Eventide Oyster’s Brown-Butter Lobster Roll
Learn how to make the best warm lobster rolls with this brown-butter lobster roll recipe from Eventide Oyster in Portland, Maine.
By Yankee Magazine|Sep 14 2021|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanWe love the rich brown butter sauce that the team at Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, Maine, makes by cooking powdered milk with unsalted butter until it takes on a walnut hue. This butter is the base of Eventide’s signature brown-butter lobster roll, a departure from Maine tradition served on a Chinese-style steamed bun. We’ve adapted their recipe to serve on regular New England hot dog buns, but that addictive butter is well worth a try.
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Yield:
4 servingsIngredients
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons nonfat dried milk powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
1 pound cooked Maine lobster meat, cut into medium chunks
4 New England hot dog buns, steamed
Minced chives
Instructions
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
Whisk in the milk powder and cook, stirring often, until the solids begin to brown and take on a nutty aroma.
Pour the butter into a bowl and add the lemon juice and salt.
Wipe out the skillet and add the butter and lobster meat, cooking until just heated through.
Divide lobster evenly among the buns and top with chives; serve warm.
Steamed buns! You BLASPHEME! Buttered and GRILLED!
EXCELLANT! BUT DUMP THE CHIVES!!!!!
Just had these at the restaurant can’t wait to make
Nothing is right about this recipe, no mayo, no grilled bun, no lettuce, no celery, too much butter, nonfat dried milk powder, chives, what… What a waste of good lobster!
eventide doesn’t use hot dog rolls.they use bag a chinese style bun.
Hi Jean. In the recipe description you’ll see it says the Eventide rolls is “a departure from Maine tradition served on a Chinese-style steamed bun,” but that we’ve adapted their recipe to serve on regular New England hot dog buns, which are a lot easier to come by. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on the Chinese-style steamed buns, by all means, use them! Thanks!
I haven’t tried a lobster roll bul am glad to have several ways when I get the chance. Thanks for a different take. always nice to tweak things for something new.
Jeez people! I belong to a lot of recipe sites but I have never seen the amount of negative comments anywhere but here. This recipe is obviously Eventide’s version of a lobster roll. Broaden you culinary repertoires! Peace out!
Wow This Sounds fabulous ! Anxious to try this when Lobsters are in season and a little more affordable.
To rick@medugno.net . . . “no mayo” . . . why not just smother the lobster with ketchup and mustard if you are trying to hide its taste.
Wow, warm butter on warm lobster brings OUT the lobster flavor WAY more than cold lobster/mayo, particularly when it’s overdone with mayo, basically becoming “lobster salad”
What I find fascinating is.. The child-like response to this.
The milk-powder helps to add that browning note to the butter faster, when you are making “beurre noisette”, you are browning the milk solids in the butter, which is easy to take too far and burn. By adding the milk powder, there is more solids to “brown/toast” and you can do it over lower heat. Lemon juice helps the process as well and adds acid. Chive is a mild and fresh allium note.
Look, I love the Maine/Massachusetts style and I love the Connecticut style. This is a nice DEPARTURE from the usual and still pays respect to the integrity of the main ingredient: LOBSTER
So many people here have never had this legendary roll but seem to want to comment on it anyway. I’ve had all types of lobster rolls, warm and cold and this is one of the most amazing I’ve ever had. The Asian steamed bun is made in-house and is like a bao bun. It’s a warm, nutty-brown butter style lobster roll (Warm, buttered lobster rolls are the original lobster roll invented in CT not Me btw). They basically pay the rent with this roll, so maybe try it or keep your ‘expert’ comments to y’o self!
I had this at Eventide Fenway last week. It was fabulous. Who knew that the classic lobster roll could be even better! Try it, especially if you can get the steamed Chinese bun. They also offer the classic style of lobster roll we know and love—but this one was a knockout! I’ll be back!
When I tell you this was the BEST dish I’ve ever had, I mean it. I went to Portland for Mother’s Day weekend and had planned for months to eat THIS lobster roll. It was all that I imagined and more. I went to another very popular restaurant the next night and made the mistake of thinking every lobster roll was created equal. I ended up paying $18 for a plop of ice cold lobster on a dry crusty NE hotdog bun. I was pouting like a little kid. At this place I had to go up to a counter and order food myself. The experience didn’t coincide with the prices and the waterfront location. Eventide spoiled me! I plan to also mail order from Eventide.
My issue with this is less about the lobster roll, although their version is more about the bun than the lobster, but more about the folks at Eventide. They need to lose the attitude. Eating there was not a pleasant experience. Maine is about the way life should be. If you want attitude, move your restaurant to NY.
It is so easy to cook lobster humanely: simply pith the lobster before plunging it into the boiling water or steaming it.
fantastic, all the people whining about this recipe have never ever had it like this. butter, lemon lobster, all you need. one comment what no mayo. why do you need it if you dont like the taste of lobster. smh. lived in Mass for 60 yrs and have had lobster rolls all over. this one is awesome