A Pittsburgh spin on a lobster roll. Unconventional but absolutely delicious!
Did you ever get one of those cravings where if you seriously don’t eat that one particular thing you need in your belly, nothing satisfies you?
I was craving lobster rolls in a big, BIG way, and I blame my coworker Autumn for this. She and her hubby invited me for lunch at a seafood place. Later in the day, she and I were messaging, and like normal, we discussed food. She went on and on about his lobster roll and how fabulous it was. Hearing that was all I needed. The seed was planted, and I needed a lobster roll ASAP!
That Friday after work, I stopped at Costco to get six dozen eggs (because I go through that many a week), and there they were! GORGEOUS frozen lobster tails with pretty much a neon sign above them flashing “TAKE US HOME LORI!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!” So I snagged up two huge lobster tails for $12 (I think they were marked wrong, but SHHHHH!!!), a bag of frozen langostinos (which I LOVE), and some fresh shrimp.
Pittsburgh Lobster Roll Ingredients
Most of this stuff can be found at your local market, but for us, it’s a ‘special occasion’ type meal, as we certainly don’t eat lobster often, and it’s expensive.
- Cooked Lobster Meat
- Dairy: butter and crème fraiche
- Mayo
- Lemon Juice
- Herbs & Seasonings
- Shallot
- Soft Rolls
What Makes a Proper Lobster Roll?
Part 1: True Lobster Roll
Now there’s a 2-phased debate on what is deemed a true lobster roll. Which do you choose?
- Lobster roll that’s hot/warm; OR
- Lobster roll that’s cold
I hate a cold lobster roll. I want my filling warmed, but that’s my preference.
Part 2: Lobster Roll Sauce
The next part of this debate goes into how it’s made.
- Made with mayo, butter, and herbs
- Made with just butter and herbs (no mayo)
I used mayo in all the lobster rolls I had had (and made prior to this), and I hated them. To begin with, I’m not a big Mayo fan. It wasn’t until Autumn said something about that one specific lobster roll that I realized it tasted like they had crème fraiche instead of mayo. OMG! BRILLIANT!
What is crème fraiche?
Crème fraiche (pronounced ‘krem fresh’) is a naturally soured cream. It is thick and soft (like cream cheese) with a wonderful, smooth, velvety texture. It’s rich and tangy with an amazing flavor. The downside is that it’s not exactly cheap and sometimes hard to find.
How to Make Lobster Rolls Pittsburgh Style
- Combine the crème fraiche, mayo (if using), tarragon, chives, shallot, celery, sea salt, white pepper, and cayenne in a bowl.
- Griddle the bread until they are golden brown.
- Gently heat the lobster in a butter foam with lemon juice.
- Carefully mix the warmed lobster with the cream mixture, add to the prepared roll and enjoy!
TKW Goes Fishing – sort of
Seriously HAD I known these lobster rolls were going to turn out as amazing as they were, I would have bought a damn boat, went to Maine and fished for my own… um, that is if I knew how to fish for lobsters or how to drive a boat or dared to touch the creature that they use to catch lobsters.
Cause I’m telling you right now, folks, if it involves a worm, night crawler, squid, or anything other than velveeta cheese, I’m not touching it. I turn TOTAL girl! I will freak the hell out over a worm. I’m that girl who loves fishing and will gut a fish, but dear God, you make me go near a worm and I will throw my fishing rod into the water.
I can remember once when I was younger, we all went fishing. My Dad was bound and determined to get me to touch a worm, so he instructed everyone not to help me bait my hook. Being stubborn, I sat in the sun holding a rod that never went into the water because I refused to touch a worm.
Finally, I think the young engineer in me kicked in as I found a pair of plastic gloves, a fork, and 2 rocks. I put on the gloves to touch the plastic fork (in case the worm jumped up and touched my bare skin.. shut it! Worms can jump!). one rock went on each end of the worm (cause I know clue which end was it’s butt and which was it’s head – best to have all ends covered!). HA.. no pun intended! Next, I took the plastic fork, swirled the worm up like spaghetti, and then took the hook and baited it. Perfect bait every single time. Pretty friggen smart if I say so myself.
Lo and behold, I was catching fish after fish, only THEN I had to get them off the hook. Yeah, we have a problem here. Apparently, you cannot shake the fish off the hook. Plus, it’s inhumane. Again, I can gut a fish, but since there was a worm IN the fish, it was not happening. So, being me, I just kept going up to strangers asking for help. As I’d return with another fish on the line, my Dad would just sit there and shake his head at my creativity.
PrintPittsburgh-Style Lobster Roll Recipe
When you can visit Maine, you
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 sandwiches
- Category: seafood, lobster rolls, pescatarian, lent recipes
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: seafood, lobster rolls, pescatarian, lent recipes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked lobster meat cut into 1” chunks (can use cooked langostinos, shrimp or crab in place of lobster)
- 1 teaspoon butter, unsalted
- 3 tablespoon crème fraiche (can use full fat sour cream or greek yogurt in place)
- 2 teaspoon mayo *optional
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon chives
- 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 brioche rolls
- 2–3 tablespoon melted butter, unsalted
Instructions
- Combine the crème fraiche, mayo (if using), tarragon, chives, shallot, celery, sea salt, white pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Heat a griddle pan or skillet over medium heat. Split the brioche rolls in half and brush each cut side with the melted butter. Place the rolls buttered side down and cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside. Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in a pan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add lobster and lemon juice. Gently toss around to coat and warm up—no more than 30 seconds. Scoop the lobster out of the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the juice behind.
- Add the warm lobster to the cream mixture and gently mix. Stuff each roll with 1/2 the lobster mixture.
- Serve immediately.
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