Maine Lobster Roll Recipe (Mayonnaise)
Published July 30, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Maine Lobster Roll Recipe features large chunks of lobster mixed with mayonnaise, lemon, and celery served on a toasted split-top bun. It is the perfect summer dish, and you will love how flavorful and delicious these rolls are.
I absolutely love lobster, especially when I can get it fresh and alive. There’s just nothing like it. If you love it as well, then you must try my Butter Poached Lobster or Grilled Lobster Tails.
Maine Lobster Roll
Maine lobster roll is an iteration of the classic butter-soaked roll. It consists of cooked lobster meat that is chilled and tossed with mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, and salt. Other ingredients, such as fresh herbs, seasoning salt, and onions, can also be added to the mayo mixture.
This roll is great if you’re looking to serve it cold at a get-together, where you don’t have to worry about maintaining temperature. It’s also great for this because it can be made ahead. The version of this is also known as a New England lobster roll, and it didn’t become popular until 30 to 40 years after the butter rendition.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lobster — You can use cooked lobster meat, frozen and thawed lobster meat that is cooked, raw lobster meat that is cooked, cooked lobster tails, live-to-be-cooked whole lobsters, or pre-cooked whole lobsters. Be sure there are no shells in the meat.
- Herbs – Optional herbs are minced fresh chives, tarragon, or dill.
- Seasoning – I used coarse salt. You could also add freshly cracked pepper or use Old Bay.
- Bread – Plain hotdog buns or brioche buns that are split on top are best.
- Lemons – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is used for the lobster.
- Mayonnaise – Use a good full-fat mayonnaise for the lobster roll.
- Vegetables — Traditionally, only celery is used, and this can be the vegetable or celery seed. However, minced red, white, or sweet onion can be added. I’ve also seen capers and leaf lettuce added to protect the bun from becoming overly saturated.
How to Make a Maine Lobster Roll
When using live lobsters, add them to a tray and place them in a freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. There should be enough water for the lobster to easily be submerged.
Once the water is boiling, add enough salt so that the water tastes as salty as the ocean.
Place in the lobsters head first, cover the pot, and cook for 4 minutes per pound.
If you want to steam them, add 2 inches of water to the bottom of a pot with enough salt to taste as salty as the ocean and bring it to a boil. Next, add in the steamer basket, place in the lobster, add the lid and steam for 8 minutes per pound.
Once the lobster is done cooking, the shell will be bright red. Immediately submerge them in an ice bath to shock them.
Remove the lobster and extract the meat from the tails, claws, legs, and body. See the video for how to do this.
Cut the meat into large bite-size pieces. I personally like to leave the claw intact.
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, and salt together until combined.
Gently fold in the lobster meat using a spatula until evenly coated. Set it aside.
Brush the split-top buns on both sides with melted unsalted butter.
Place them butter-side down on a griddle or large cast-iron skillet at medium heat and toast for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until well browned.
Generously add the meat between the toasted buns and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this lobster roll up to 1 day ahead for freshness.
How to Store: It’s best to keep the lobster separate from the buns so that they do not become overly saturated. If you do this, cover both and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will not freeze well.
Chef Notes + Tips
- If you aren’t serving this as soon as you’re done making it, you must drain the lobster “salad” and re-toss it with mayonnaise and salt.
- When the lobster is overcooked, it will get very chewy.
- This is uniquely salty, so taste it first before seasoning it.
- If you use live lobsters as I did, or even lobster tails, reserve the shells in the freezer for lobster bisque.
More Seafood Recipes
Video
Maine Lobster Roll Recipe (Mayonnaise)
Ingredients
- 2 1 ½ pound live lobsters, or 12-16 ounces of cooked lobster meat
- 3 tablespoons to 1/3 cup mayonnaise, depending on how much or how little you like mayo. The goal is just enough to coat.
- 2 ribs small diced celery
- Juice of ½ lemon about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons
- coarse salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- 4 split top buns
Instructions
- When using live lobsters, add them on a tray and place them in a freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. There should be enough water for the lobster to easily be submerged.
- Once the water is boiling add enough salt so that the water tastes as salty is the ocean. No, the salinity does not need to mimic the ocean, it only needs to taste as such.
- Place in the lobsters head first, cover the pot, and cook for 4 minutes per pound.
- If you want to steam them, add 2 inches of water to the bottom of a pot with enough salt for it to taste as salty as the ocean and bring it to a boil. Next, add in the steamer basket, place in the lobster, add the lid and steam for 8 minutes per pound.
- Once the lobster is done cooking, the shell will be bright red. Immediately submerge them in an ice bath to shock them. Don’t let the lobster sit in the water for more than 10 minutes so that they do not get waterlogged.
- Remove the lobster and extract the meat from the tails, claws, legs, and body. See the video for how to do this.
- Place the meat into a colander over a bowl to help drain off any excess liquid as you remove the meat from the shells.
- Cut the meat into large bite-size pieces. I personally like to leave the claw in-tact.
- In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, and salt until combined.
- Gently fold in the lobster meat using a spatula until evenly coated. Set it aside.
- Brush the split-top buns on both sides with melted unsalted butter.
- Place them butter side down on a griddle or large cast-iron skill at medium heat and toast for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until well browned.
- Generously add the meat between the toasted buns and serve.
Made this tonight substituting Fresh Dungeness Crab for the Lobster. Put a few fresh tomatoes and lettuce from the garden on it and….. it was delicious! Thanks again Chef Billy for a great recipe!
My pleasure!
Amazingly authentic! Went to Maine and had these some years back and chef Billy nailed it
Thank you!