If you love lobster and shellfish in general, you might also want to check out our post on how to grill Alaskan King Crab Legs or make Pan Seared Scallops!
A Maine Summer Favorite
The real point of a lobster roll is to celebrate the famous shellfish that Maine is so well-known for. Lobster roll purists are known to vehemently attack efforts to gussy up what is essentially a simple sandwich made with fresh lobster meat, a bit of mayo, and maybe a tiny bit of finely chopped celery or chives. Oh, and don’t forget the griddled bun, which is a delicious vehicle for transporting the lobster to your mouth! In other parts of the east coast where lobster rolls are served, you might see the meat dressed in butter instead of mayo and served slightly warm. But from what I can tell, the most popular approach in Maine is to use mayo. So that’s what I went with since I wanted to make these lobster rolls are part of my American Eats series. This series is where I’m celebrating the most popular foods from each state in the U.S.A., one state at a time. This week I’m celebrating the foods and flavors of the state of Maine.
What You’ll Need
The ingredient list for Maine lobster rolls is short! The reason is so that the sweet, delicate flavor of the lobster can really shine and not be overpowered by herbs or other ingredients.
Lobster: If you have access to fresh, live Maine lobsters, use those! I’m fortunate to live in an area with plenty of fresh seafood, but you can also use frozen lobster tails instead, which are easy to find at most any grocery store or Costco.Mayonnaise: These are Maine-style lobster rolls made with mayonnaise as opposed to the kind you will find in other parts of New England that are made with melted butter. Use REAL mayo, not Miracle Whip.Hot dog buns: I can’t find split top hot dog buns anywhere, so I just went with the best quality buns I could find at my grocery store.Lemon juice: A little lemon juice really brightens the flavor and always goes well with seafood.Chives & parsley: These two herbs add just a touch of color and flavor to the lobster rolls. In some places you might also see 2 tablespoons of really finely diced celery added as well for a little crunch, but I chose to leave that out of our lobster rolls.Salt & pepper: This is a recipe where you will need to sneak a taste of the lobster roll filling and decide whether it needs a bit more salt or pepper because it will kind of depend on how salty your water was that you cooked the lobster in.Butter: This is for brushing on your buns so you can grill them just a bit so they are nice and toasty and buttery.
How to Make A Lobster Roll Sandwich
Aside from overcoming an initial trepidation about cooking a whole lobster, it’s incredibly easy to make a Maine lobster roll! And just to dispel myths, live lobsters don’t actually squeal when you put them in the pot of boiling water.
What to serve with lobster rolls
We enjoyed our lobster rolls with dill pickle spears and salt & vinegar chips on the side. But these would also be delicious with other summery sides like coleslaw, macaroni salad, or potato salad. You could also serve them with some homemade french fries!
More State-Inspired Sandwich Recipes
Cubanos from FloridaItalian Beef Sandwich from IllinoisIndiana Pork Tenderloin SandwichKentucky Hot BrownLouisiana Shrimp Po Boy
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
