Lobster Roll
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt (for boiling)
- 5 pounds live lobster
- 8 cups ice – for ice bath
- 1/2 cup celery – finely diced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (for seasoning)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
- 4 New England-style split-top hot dog buns
Instructions
1. Bring the water and the kosher salt (for boiling) to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat, 8–10 minutes.
2. Add the live lobster headfirst, cover, and return to a boil. Boil 8–10 minutes for 1–1.25 lb lobsters, until shells are bright red and the tail meat is opaque and firm.
3. While the lobsters cook, fill a large bowl with the ice and enough cold water to make an ice bath.
4. Transfer the cooked lobsters to the ice bath to stop cooking; cool until just cold, 10–15 minutes, then drain well.
5. Twist off claws and tails; crack shells and remove claw, knuckle, and tail meat. Discard shells. Cut the lobster meat into 0.75-inch pieces.
6. In a mixing bowl, gently fold together the lobster meat, celery, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until just coated. Season with the kosher salt (for seasoning) and black pepper. Cover and chill 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld.
7. Spread the outsides of the New England-style split-top hot dog buns with the unsalted butter. Griddle in a skillet over medium heat until the sides are golden, 1–2 minutes per side.
8. Fill each bun evenly with the chilled lobster salad, mounding generously. Serve immediately.
A lobster roll is a New England icon built on simple, clean flavors: sweet, briny lobster bound lightly with a creamy tang of mayonnaise and lemon, tucked into a buttery, griddled split-top bun. The texture contrast is part of the appeal—tender chunks of claw, knuckle, and tail meat against a faint crunch of celery and the crisped edges of the bun. Kept minimal and cool, it showcases the lobster itself rather than burying it under heavy seasonings.
The sandwich has deep roots along the Northeastern coast of the United States, especially Maine and Connecticut. Connecticut popularized a warm version dressed with drawn butter, while Maine’s widely adopted style serves the lobster chilled with a restrained mayonnaise dressing. The distinctive split-top bun, developed by New England bakeries, was designed to toast on both sides and cradle seafood salads, helping the lobster roll become a summertime staple up and down the coast.