In an aside in my mystery Everyone Knows But You, a shady character explains to the protagonist how he sells phony “lobstery-y” rolls to unsuspecting tourists. I put that in the story because a real lobster roll, made with fresh-caught lobster meat, is a thing of joy.
Some friends of mine once asked me to take their son, a cynical, suburban teenage type, with me on Penobscot Bay I was pulling my lobster traps in my boat. At first, he affected boredom. But his eyes got big as I pulled the first lobster trap from the water and set it on the deck. It was loaded with some small fish, a few starfish, a bunch of crabs, and two big lobsters. Later two porpoises swam by, snorting a greeting through their blow holes. Seals watched us from nearby rocks. By the time we got to my last trap, he said, “Wow, every trap is like Christmas!” Then we moored the boat, rowed the dinghy to shore, and went home and cooked up the day’s haul. This is my favorite way to cook lobster, especially for kids who have just witnessed the process of catching them.
–Thomas E. Ricks
Note: Catch your lobsters, if you have a valid license. I prefer hard shelled lobsters of about 1 1/2 pounds. Bigger than that, the meat begins to get tough and stringy. You can use soft shell lobsters but not too soft—they don’t grill well, so avoid shells that feel leathery.
Remove lobster heads: This is more humane than dropping them in boiling water. Do this outside because it is a messy process. I use a cutting board and big knife or cleaver on the grass at the edge of the lawn. Cut the lobsters right behind the carapace, separating the head from the body. (YouTube videos that can help you with this.) Discard the heads. Do not put them in the kitchen trash—they will begin to smell high within a few hours. Likewise, with the shells, you later have left over from the meat. Put the mess in a garbage bag and get rid of it.)
I make these rolls with at least 2 or 3 fresh-caught lobsters. Get one more than you think you will need, because lobsters produce a surprisingly small amount of meat. My rule of thumb is one lobster plus my additions (below) makes one brimming finished roll. Also, I’ve actually seen people eat four of my grilled lobster rolls at one sitting, although that is like eating four cheeseburgers.I prefer grilling to boiling because the taste result it is like the difference between roasted potatoes and boiled potatoes.
To pick the meat: A little pick or two-pronged fork is essential. A nutcracker also helps, although you can use a big pair of pliers. I also use a hammer to make the first crack in the body, the claws, and the knuckle
Best consumed with a bottle of chilled Sancerre or a cold Maine IPA while sitting outside and watching the tide roll in as the sun sets over the harbor.