A lobster bake is a classic New England dish that’s always a crowd pleaser. There’s something about the presentation of the baked seafood that makes it so special.
It’s a great way to bring the coast into your backyard, or even at your next party. But don’t let cooking a lobster bake intimidate you — it’s easy to make, and perfect for any occasion.
Cornbread and Lobster Bake
Cornbread and lobster bake is a one-pot, New England-style meal that is deliciously simple to prepare. It’s a wonderful dish for entertaining family and friends on any occasion.
It’s also a great choice for kids, as it’s relatively low in calories and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. You can even make it ahead of time and freeze it for later.
To make this recipe, begin by baking the cornbread according to package instructions. When it’s done, allow it to cool slightly. Then crumble it in a large mixing bowl. You can also use packaged cornbread mix.
In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat and sweat the onion for about 6 minutes until translucent. Add the potatoes and kielbasa. Stir to combine.
Once the onions have softened, stir in the beer. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the liquid has reduced, add the corn, clams and lobster.
You can serve the entire pot or individual dishes. If you choose to serve the pot, place the dish in a baking pan (such as a cast-iron skillet) to create a rustic presentation.
If you’re serving the individual dishes, fill each dish with the mixture and top with a slice of cornbread. Then, arrange the lobster tails on top.
When the dish is ready to serve, drizzle it with a beurre rouge and sprinkle with chives. You can also serve it with a side of fresh salad and drawn butter to dip in.
This recipe makes enough to serve four to eight people, depending on the size of your crowd. You can also add a few large shell-on shrimp to the pot for an extra dose of seafood flavor.
For dessert, pair the dish with a light fruity drink or a refreshing Guernsey lemonade. You can also serve watermelon quarters or a blueberry pie for an added treat.
When it comes to preparing your next lobster bake, remember that choosing the right side dishes and drinks can make the difference between an enjoyable meal and a stressful preparation. The best choices are simple, tasty and affordable options that everyone will enjoy.
Easy Lobster Bake
A lobster bake is one of our favorite summertime meals, combining fresh steamed lobster with potatoes and other seafood. This easy-to-prepare meal requires minimal equipment and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Whether you are hosting an outdoor Maine lobster bake or cooking it in the comfort of your own home, this recipe will have everyone asking for more! Using a buttered au gratin dish or 8×8-inch baking pan, you can prepare a number of lobster tails and cook them all at once.
You can even make these in advance and freeze them for future use! Just be sure to place frozen lobster tails in the refrigerator about 24 hours before you plan to cook them. If you are in a hurry, submerge them under cold water for 20 minutes to speed up the thawing process.
Once your lobsters are ready, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Transfer the lobster tails to your prepared buttered au gratin dish or 8×8-inch pan and sprinkle with some paprika for added flavor.
The butter and paprika will cook into the lobster tails to create a golden red color. You can also add a sprinkling of white pepper for a subtle kick.
Before you place your lobsters in the oven, preheat your broiler to high. Depending on the size of your lobster tails and how your oven is set up, broiling for about 10 minutes should be enough time to ensure the lobster is cooked through.
When the lobster is fully cooked, the shell should turn a beautiful opaque white and the meat inside will be bright pink or red. You can check the lobster’s internal temperature with a meat thermometer or simply by looking at the meat itself.
A lobster bake is a great dinner to host with friends or family on a sunny summer evening. You can choose from a variety of sides, desserts and beverages to serve with the meal. A refreshing summertime beverage like an India Pale Ale or a buttery chardonnay can pair well with the lobster, as can non-alcoholic options such as iced tea and lemonade.
Easy One-Pot Lobster Bake
A lobster bake is a wonderful way to celebrate the Fourth of July. The meal is easy to prepare, and everyone can enjoy it. You can serve this dish with a variety of side dishes and a few drinks, making it the perfect party food.
The best way to make a lobster bake is to use a large pot. Using a lobster pot makes it easier to cook the entire meal at once and to avoid messy clean-up. The pot should be big enough to hold the lobsters, clams, potatoes and other ingredients.
You can also use a large stockpot or soup pot to make this dish. The key is to layer all of the ingredients on top of each other in the pot. This will keep the seafood from settling on the bottom of the pot and causing the broth to boil over.
Once the ingredients are layered in the pot, pour in water and wine to cover them. Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon into the water, then add salt and pepper.
Next, place the kielbasa in the pot, followed by little neck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp and lobsters. Stir in the wine, then cover the pot tightly and cook over medium-high heat until steam starts to escape from the lid. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes.
When the clams and lobsters are fully cooked, remove them from the pot to a wooden board. Slice them up and crack the claws.
Depending on the size of the lobsters, they will take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes to steam. If you’re cooking larger lobsters, increase the steaming time to accommodate their size.
If you’re making this dish for a large crowd, consider serving it in several small bowls. This will allow people to rinse their dishes after they extract the meat from the shells, as well as to add melted butter for dipping.
Before you start boiling the lobsters, place a seasoning pouch of sliced onions, halved lemons, garlic cloves and bay leaf in a cheesecloth. Tie the opposite corners of the cheesecloth together to create a pouch that will keep the mixture from spilling out during boiling.
Classic New England Lobster Bake
A Classic New England Lobster Bake is a must-have for any Summer gathering. This savory seafood dish combines the best of fresh lobster, steamer clams and potatoes into one tasty and filling meal. The dish is easy to make and can be prepared indoors or outdoors.
The clambake tradition is believed to date back hundreds of years. It was first learned from Native Americans who gathered lobster, fish, clams and corn and cooked them in pits on the beach, covered with fresh, wet seaweed and hot rocks.
Today, no clambake is complete without fresh caught Maine lobster, steamer clams, potatoes and corn steamed in seaweed and ocean water. A day spent on the beach recreating this old-fashioned American pastime is the perfect way to cap off a family vacation!
To prepare for a clambake, begin by gathering all of the ingredients. This includes all of the shellfish, such as lobster, clams and potatoes, as well as corn on the cob and red potatoes. You will also need a fire pit with hot coals, seaweed and a food sack.
Once you have the ingredients, you will need a large pot to boil the water for the clams and lobsters. You will need to season the liquid with herbs and spices. If you can, layer some seaweed on top of the liquid to add lots of briny flavor to the clams and lobsters.
You will need to cook the clams and lobsters until they are fully cooked. You can check for this by inserting an instant read thermometer into the lobster shell. Once the meat reaches 140oF, remove the lobsters from the pot and serve.
When serving, it is important to use a clean lobster shell. This will prevent you from getting the clams and lobster stuck in your teeth. This will save you time and hassle in the future.
Another thing you should do before cooking is to set up a table. Be sure to include several bowls for empty shells as well as a deep plate for draining the excess water from the lobsters and clams.