Lobster Rolls – The Perfect Picnic Sandwich

In listening to the business news recently, Stew Leonard, Jr., President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s Farm Fresh Foods®, was interviewed about food inflation—a topic that is top of mind for most of us. The Stew Leonard organization operates eight supermarkets in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Connecticut; Yonkers, Farmingdale, and East Meadow, New York; and Paramus and Clifton, New Jersey. They buy directly from farmers, ranchers, and producers, giving Stew Leonard, Jr., a unique perspective. He hears directly about the struggles of the people that produce our food and understands the nuances of getting that food from the producers to the consumers. Stew Leonard, Jr., said it is not only tariffs that might affect the prices we pay for food but it is also supply and demand.

One reason beef prices are up is that beef herds in the United States are at their lowest levels in 50 years. Less supply, demand remains high, leading to higher prices. Also, because of tariffs, lobster prices are decreasing. Last year 80 million tons of lobster were exported from Canada and Maine to China. Because of tariffs, more of our lobsters are staying closer to home. More supply, demand hasn’t changed, leads to lower prices.

With lobster prices decreasing, it seems like the perfect time to make lobster rolls. In checking prices today, Kroger® is selling farm-raised lobster for $12.00 for 2 tails or $1.70 per ounce. Wild-caught lobster tails weighing 3 to 4 ounces are $6.00 each. Depending upon the size of the tail, you should plan to buy 5 to 6 tails to yield 1 pound of lobster meat. That’s $30.00 to $36.00. Not as pricey as one might think to make this delicious summer treat.

Following is my re-creation of the lobster rolls we ate in Bar Harbor, Maine. The lobster meat is cold, so it’s perfect for outings. If you are looking for a special sandwich for your next picnic, these are delicious!

Lobster Rolls

Serves 6

1 pound cooked fresh lobster meat, diced

½ cup mayonnaise, or to taste

½ cup celery, finely diced

½ cup scallions, finely diced

1 ½ tablespoons fresh dill, finely minced

1 ½ tablespoons fresh chives, finely minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

6 split-top hot dog buns

Using a sharp knife, cut lobster meat into ¾-inch pieces. In a large bowl, place lobster meat, mayonnaise, celery, scallions, dill, chives, and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place a 12-inch sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Add butter. When butter sizzles, place buns on their sides in the pan and toast 2 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Remember you are toasting the outside of the buns not the inside.

To serve: Divide the lobster mixture into each bun.

Tips on steaming lobster tails: Choose a kettle large enough to hold the lobster tails and large enough to allow steam to circulate around the tails. Place a steamer basket or an upturned colander in the bottom of the kettle. You do not want the lobster tails submerged in water. Fill the kettle with water to a depth of 2 inches.

Cover the kettle and bring the water to a boil over a high heat. When the water is boiling, place the lobster tails into the steamer basket and steam until the tails are cooked through. The weight of your lobster tails will determine the cooking time. See recommended cooking times below. You do not want to overcook your lobster tails. When you have reached the estimated cooking time, use a cooking thermometer to test for doneness. Lobster meat should be cooked to 140 degrees F. Using tongs, remove lobster tails from the kettle.

The following steaming times will work for cooking two to six tails at the same time:

Weight of Tail Cooking Time

3 to 6 ounces 4 to 6 minutes

6 to 7 ounces 6 to 8 minutes

8 to 10 ounces 8 to 10 minutes

10 to 16 ounces 9 to 11 minutes

16 to 20 ounces 10 to 12 minutes

20 to 28 ounces 10 to 13 minutes

Tips on removing the tail from the shell: Hold the tails so that the shell faces down. Place your thumbs on each side of the shell. Pull back on both sides to crack the shell open and remove the meat. Rinse the meat under cold running water to remove the green tomalley and pat dry with paper towels. You can also place a small knife under the meat, loosen it from the shell, and gently remove it.

Tips on buying lobster: Fresh lobster meat yields the best results for lobster rolls. You can use frozen or canned lobster, but your rolls will not be as tasty. I like buying uncooked frozen lobster tails when I make lobster rolls. Avoid buying lobster tails that have discoloration, black spots, or yellowing on their flesh. Check the label. If the tails have been soaked in sodium tripolyphosphates, pass. If the tails are gray, it may mean that the lobster was dead before it was processed, and it will not be good quality. Tails between 5 and 12 ounces in size will yield the most meat and have a better taste and texture.

Tips on quantity: You should plan on buying 5 lobster tails to yield one pound of cooked lobster meat.

Tips on thawing frozen lobster tails: To thaw, place frozen tails in your refrigerator 24 hours before you want to cook them.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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