Is it summer without seafood?
How do y'all do summer where you're from? Since I live in the Chesapeake Bay region, we are always celebrating with seafood.
Up and down the East Coast we dive into all the good stuff once the weather gets warm, and it's just not summer without a crab feast or a lobster roll, in my opinion.
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- The Best Warm and Buttery Lobster Rolls!
- Connecticut Style vs Maine Lobster Rolls
- What type of lobster should I use for lobster rolls?
- Ingredients Needed for Butter Lobster Rolls
- How to Make Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
- Variations
- Pro Tips for the Best Lobster Rolls
- Side Dishes to go with Lobster Rolls
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Summery Lobster Recipes
- Connecticut-Style Warm and Buttery Lobster Rolls
The Best Warm and Buttery Lobster Rolls!
To me, home cooked lobster rolls are the best ones. I've been too often disappointed by rubbery, overcooked seafood slung into unloved, untoasted hot dog buns for $25 a pop.
Honey, that's not how I play with my food!
No, no, no, we're working with sweet chunks of lobster poached in a flavorful butter with lemon zest and garlic, then nestled into golden brown buns, drizzled with more of that oh-so-delicious buttah and a squeeze of lemon juice, topped with chives. The perfect lobster roll!
Connecticut Style vs Maine Lobster Rolls
Everyone knows what a Maine-style lobster roll is -- the cold lobster rolls: chilled lobster meat tossed with finely chopped celery and mayo, like a lobster salad -- but what is a Connecticut lobster roll?
Connecticut-style lobster rolls are served warm -- the buns are filled with nothing but delicious lobster that is dressed in tons of warm butter, honey!
What type of lobster should I use for lobster rolls?
When we're making New-England lobster rolls, we want their kind of lobster: the ones with the sweet lobster meat and pincer claws.
When you're at your local fish market or grocery store, look for 'Maine lobsters' or 'cold water lobsters' on the label.
Warm water lobsters are a different species all together and don't have the same flavor or texture, so save them for another dish.
Ingredients Needed for Butter Lobster Rolls
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cold-Water Lobster - I understand that most people don't want to go through the process of dispatching and shelling a whole lobster! You can use frozen, shelled, lobster meat or just use lobster tails if you want.
- New England-Style Split-Top Buns - New England-style split top rolls have exposed sides that are just begging to be toasted. Can't find them? Use split-top hot dog buns instead!
- Fresh lemons - we are using both the zest and juice in this recipe so use a nice, juicy lemon and wash it well.
- Butter - you want real butter to poach, you can use salted or unsalted.
- Garlic Cloves - I use 1 or 2 so I don't overpower the lobster. This is just to flavor the butter, not season the lobster meat.
- Chives - these have a mild oniony-garlicky flavor and play well with the lemon
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
How to Make Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
Step 1 | Poach your fresh lobster meat in the lemon garlic butter. Season it up with some salt and pepper then nestle the shelled lobster meat into that butter.
If they're raw, we just want them opaque and cooked through, the outside will turn bright red, so keep an eye on them!
Step 2 | Wipe the skillet clean, melt the remaining butter, and toast your buns in the same skillet with the butter. We're toasting both sides of the buns in that pan.
Step 4 | Use tongs to carefully fill each toasted buttery bun with the lobster meat, then sprinkle with a little fresh chive. Serve with a side of potato chips and lemon wedges!
Variations
- Using Pre-Cooked Lobster Meat - instead of butter poaching, it's more like "butter warm" the lobster. Thaw the pre-cooked lobster and drain it of any extra liquids, we don't want them soggy. Warm the lobster chunks in the pan for about 2-3 minutes, or until they're warmed through
- Cooking a Live Lobster - whole lobsters can be tricky if you don't know what you're doing. I have a post breaking down how to cook and break down a lobster step by step.
- Brown Butter Lobster Rolls - instead of cooking with regular ol' butter, try browning your butter first! It'll give your lobster rolls an unexpected, nutty, more complex flavor.
Pro Tips for the Best Lobster Rolls
- Compare prices at different stores or consider buying lobster in bulk if you plan on whipping these up for a party, some suppliers offer discounts for larger purchases.
- Another cost-saving tip is to buy lobster during peak season (late June through late December) when prices tend to be lower.
- I will always say if you can buy from a small, local fishmonger, go for it. But if you need lobster shipped to you, try a reputable lobster delivery service like The Lobster Guy or Lobsters Anywhere.
Side Dishes to go with Lobster Rolls
- Grill up some corn on the cob and slather it down until it's dripping in cilantro lime butter—its natural sweetness is just the right companion to our savory lobster rolls.
- Toss in a batch of crispy French fries or kettle chips for that perfect crunchy contrast we all crave.
- Pour yourself a glass of ice-cold old fashioned lemonade to sip on—sweet, tart, and oh-so-refreshing.
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll want around four ounces of lobster meat per roll.
Store any leftover lobster meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. For longer storage, you can freeze the meat for up to a month, though fresh is always best for flavor and texture.
Make sure the lobster meat is well-drained and not overly dressed. Toasting the bun also helps to create a barrier that keeps it from getting soggy too quickly.
More Summery Lobster Recipes
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Connecticut-Style Warm and Buttery Lobster Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 3 tablespoon chives, chopped
- Pinch kosher salt
- 16 ounces lobster meat, precooked or raw
- 4 New-England style split-top buns
Instructions
- In a skillet, melt 6 tablespoons butter and add garlic, lemon zest and juice, chives, and salt. Mix together and keep warm over a medium-low heat.6 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 lemon, 1 clove garlic, 3 tablespoon chives, Pinch kosher salt
- Add the lobster meat into the skillet. For Raw Lobster Meat: gently poach the lobster in your butter for 6-8 minutes, until the lobster is opaque and the outside is bright red. For Pre-Cooked Lobster Meat: drain the lobster meat of any liquid from its packaging and add the meat to your skillet. Warm the lobster meat gently for about 3 minutes, or until it's warmed through. Remove the lobster meat and set aside16 ounces lobster meat
- Remove the lobster meat from the skillet onto a plate and set aside.
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the leftover butter in the skillet (or wipe the pan clean and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan), turn the heat up to medium-high and toast the sides of the split top buns until they are golden brown.4 New-England style split-top buns
- Carefully stuff the warm lobster into the toasted split top buns, around 4 ounces per roll.
- Serve your warm butter lobster rolls immediately.
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