Having a lobster bake at home isn't as hard as it may seem! It really is a one-pot meal that comes together almost entirely on the stovetop and is fun for the whole family. There are a few tools you'll need to have on hand and a few tricks of the trade that are good to know but other than that, don't be afraid of throwing a lobster bake right in the comfort of your own home. It's the Maine way ;)
The Tools
- Large pot. All the ingredients for the lobster bake go in one large pot so depending on how many lobsters you are cooking, you will need quite a large pot to accommodate the lobster, clams, corn, and potatoes. A 16-quart pot is ideal for any more than 2 or 3 lobsters. If you don't have a large enough pot for it all, just cook the corn and potatoes separately from the seafood!
- Newspaper/butcher paper. Having a lobster bake can be messy endeavor so it's good to protect your eating surface with newspaper or butcher paper so you can freely crack into those lobsters without being fearful of making a mess.
- Garbage bowl. Having an empty bowl for lobster and clam shells and corn cobs makes clean up a whole lot easier.
- Crackers. Depending on the season (read more about new shell vs hard shell lobsters) you may need to have lobster crackers handy so that you can easily crack into those juicy claws.
- Tongs. To more easily pull everything out of the pot.
The Ingredients
- Whole live lobster
- Steamer clams
- New potatoes
- Corn on the cob, cut in half
- Salt and Pepper
- Butter
- Lemon
The Process
- The first thing you should do is soak and clean the clams. The best way to do this is throw them in a bowl with water and aggravate them with your hands to help get any sand and grit out of the clams. Allow them to sit for a half hour then drain and rinse.
- In your large pot add 1-2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add corn and potatoes, cover, and let them steam for about 5-10 minutes.
- Add lobster and then clams to the pot, cover, and steam for 10-15 more minutes. You'll want to make sure you have a good seal on the pot so it can steam well inside. A good rule of thumb for steaming lobster is about 10 minutes per pound. You will know they are cooked through when they turn a vibrant red color. You will know the clams are done when they start to open up. If you find any clams that have not opened, discard them.
- While everything is steaming, melt butter and add lemon juice for dipping.
- Once everything is cooked through you can either dump everything out on your newspaper and enjoy family-style or create individual platters for all your guests. Serve with the melted lemon butter for dipping, our Secret Seasoning to sprinkle on the lobster meat, and a dish of water (or the liquid at the bottom of the steaming pot) to rinse clams in.