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lobster roll

Classic Canadian Dishes: The Lobster Roll

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By Gabby Peyton

Summer on the East Coast of Canada can be summed up in a few words: salty breezes, lighthouses, and lobster rolls. There is no shortage of love for lobster in the Atlantic provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, so much so it’s almost a rite of passage to track down a feast of the crimson crustacean when visiting, and many celebrations are enjoyed over a table of cracked claws and drawn butter.

lobster roll

The history of lobster in Canada

It was the Mi’kmaq who first fished lobsters off the coast of the Atlantic provinces in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, known to them as “Wolum Keeh.” Later, as settlers from England and France started to fish the waters, lobster fishing was industrialized.

Full-blown lobster fisheries in Canada started in the mid 19th century, notably in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In the 1800s canning and transporting lobster was perfected and hundreds of canneries sprouted up across the Maritimes and Newfoundland, mostly small, family-run enterprises. At this time, lobster was still a poor man’s protein; it was inexpensive and underappreciated.

But by the end of the first world war, the price of lobster went up drastically, taking it from common canned comestible to the luxury ingredient it’s known as today.

Lobster Dinners

By the mid-20th century, lobsters became a tourist attraction and eating them on the East Coast has become a rite of passage when road-tripping through the eastern provinces.

The now world-famous lobster suppers really came into their own throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, with dozens of spots to dive into a bucket of mussels across the Atlantic provinces. Places like the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers in Prince Edward Island or the Shore Club in Hubbards, Nova Scotia, offer up fantastic lobster dinners featuring all- you -can -eat chowder, mussels and huge lobsters (bibs are a requirement for this meal).

lobster roll

All roads lead to the Lobster Roll

While New England in the United States and the Maritimes in Canada are famous for their lobster rolls, the origin story for the lobster roll itself is a little murky.

Some historians credit the lobster fishers themselves with creating the dish. In the late 1890s when the east coast lobster fisheries were in full swing, the fishers would cook up the lobsters, put the meat on buns and sell them to tourists.

In restaurants, the first listing of a lobster roll appeared in the late 1920s at a place in Milford, Connecticut called Perry’s, and it took off. By the 1990s the lobster roll had reached East Coast Canadian canon — the McLobster was invented at the McDonald’s in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1993. Today, if you want a lobster roll, you can’t drive 10 feet into Nova Scotia without coming across a restaurant selling them. The Nova Scotia Lobster Trail has a map you can follow to try all the great spots along the coast.

lobster roll

Lobster Roll Recipe

While few things taste as good as eating a fresh lobster roll sitting by the ocean, they are easy to make at home. Make sure you find New England–style buns (hot dog styled bun that is cut in half at the top rather than the side). Typically, they are found in the bread section at your local grocery store.
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Course: Main Course
Preparation: Quick & Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Gabby Peyton

Ingredients

  • 3- 1 1/4 lb live lobster
  • 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp chopped chives
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • butter
  • 6 New England-style hot dog buns
  • chopped parsley
  • lemon wedges
Imperial – Metric

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot and salt generously. Add the three live lobsters and cook until lobster is bright red, around 8 to 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. Crack claws and knuckles, removing the meat from them and the body. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, mix 3 Tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives and celery. Stir in lobster meat, season with salt and pepper.
  • Butter the outside of the buns, place on a baking tray and broil them in the oven to toast, 2 minutes a side until they are golden brown.
  • Place lobster mixture in the buns and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with a lemon wedge.
Nutrition Facts
Lobster Roll Recipe
Serving Size
 
1 bun
Amount per Serving
Calories
239
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
117
mg
39
%
Sodium
 
645
mg
28
%
Potassium
 
266
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
22
g
7
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
19
g
38
%
Vitamin A
 
71
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
155
mg
16
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Gabby Peyton

Gabby Peyton

Gabby is a food writer, culinary historian and recipe developer. Based in St. John’s, NL she is the city’s restaurant critic for The Telegram and writes a syndicated food trends column for the Saltwire Network of newspapers. Gabby travels to eat, is always planning her next meal, and is currently writing a book about the history of restaurants in Canada.

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