Last Updated January 12th, 2022 at 10:29 am by Lisa
You have gotta make this Lobster BLT Sandwich that has succulent lobster, crispy applewood smoked bacon, golden grilled sourdough bread, an easy dill-caper aioli, and won a 1rst Place Blue Ribbon at the OC Fair!
I am going to cover everything you need to know about lobster tails, and how to easily get the meat out. Plus how to make an easy and delicious aioli sauce to slather on the bread.
Is your mouth watering yet? It will right before you take a bite out of this incredible sandwich...
How To Make A Lobster BLT Sandwich
First, What Kind Of Lobster Is Best?
You will need 1 small lobster tail per BLT Sandwich (or about ½ cup of chopped lobster meat), there are several types of lobsters available in the US and around the world.
Lobsters come large and small, locally in Southern California I find small lobster tails at our local market that weigh 5.2 -5.7 ounces with the shell on.
You can find frozen lobster tails at Costco, or order online from many excellent sources.
How To Boil Lobster Tails
- You can buy smaller lobster tails in most grocery stores. These are small, approximately 5.5 ounces each with the shell on. Larger tails are available at gourmet stores, wherehouse stores, seafood shops or online.
- Once the water boils, they take 10 minutes to cook. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until shells turn bright red, the meat is not translucent, and the tails will curve. For larger or smaller tails, adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Keep your heat on high. The water will foam, that is normal. If it comes close to the top of the pot, lay a wooden spoon across the pot and the foam will magically drop down.
- Once the lobster tails are cooked, let them cool down about 15 minutes on a plate. It helps to hold the lobster tail in a clean kitchen towel while using kitchen scissors (or curved seafood scissors) they can be used on shrimp as well. Cut down the center of the lobster shell tail outer shell.
- Cut down the center of the under side of the shell.
How To Remove Lobster Meat From The Shell
- Once you cut down the middle of both sides of the shell, hold in the kitchen towel, and crack open by pushing holding on to each side.
- Pull out the lobster meat.
- Place your thumb under the lobster meat down by tail, and push the meat out of the shell. Be careful of the sharp points of the lobster shell.
- Discard the empty shell, and any grey "sand vein" from the cooked lobster that runs down the tail. Also check for any small pieces of shell and discard.
STOVETOP METHOD: Heat a skillet, place the bacon and cook until done approximately 10 minutes.
Pros: Fast and easy, the old-fashioned tried and true way to cook bacon.
Cons: Your stovetop gets messy and a cast iron pan to clean.
TIP: Use a splatter screen for 2 reasons. One it helps keep the stovetop cleaner (but it isn't perfect) and second, it keeps the bacon cooking in the pan from popping hot grease on you! It can be put right in the dishwasher and cleans easily.
OR...
OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon on a wire rack over a sheet pan covered with heavy aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is really crispy. Place on paper towels to drain grease and cool. Once the bacon grease is cool, simply toss the aluminum foil and bacon grease.
Pros: Works well, but the pan and rack are more work to clean than just a skillet. You can cook a large amount of bacon this way in a short amount of time.
Cons: You must wash the sheet pan and rack, which are more work to clean than just a skillet.
Make The Dill-Caper Aioli
A real French aioli takes an effort to make by hand. It achieves a thick emulsified texture that no mixer can possibly achieve. However, this is how real aioli is made:
- a mortar and pestle
- a lot of time and "elbow grease"
- fresh garlic, sea salt, egg yolk
- usually adding Dijon mustard
- and drizzling in lots of olive oil one pour at a time while stirring
BUT, honestly, it takes A LOT of elbow grease to mix it in a mortar and pestle, plus your time. So, today I am introducing an easier way to make aioli in 4 minutes flat. Here are the ingredients you need.
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers (these are immature flower buds from a Caper plant that are usually pickled)
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, capers, chopped dill, and crushed garlic. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined, keep chilled until ready to use.
Now Build The BLT!
- Butter Sourdough Bread: Heat a heavy cast iron pan. Butter sourdough bread with soft butter put in pan butter side down.
- Grill the bread until it is golden brown and crispy, flip one time just to warm the other side of the bread for one minute, remove from pan. Turn off heat.
- Make/Spread Dill-Caper Aioli: on each slice of bread, leave the brown buttered side as the outside of the sandwich.
- Add looseleaf lettuce.
- 2-3 pieces of heirloom tomato slices.
- Crispy applewood smoked bacon.
- Add cooked lobster pieces (cut into bite-size pieces).
- Place another slice of bread on top slathered with aioli. Slice and serve!
1rst Place Blue Ribbon Recipe
In 2018 I was urged to enter into a live on-stage cooking competition in the Culinary Arts of the OC Fair in Orange County, California.
I created this recipe for the competition, the theme was bacon recipes. A BLT sounded like a classic, and I knew lobster and the aioli would be a delicious twist.
So I practiced this recipe over and over, as I only had 20 minutes to cook the bacon and assemble the dish on stage to present to a panel of judges.
What a thrill to win my first blue ribbon at the fair, and since it was my first time cooking on stage in front of a live audience...I will never forget those nerve-racking moments, and how joyful I was to be a winner...
Try This Lobster Recipe
A wildly popular Lobster Ravioli recipe, that is great to serve for celebrations like birthdays, the holidays, or for romantic dinners. The lemon butter sauce is incredible...
More Sandwich Recipes
There is nothing like Roast Beef Sandwiches made with this roast beef recipe, slathered with creamy balsamic horseradish sauce, long shaves of parmesan cheese, and crisp lettuce on a crusty baguette. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork made with pork loin is so juicy, top with coleslaw, pickle chips, and tangy BBQ sauce all on a golden bun.
Pulled Pork Sliders are an easy dinner ready in under 30 minutes, with melted swiss cheese, pulled pork, Black Forest ham, and pickles. Yummy Picnic Food is easy with Pressed Italian Sandwiches that are both neat to eat and hold. You can make these a day ahead, they keep very well overnight in the fridge.
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Lobster BLT Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
dill-caper aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch salt and freshly ground pepper
Lobster BLT
- 2 tablespoon soft butter
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 4 tablespoons dill-caper aioli spread
- 4 pieces looseleaf lettuce
- 4 slices heirloom tomato
- 6 pieces cooked applewood smoked bacon
- 1 cup cooked lobster meat (boiled or grilled) approximetly 2 small 5.5 ounce lobster tails
Instructions
cook the crispy bacon (pick one method)
- STOVETOP METHOD: Heat a large skillet, place bacon in the skillet and cook until done, approximately 10 minutes. OR...
- OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay the bacon on a rack over a sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until the bacon is really crispy. Place on paper towels, set aside.
make the dill-aioli spread
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice, capers, chopped dill, and crushed garlic. Whisk in the extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined, keep chilled till ready to use.
lobster meat
- Put a medium pot of water on the stove, once boiling, add lobster tails and boil. Larger lobster tails will need more time to cook. Boil uncovered on high, for 8 to 10 minutes or until shells turn bright red, the meat is not translucent, and the tails will curve.
- The water will foam, which is normal. If it comes close to the top of the pot, lay a wooden spoon across the pot and the foam will magically dropdown.
- Once the lobster tails are cooked, let them cool down about 15 minutes on a plate. It helps to hold the lobster tail in a clean kitchen towel while using kitchen scissors (or curved seafood scissors) they can be used on shrimp as well. Cut down the center of the lobster shell tail outer shell.
- Next, cut down the middle of the inside of the shell, crack open, and pull out the lobster meat. Place your thumb under the lobster meat down by tail, and push the meat out of the shell. Be careful of the sharp parts of the lobster shell. Discard any grey "sand vein" from the cooked lobster that runs down the tail.
- Chop the cooked lobster into bite-size pieces, this makes the sandwich easier to eat!
assemble the lobster BLT
- Heat a heavy cast iron pan. Butter sourdough bread with soft butter, put in pan butter side down. Grill the bread until it is golden brown and crispy, flip one time just to warm the other side of the bread for one minute, remove from pan. Turn off heat.
- Spread dill-caper aioli on each slice of bread (leave the brown buttered side as the outside of the sandwich), add looseleaf lettuce, 2-3 pieces of heirloom tomato slices, crispy applewood smoked bacon, and add cooked lobster pieces (cut into bite-size pieces). Place other slice of bread on top. Slice and serve!
Such an amazing post on how to cook and cut up lobster tail!! Your lobster BLT looks finger licking good and our heirloom tomatoes will be perfect for this delicious sandwich! Oh, and how yummy does that aioli sauce saound?! Can't wait to have this with some local lobster tails this weekend!