"Lobster on your terms": Babish’s guide to the perfect Labor Day lobster rolls | Salon.com

Oct 16, 2024

This Labor Day weekend, folks nationwide are flocking to their local pools and beaches to savor the final days of summer. In addition to soaking up some sun and partaking in an array of water activities (whether it be swimming, kayaking or paddleboarding), no Labor Day plans are complete without a picnic. And no picnic is complete without the quintessential summertime food: lobster rolls.

Whipping up homemade lobster rolls can be an arduous and daunting task. Lobster, though delicious, can be a tricky choice of seafood to pick out and cook. When it comes to preparing them in rolls, is it best to choose fresh, live lobsters or frozen ones? How does one even “butcher” a fresh, live lobster properly? And what steps should one take if their lobster filling is too mushy/tough/runny?

To help answer those questions is esteemed YouTuber, cook and author Andrew Rea, better known by the pseudonym Babish. Rea shared his recipes for hot and cold lobster rolls — if you’re heart desires Connecticut-style rolls, go for the former, and if you’re craving Maine-style rolls, go for the latter.

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“While purists of either ilk will balk, we’re presenting options for both cold/mayo and hot/butter lobster roll solutions, so you can enjoy lobster on your terms,” Rea wrote in his cookbook “Basics with Babish.”

As for the type of lobster to use in rolls, Rea recommended going “as fresh as possible.” That means buying fresh lobsters from your local market, boiling them and using kitchen shears to slice their shells from head to tail. If the thought of killing a living being makes you queasy, fret not! Rea said frozen lobster also gets the job done, even though it won’t be as tasty as freshly butchered lobster. Just make sure to defrost your lobster in the fridge overnight before coating it in mayo or slathering it in hot, melted butter. Pre-cooked lobster meat is another option for those struggling to find good quality fresh lobster.

Lobster texture also matters a great deal when putting together your lobster rolls. If your cooked lobster is too stringy or tough, that means it’s been overcooked. “[M]ake sure to boil these guys so that their thickest point doesn’t exceed 140°F,” Rea suggested. “Then make sure to cool it immediately to prevent holdover temperature from overcooking the spiny little beast!”

If your lobster filling is on the mushier side (which usually results from steaming), Rea advised boiling it for “slightly firmer, more choppable” meat. Rea added that when making hot lobster rolls, tossing the heated lobster with room temperature butter yields a “creamy” filling rather than an “oily” one that’s easily absorbed into the toasted bread.

Cold Lobster Rolls (courtesy of Andrew Rea's "Basics with Babish")

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 shell-on lobster tails (about 8 ounces each), or 11/2 pounds picked precooked lobster meat

4 hot dog buns

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade

1/3 cup thinly sliced celery stalks

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill fronds

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 to 3 dashes of hot sauce of choice

Directions

Brush the inside of each hot dog bun with 1/2 tablespoon of the mayonnaise. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the hot dog buns, mayo-side down, and toast until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly while preparing the filling.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise with the celery, chives, dill, lemon juice, vinegar, melted butter, and hot sauce. Whisk to combine, then season with salt and pepper. Pour over the lobster meat and, with a rubber spatula, fold to combine.

Divide the lobster filling evenly among the hot dog buns and garnish with more chopped chives.

Serve immediately.

Hot Lobster Rolls (courtesy of Andrew Rea's "Basics with Babish")

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 shell-on lobster tails (about 8 ounces each, or 11/2 pounds picked precooked lobster meat)

4 hot dog buns

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 lemon, quartered

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow it to melt. Add the lobster meat and toss to combine using tongs. Cook just until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. Toss, shaking the bowl in a circular motion, until the lobster is thoroughly coated in what looks like a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the lobster filling evenly among the hot dog buns and garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and the chopped chives.

Serve immediately.

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