Ina Garten's Lobster Rolls | Barefoot Contessa Recipe

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Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe is wonderful as it comprises lobster mixed with celery, dill, parsley, and lemon, which is stuffed into hot dog buns. It is a relatively easy recipe to make at home and great for a weeknight meal. Here is how to make Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe.

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What is Ina Garten's Lobster Roll Made Of?

Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe is based on a version that is native to New England. It involves a toasted hot dog-style bun filled with lobster meat flavored with lemon juice, butter, salt, and black pepper.

Some people love replacing the butter with mayonnaise, but Ina Garten doesn't do that. Instead, she stays close to the original recipe although she adds celery for garnish.

Is Ina Garten's Lobster Roll Healthy?

Looking at the calories, it seems like one lobster roll is about 617 calories whereas the recommendation is that adults follow a 400-600-600 diet, which means they should not consume more than 400 calories for breakfast and 600 calories each for lunch and dinner. As a result, Ina Garten's lobster roll is healthy for most diets and provides a good source of essential nutrients and protein.

The lobster filling in Ina Garten's lobster roll includes phosphorous, which does a great job of supporting kidney function and provides more than 10 percent of your daily needs for magnesium in a 3-oz serving.

What’s the Best Lobster to Use for Lobster Rolls?

It is ideal to use freshly cooked lobster meat, although you can use frozen or canned lobster meat instead if you like.

Here are three ways to get lobster if you don't live in New England:

Frozen: Both precooked frozen lobster meat or uncooked frozen lobster tail can be purchased at fish markets or in the seafood section of your local grocery store.
Mail Order Lobster: If you do not have access to freshly cooked lobster or live lobster, but you still want to be as authentic as possible, there are several Maine lobster companies such as Maine Lobster that will ship fresh, frozen, or even live lobsters to you overnight.

For the best results in Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe, you should use a combination of mostly lobster and claw meat; however, If you only have tail meat, that’s okay, too.

Why is My Lobster Chewy?

If you end up with chewy lobster, it will likely be due to the fact that you overcooked it. A good practice when cooking any type of meat is to use a meat thermometer to ensure you don't overcook it.

On the other hand, eating an undercooked lobster can be really dangerous, as you will run the risk of ingesting bad bacteria (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) which can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever.

When you cook the lobster for Ina Garten's lobster roll, make sure that the internal temperature of it reaches 140 F. In general, seafood needs to reach an internal temperature of 140 F, and other meat like pork and beef need to reach an internal temperature of 165 F to be safe to consume.

How Long are Cooked Lobster Rolls Good For?

If you have any cooked lobster leftover from Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe, you can place it in the refrigerator to maximize its shelf life for safety and quality.

Store your cooked lobster in shallow airtight containers or just wrap it tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap before storing it in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

For longer shelf life, most of the lobster roll ingredients can be frozen such as the lobster meat, butter, and rolls. The lobster filling and rolls can sit in airtight containers or freezer bags in the freezer for up to 1 month. Then, when you want to reuse them, you can let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

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Should Ina Garten's Lobster Roll be Hot or Cold?

When it comes to serving the lobster rolls, Ina Garten recommends serving the lobster rolls hot.

The Best Bread for Ina Garten's Lobster Rolls

The best choice of bread for Ina Garten's lobster roll recipe is a split-top New England-style hot dog bun, but you can choose any type of bread that you prefer. Just make sure you don't bread with a lot of texture. Instead, you should look for a soft bun with a slightly sweet flavor.

What Can You Serve With Ina Garten's Lobster Rolls?

Here is what you can serve with Ina Garten's lobster rolls:

Coleslaw or kale slaw
Leafy salad with a light vinaigrette
Steamed vegetables, such as beans, asparagus, and broccoli, tossed in butter
A cherry tomato salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette

For a dipping sauce, you could try:

Vinaigrette dressing
Mediterranean sauce made with garlic
Alfredo sauce

Ina Garten's Lobster Roll Ingredients

1 pound cooked lobster meat
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ cup finely diced celery
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon minced fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon minced fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
4 top-sliced hot dog buns

Ina Garten's Lobster Roll Instructions

Cut the lobster meat into ¾-inch dice.
Melt 3 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add the lobster along with the celery, salt, and pepper, and cook everything, while stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until just heated through.
Remove the lobster from the heat and stir in the dill, parsley, and half of the lemon juice.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter in a large saute pan until it starts to sizzle.
After that, place the rolls in the pan on their sides to toast the outsides (do not toast the insides); toast them over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Once your rolls are done, place them on a platter with the cut side facing up. Divide the lobster mixture between the rolls and sprinkle them with extra dill, salt, and the remaining lemon juice.
Serve the lobster rolls hot while the rolls are still crispy on the outsides and the lobster filling is hot.