Mini Lobster Rolls (Butter Poached)

When you order a lobster roll and they ask "butter or mayo," the right answer is both.

These mini lobster rolls start with lobster tails poached in a silky butter sauce (called a beurre monté), piled into grilled, split-top buns with a thin swipe of mayo, and finished with fresh chives. They're the love child of a Connecticut-style butter roll and a classic Maine-style roll, and they're the best version of either one.

If you've tried my Butter Poached Lobster Tails, you already know how good lobster is when it's gently cooked in a beurre monté. For this recipe, four tails gives you enough to fill 8-10 mini rolls, which makes these the perfect lobster roll appetizer for a party, game day spread, or a dinner where you want everyone reaching for seconds.

If you love cooking lobster at home, check out my Lobster Bisque, Lobster Pizza, and Creamy Lobster Pasta next.

Ingredients

I used lobster tails from our friends at Sizzlefish (use this link and get 10% off your first order!) - they arrive frozen. I thaw in cold water for about 35 minutes, then they're ready to go.

Full ingredient list and measurements included in printable recipe card below.

Why This Works

Years ago, standing in line at the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, Maine, the woman behind the counter asked if I wanted butter or mayo. I asked which was better. She said she liked both. I've never ordered a lobster roll any other way.

That's the whole philosophy behind these mini rolls. The mayo isn't mixed into the lobster. It's a thin swipe on the warm, grilled bun, where it adds just enough to complement the butter without competing with it. The lobster stays warm, buttery, and pure. The bun brings a little richness of its own. Nobody has to pick a side.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prep the Lobster Tails

Using kitchen shears, cut lengthwise down the center of the top shell. Flip the tail over and use a chef's knife to cut through the meat and the bottom shell, splitting each tail completely in half. If you see a dark intestinal tract, rinse it away under cold water.

Splitting the tails in half does two things: it gives you more surface area in contact with the butter sauce, and it makes the meat much easier to remove from the shell after poaching.

Step 2: Make the Beurre Monté

Heat 6 tablespoons of water in an 8-10 inch skillet until it simmers. Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for about 90 seconds, just until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and start whisking in the cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, letting each piece melt and incorporate before adding the next. This takes about 5-6 minutes total.

This is a beurre monté, not clarified butter and not just melted butter. The small amount of water creates an emulsion that holds together at low heat. If the butter starts to look greasy or separated, your heat is too high. Pull the skillet off the burner for and keep whisking until it comes together again.

Step 3: Poach the Lobster

Place the split tails meat-side down into the butter sauce. Poach gently for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes, spooning butter over the tops as they finish. The meat is done when it's opaque and just firm. Remove from the sauce and rest briefly.

Keep the heat low. You're poaching, not searing. Gentle and steady is the goal.

Step 4: Grill the Buns

Cut each split-top bun in half crosswise to make mini rolls. I like to shave off the outside of the buns to make a grill able surface. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and grill the buns cut-side down on all open sides until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Spread a thin layer of mayo on the inside of each bun.

The mayo goes on while the buns are warm so it softens slightly into the bread. You're not loading it on. Just a thin, even swipe on the inside.

Step 5: Assemble

Remove the lobster meat from the shells and chunk it into bite-sized pieces. Pile the lobster into the grilled buns, drizzle with a little warm butter sauce if you like, and top with fresh chives. Serve immediately.

Can I Use a Different Type of Bun?

Split-top buns give you flat sides to grill, which is what makes them ideal here. But if you can't find them, small brioche rolls, slider buns, or King's Hawaiian rolls all work. The key is toasting the outside which creates a light, crispy texture.

Can I Use Pre-Shelled or Leftover Lobster Meat?

Yes. If you're starting with raw lobster meat that's already out of the shell, poach it in the beurre monté for 2-4 minutes depending on the size of your pieces, just until opaque and firm. If you're using leftover cooked lobster, warm it gently in the butter sauce for about a minute. You won't get the shell flavor in the sauce, but the beurre monté keeps everything silky and rich.

What Do I Do with the Leftover Butter Sauce?

Save it. That poaching butter is loaded with flavor from the garlic, lemon and lobster and it freezes beautifully in ice cube trays. Toss a cube into pasta, melt it over grilled fish, or use it to finish vegetables. You will not regret having a stash of this in your freezer.

Can I Make These Full-Sized?

Absolutely. Skip cutting the buns in half and use whole split-top rolls instead. The butter poached lobster and mayo-on-the-bun approach all work exactly the same way. You'll get 4-5 full-sized lobster rolls from this recipe instead of 8-10 minis.

Can I Double This Recipe?

Absolutely. The butter sauce and bun prep scale easily. If your skillet won't hold all the tails at once, work in batches and keep the first round of lobster warm while you poach the second. The sauce stays emulsified at low heat, so just add the next batch and keep going.

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