In the battle between Maine-style lobster rolls (served cold with mayo) and Connecticut-style lobster rolls (served warm with butter), I say why choose! This is my idea of a perfect lobster roll, with par-cooked lobster meat that gets finished in a luxurious beurre montè sauce, piled into a buttered bun with a spread of lemon garlic aioli to cut through the richness.
Warm Buttery Lobster Roll with Lemon Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 small Whole Lobster ~1.25 lbs, or about 4-5oz lobster meat
- 1-2 Split top hot dog buns
- 1 tbsp Butter for toasting the buns
- Fresh chives finely sliced, for garnish
Beurre monté
- 2 tbsp Water
- 8 tbsp Salted butter cold and cubed
Lemon garlic aioli
- 3 tbsp Kewpie mayo
- 1 small clove Garlic finely grated
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
Instructions
How to Cook and Break Down a Live Lobster
- Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Separately, prepare a large mixing bowl with ice and water for an ice bath.
- Optionally place the live lobster in the freezer for 10 minutes to "put it to sleep" before dispatching. Kill the lobster by pressing the tip of a heavy chef's knife in the crack just behind the eyes in the center of the head, pressing down to split the head in half.
- Use tongs to drop the lobster into the pot of boiling water and boil for 5-6 minutes. The shell should become bright red, but the meat will only be partially cooked. Then, use the tongs to transfer the lobster to the ice bath. Let it cool until you can handle it without burning your hands.
- Carefully break down the lobster by first twisting the claws and claw knuckles off from the bodice of the lobster. Then, get a good grip on the tail and twist until it separates from the body.
- Use kitchen shears to cut down the middle of the tail shell on the top and bottom. Then, pull the shell apart and remove the tail meat. Use lobster crackers to remove the shell from the claws if you have them. If not, use kitchen shears to cut the shell and pull out the meat. Repeat with the knuckle meat.
- Once all of the meat is removed from the claw, tail, and claw knuckles, chop the tail and knuckle meat into relatively uniform bits, but leave the claw meat intact if possible.
You may find lobster roe in the tail and body, which is bright orange when cooked and dark green/black when raw. If so, carefully remove it and rinse the lobster meat to remove any residue. Discard or save for another use.
How to Make the Lobster Roll
- In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp mayonnaise with 1 small grated garlic clove, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice, and a small pinch of salt. Once combined, taste and adjust as needed. Set aside or in the fridge to chill.
- In a medium sized pot, add 2 tbsp water over medium heat. Once the water is simmering or at least steaming, lower the heat to the lowest setting. Add a few cubes of butter in at a time, then whisk constantly until the butter is completely liquid and fully emulsified into the water. Repeat this process until all of the butter is emulsified and you have a creamy buttery sauce.
- Add the lobster meat into the butter sauce and stir to combine. Bring up the heat just slightly to cook the meat through, but continue stirring as to not break the emulsion. Set aside once the lobster meat is warmed through and slightly firm.
- In a separate pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and then toast the outside of the split-top hot dog bun on both sides until slightly browned.
- Assemble the lobster roll by spreading a few scoops of the lemon garlic aioli onto the insides of the bun. Then, use a slotted spoon to scoop the butter-coated lobster meat into the bun. Add as much lobster as the bun will hold, and place the claw meat near the top. Garnish with fresh sliced chives. Enjoy warm.
