Maine Lobster Boil with Drawn Lemon Butter

Name: Maine Lobster Boil with Drawn Lemon Butter
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1 gallon water; 1/2 bunch fresh thyme; 4 bay leaves; 2 lemons, halved; 4 live lobsters, about 2 pounds each (see Note); 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter; Juice of 1 lemon

December 9, 2011

This is an easy recipe for a late summer backyard feast. Steamed lobster, lemony butter, and a few cold beers: That’s love. Special equipment needed: kitchen shears, tongs, crackers, bibs, and a napkin to wipe your chin.

Cooks' Note

For some, the humane factor comes into cooking live lobsters. If you stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes they will squirm less as you dunk them in boiling water. If you prefer to take a knife and do a quick jab to the lobster’s spinal cord as the means to its end, go right ahead.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

London Fog Brownies

Yes, brownies can—and should—be made with white chocolate.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crème Anglaise

The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.