail but it makes the whole thing taste so bright and fresh. Made these for my parents when they came to visit and my dad said it’s the best lobster roll he’s had outside of Maine. Total win.