Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

Photography: Greg Dupree | Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer | Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

I grew up in Connecticut and can proudly say that I’ve never tasted a cold lobster roll. With an abundance of perfectly buttered hot lobster rolls available at seafood shacks dotting the shoreline, there’s no need. A Connecticut-style lobster roll is defined by its simplicity. Hot lobster meat is chopped into bite-sized pieces and served in toasted pillowy buns with a little bit of lemon juice and a whole lot of melted butter. Unlike its Maine-based relative, there’s no mayonnaise, no celery, and definitely no chilling.

No matter where you live, you can recreate this Connecticut staple when you’re craving a taste of the shoreline. This recipe serves four to six people, depending on the size of your buns and how much meat you pack into each one. I’ll explain how to humanely kill whole lobsters before boiling them and tossing them with butter and lemon. Doing so alleviates stress on the lobsters, which will help to yield tender, succulent lobster meat.

The bun is nearly as important as what’s tucked inside—for an authentic CT-style bite, look for split-top brioche or potato hot dog buns, which have a sweet and rich flavor that pairs well with the lobster meat. Bonus points if you can find extra-long rolls. We recommend toasting it in more butter before packing in the lobster meat—you’ll thank us later.