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Classic Maine Lobster Rolls

Cold lobster, mayo, and a toasted split-top bun. The Maine version, done properly.

Classic Maine Lobster Rolls recipe card from Sea Salt Lobster Co., Saco, Maine

The Maine version is cold lobster, mayo, and a toasted split-top bun. No butter poaching, no twelve-ingredient dressing. The meat is the point, so the job is to stay out of its way.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb cooked picked lobster meat
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 split-top hot dog buns
  • Butter, for toasting
  • Optional: celery, for crunch

Preparation

  1. Dress the lobster. Mix the meat with mayo, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper. Fold it gently — you want whole pieces, not lobster salad.
  2. Toast the buns. Butter the flat sides and put them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden. This is what split-top buns are for.
  3. Fill them. About a quarter pound per roll. Pile it high enough that the bun is just a delivery mechanism.
  4. Serve immediately. Chips, fries, or slaw on the side.

Serving

Serves 4. Kettle chips and a pickle spear is the standard. Don't overthink the sides.

Pro tips

  • Dress it right before serving. Mayo sitting on cold lobster goes watery.
  • Claw and knuckle meat is the right call — sweeter and more tender than tail, and it doesn't need cutting.
  • If the meat was frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight and pat it dry before dressing.
  • A quarter pound per roll is generous. Half a pound is a different sandwich, and not a better one.

What you'll need

Packed by hand in our own facility in Saco, Maine.