Lobster Roll Bao Buns
A couple of years ago I met up with some friends in Saint Louis and I went to an adorable restaurant called Peacemaker Lobster and Crab and ate their Lobster Roll Steamed Bun (Bao) and it was so insanely delicious that I decided I needed to give it a go.
Besides the Bao, this is a really easy recipe- I slow cooked the lobster in some butter and then I tossed it in a simple aioli that had garlic, lemon juice & zest, and a smidge of dijon.
If you don’t want to use bao, you can just turn this recipe into the more traditional form and get some split top rolls to stuff this filling into. Enjoy it’s delish!
Lobster Roll Bao
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients
Butter Poached Lobster
- 16 oz raw lobster meat
- 4–6 Tbsp butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Chopped chives for topping
- 12+ Bao Buns
Lemon Aioli
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated (or smashed into a paste)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp chopped chives
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Butter Poached Lobster
- Remove shells. Cut raw meat into 1½–2 inch chunks, or you can chop smaller if you want it to fit into the bao more evenly.
- In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add lobster and poach gently for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally until opaque and just firm.
- Remove from heat, and season with salt.
Lemon Aioli
- Whisk everything together in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust lemon or salt.
- Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to let the garlic mellow and flavors meld before tossing with lobster.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the butter-poached lobster from the pan, letting excess butter drip off.
- While still slightly warm, toss the lobster gently with the lemon aioli until lightly coated.
Assembly
- Spoon into freshly steamed bao buns.
- Top with chopped chives and serve warm.
