Lobster Roll

I’ll admit it… I’m pretty jealous of people who live in the New England areas, especially during the summertime. They have constant access to restaurants that all boast that they have the very best lobster rolls! Oh, what I would give to spend my days trying different rolls to determine which one truly is the best.

While I don’t live on the upper East coast, I do still live on the coast, which allows me to make all of my favorite seafood recipes pretty much year-round. Just like this one! I also treat my family to fresh seafood dishes like Cajun Salmon, Shrimp and Grits, or Mahi Mahi.

Lately, we’ve all been craving (you guessed it) these classic lobster rolls! Buttered buns are toasted and serve as the base to a heaping portion of succulent lobster meat in the best sweet and tangy mayo sauce.

When making lobster rolls, it’s VERY important to learn how to break down a whole lobster and get the most meat out of it. Nothing makes me more sad than wasted lobster! It’s not the cheapest protein, so you really want to make sure you get your money’s worth. If you scroll down just a little bit, you’ll see plenty of tips and tricks on how to get the most bang for your buck using both tail and claw meat.

Ingredient Notes

Whole Lobster – Scroll down for all the info you need on how to cook lobster, how long to cook it per pound, and how to break it down like a pro! If you have any extra meat, use it deliciously by making Lobster Risotto.

Lemon Juice – Do NOT use bottled lemon juice from concentrate. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the way to go for the best flavor.

Mayonnaise – You can use low-fat mayo, but it won’t yield as creamy of a consistency as full fat.

Herbs – Chives and fresh parsley add nice vibrant touches to the lobster roll.

Celery – Always make sure to rinse any dirt or residue off of your celery before chopping it.

Buns – You can use your favorite brand of hot dog buns. I like to grab some from the bakery section of my grocery store so I know they’re fresh.

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Boil Lobster:

Prepare the water – Bring a large pot of water to boil. Make sure there’s enough water to totally submerge the lobsters. Season with about 2 TBSP of coarse salt and 1 TBSP of whole peppercorns. Lower the heat to medium so the water doesn’t boil over the top of the pot and make a mess!

Boil the lobster – Submerge lobster into the water and close the lid. Leave a crack to let the steam escape. Let lobster cook according to its weight, until it’s bright red.

How Long to Cook Lobster:

As an average time, lobster takes about 10 minutes per pound to cook. However, don’t exceed 25 minutes for 3-5 lb lobsters! If cooking several lobsters at a time, don’t use the combined weight, but the weight of the biggest lobster.

• 1 to 1 1/4 lb. lobster – cook for 10-12 minutes
• 1 1/2 to 2 lb. lobster – cook for 15-18 minutes
• 2 1/2 to 5 lb. lobster – cook for 20-25 minutes. 

How to Break Down a Whole Lobster:

1. Twist off the tail. You will see not so pleasant content of it’s stomach, but you can simply rinse the tail end off with cold water. 
2. Twist off both claws at the sides of the body.
3. Separate the claw from the knuckle by twisting it off. 
4. Using kitchen shears, cut the underside of the tail all the way down. Pull it apart and take out the tail meat. 
5. Use lobster crackers to crack the tough shell of the knuckles and claws. Pull it apart and take out the claw and knuckle meat. Carefully go through the meat to make sure there are no pieces of shells leftover. 

Chop up the meat – Once you have your cooked lobster meat, chop it up into small pieces and place it in a mixing bowl. 

Make the mayo mixture – Squeeze in lemon juice, add mayonnaise, diced chives and parsley, and a little salt and pepper. Mix everything together and set aside. 

Butter the buns – Preheat the oven broiler on low and brush hot dog buns with melted butter. Pull them apart very gently and brush some butter on the inside as well. 

Broil the buns – Place buttered buns on a baking sheet and let them brown under the broiler. Don’t place them too close to the broiler so the buns don’t burn.

Assemble the rolls – Divide the creamy lobster salad evenly among the warm rolls. Serve immediately.

Storing Instructions

Make Ahead: you can prepare the lobster salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container. Store it for up to 2 days and make the rolls any time you want.

Leftovers: You can also make extra lobster salad and have some right away and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Make sure to use a food storage container with an air-tight lid.

More Seafood Recipes to Try

Shrimp Stir Fry

Whole Baked Salmon Filet

She Crab Soup

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Lobster Mac and Cheese

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