Monday, September 3, 2012

Almost Maine Lobster Roll

Almost Maine Lobster Roll (the side loading whole wheat bun is not how it's done)

Authentic Maine Lobster Rolls are served up on New England style split top hot dog buns. Lightly buttered and toasted on a grill. These buns have flat sides. We have plenty of New England style buns here but whole wheat New England style buns are unknown. I suppose I could make my own. Nah.

The Maine Lobster Roll starts here:

An angry Maine lobster

You want a lively lobster.

I like lobster steamed. Put 1 inch of water in a big stock pot. Splash in a capful of white vinegar. Cover it. When the water is going at a ripping boil lift the cover, chuck the lobster in fast, head first, and slam the cover back on. I know he's really just a big bug but this is the most merciful way to do him in.

The water will come back to a boil quickly.

Steam your lobster 8 minutes for the first pound and 3 minutes for each additional pound. Start timing when the water comes back to a boil but even with a big lobster it will be back to a boil in 30 or 40 seconds on a really hot burner.

This guy went for 11 minutes.

$3.99 a pound?!

When the lobster finishes steaming fish it out of the pot with some tongs, transfer it to a bowl and run cold water over it for several minutes to stop further cooking.


When the lobster cools down refrigerate it.

When ready to make a Lobster Roll, crack open the tail, knuckles and claws, pick the meat out, rinse it and blot it dry with some paper towel. I pick the legs off and suck the meat out.

Chop the tail and claw meat into half inch pieces. Mix in a tablespoon of mayonnaise for each pound of (whole uncooked) lobster. Just enough to make the lobster stick together. If you think you need more that's just enough.

A key point here - an authentic Maine Lobster Roll has nothing else in the filling. Adding celery or onions <gasp!> makes "lobster salad". You can put that in a bun and it might be quite good, but it's lobster salad in a bun. Not a Lobster Roll.

Line your bun with a lettuce leaf and fill it with your lobster filling. You can pinch some paprika over the top if you want.

Authentic or almost authentic it's a perfectly delicious dose of lobster.

In my opinion 3 things go with a Maine Lobster Roll. Iced tea. Lemonade. Beer.


1 comment:

  1. May I just say that I love this post! I like my lobster unadulterated... mayonnaise in my lobster roll, but absolutely nothing on it when it's hot. I have read this post several times now and I think I need to stop at the market today, because I'm making a lobster roll! Thanks for the inspiration :)

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