Connecticut knows what’s up: warm lobster, butter, no mayo BS. While Maine gets all the credit, this is the lobster roll that actually makes sense: sweet lobster meat swimming in garlic herb butter on a toasted brioche bun.
What are Connecticut-style lobster rolls?
Connecticut-style lobster rolls feature warm lobster meat tossed in melted butter and served on a toasted bun. Unlike Maine’s cold, mayo-dressed version, Connecticut style skips the mayo entirely, letting the lobster’s natural sweetness shine through rich, savory butter.
We lived in Maine just long enough to decide humid winters are not fun and to develop strong opinions about lobster rolls. The biggest one is this: mayo-slathered versions bury the actual lobster under a thick blanket of tangy cream.
Connecticut-style skips the mayo entirely and goes straight to butter. Warm lobster meat bathed in melted butter that amplifies the lobster’s natural sweetness, rather than masking it. Adding an indulgent garlic herb butter with fresh tarragon takes it even further, creating a savory, slightly anise-scented richness that brings out the sweetness of the lobster.
Here’s what makes these work: garlic herb butter does double duty (toasting the buns AND coating the meat), you’re steaming, not boiling (so the lobster stays tender), and cutting regular buns into mini rolls means you get twice as many without buying specialty buns. Twenty-five minutes with frozen lobster tails from the grocery store, no special equipment, no summer road trip to New England required.
🔪 Ingredients for Connecticut Style Mini Lobster Roll
- Lobster tails, fresh or thawed
- Garlic herb butter (store-bought or homemade, see our notes)
- Fresh tarragon
- Lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
- Top-split brioche buns (worth hunting out and absolutely essential for authentic lobster rolls)
- Fresh chives, for garnish
Equipment
- Kitchen shears
- Steamer basket and large pot
- Nonstick skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife and cutting board
🦞 Shopping Tip: Choosing the Best Lobster
When buying lobster for rolls, look for cold-water Maine lobster tails (often labeled North Atlantic). They’re naturally sweeter, firmer, and hold up beautifully when warmed in butter.
Avoid warm-water or Caribbean rock lobster tails, they tend to have a tougher texture and milder flavor that won’t shine in this style of roll.
📝 Step-by-Step: How to Make Tarragon Mini Lobster Rolls
- Prep lobster tails: Use kitchen shears to cut through the top shell from base to fin.
- Steam lobster: Fill a pot with 2 inches of water, bring it to a boil, and steam the lobster in a basket for 5–7 minutes, until the shells are bright red and the meat is opaque.
- Shock in an ice bath: Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Remove meat: Pull the meat from the shells, pat it dry, and chop it into bite-sized chunks.
- Toast buns: Slice buns in half to make 8 mini rolls. Butter the outer sides with half the garlic herb butter. Toast in a skillet until golden, 1–2 minutes per side.
- Warm lobster: Melt remaining butter in the skillet. Add the lobster, stir gently to coat, and then remove from the heat. Mix in tarragon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble: Fill toasted buns generously with warm lobster. Garnish with chives.
- Serve: Eat immediately while the buttery lobster rolls are warm.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- No garlic herb butter? Mix softened butter with garlic powder and dried parsley.
- Buns: Regular hot dog buns work if brioche isn’t available.
- Herbs: Swap tarragon for dill or parsley for a lighter, fresher twist.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Butter is better: Connecticut-style rolls are all about warm butter instead of mayo. Tarragon adds a subtle anise kick that balances the richness.
- Lobster handling: Steam instead of boiling. Steaming keeps meat tender and juicy, while boiling can leach out flavor.
- Brioche bonus: The slight sweetness of brioche highlights lobster’s natural sweetness—far superior to plain bread.
- Don’t overcook: Most people ruin lobster by boiling it to death. Don’t be most people. Lobster is done the moment the meat turns opaque; cook it any longer and it gets rubbery.
- Best bun choice: Split-top buns give that classic New England look and hold fillings more securely.
- Toast smarter: Butter and toast the buns until they are just turning golden for a crisp bite without burning.
🍽️ What to serve with Connecticut Lobster Rolls
- Serve with potato chips or fries for a casual spread.
- Make a tray of these for backyard parties, game day, or even a fancy appetizer platter.
- Pair with crisp white wine or a cold lager.
🧊 Leftovers & Storage
- Store lobster meat separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Toast and fill buns just before serving to keep them from getting soggy.
All Mainers: please forward complaints to our editor… She’s probably busy melting more butter.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Connecticut-Style Lobster Roll Recipe with Tarragon Butter
Recommended Equipment
- Steamer basket and large pot
- Nonstick skillet
- mixing bowl
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 12 ounces lobster tails about 3-4 tails, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 6 tablespoons garlic herb butter like Kerrygold, or see notes to make your own, softened and divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 top split brioche hot dog buns cut in half
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prep the lobster tails by using kitchen shears to cut lengthwise through the top of the shell, from the wide end to the base of the fin.
- Fill a pot with about two inches of water and bring it to a boil. Place the lobster tails in a steamer basket over the boiling water.
- Cover and steam for 5-7 minutes, or until the shells are red and the meat is opaque.
- Once cooked, transfer the lobster to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Remove the meat from the shells, pat it dry with paper towels, and roughly chop it into bitesized pieces. Set aside while toasting the buns.
- Cut the buns in half crosswise to create 8 mini buns.
- Spread the softened garlic herb butter evenly on the outer flat sides of the buns.
- Toast the buns on their buttered sides in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of garlic herb butter over low heat.
- Add the chopped lobster meat to the saucepan and stir gently to coat everything. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the tarragon, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
- Fill each bun generously with the lobster, dividing it evenly among the 8 mini rolls.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives.
Notes
- Herb Butter: If you don’t have garlic herb butter, you can easily make your own by mixing three tablespoons of softened unsalted butter with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley.
- Cook lobster gently: Don’t boil the lobster tails. Steaming keeps the meat tender and flavorful. Pull them as soon as the meat turns opaque to avoid overcooking and a rubbery texture.
- Pick the right buns: Top-split brioche buns hold the filling better, and their slight sweetness pairs perfectly with lobster.
- Toast lightly: Butter the outsides and toast just until golden brown. Too dark, and the bread overpowers the lobster.
Nutrition
Bookmark this recipe now!
❓ FAQs for Perfect Lobster Rolls
Connecticut rolls are served warm with butter, while Maine rolls are cold lobster salad with mayo.
Yes, just thaw completely and pat dry before warming in butter.
The shells will turn bright red, and the meat will be opaque white, not translucent.
Cook and chop the lobster in advance, but toast the buns and assemble right before serving for the best texture.
You could, but that’s like showing up to a steakhouse and ordering the chicken.
