Fenway Park celebrates its 100th Anniversary today, making it among the oldest major league baseball stadiums in the country. What better way to join in the celebration than to go in search of the “world famous Fenway Park Lobster Roll.”
Fenway Park Celebrates 100th Year AnniversaryNo longer a peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jack menu, the Fenway Park food offerings in recent years have gone from hot dogs and beer to Sushi and Vodka drinks. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino while at Fenway recently dined on on a plate of shrimp, lobster, oysters, sushi, chicken and fruit.
Watch Out Hot Dogs
Fast catching up in popularity to the famous Fenway Frank, is the handmade Fenway Lobster Roll, Fenway chefs said. Made with fresh Maine Lobster, the lobster is cooked just prior to the start of each home game.
“The Fenway hotdog is still king,” Abell told a reporter. “but the lobster rolls are catching up. Every game we sell thousands of them.”
According to Fenway Park Senior Executive Chef Ron Abell, they will sell about 1,000 pounds of lobster during a typical game. That’s a lot of cooked lobster meat for use in creating the lobster rolls.
Fenway Park Lobster Roll from the Concourse. Courtesy GreatestLobsteRoll.Com“The Fenway hot dog is still king,” Abell told a reporter. “but the lobster rolls are catching up. Every game we sell thousands of them.”
People love them.
“This was a shocker, but it was one of the best lobster rolls that I’ve had … Every bite included a large chunk of lobster,” according to a GreatestLobsteroll.Com review.
A visitor can spend $19 for a Fenway Lobster Roll in the expensive seats, or $13 on the concourse. Or you can follow the World Famous Fenway Lobster Roll recipe and make yours at home.
Fenway Lobster Roll Secrets for Next 100 Years
While the recipe seems simple, there are some critical ingredients required to be able to reproduce the Fenway Lobster Roll at home.
Abell starts with one fresh, hard shell, two-pound Maine lobster. A female lobster is preferred. He cautions that all ingredients should be added sparingly so as not to overpower the delicate flavor of the lobster and the toasted bun. Here are the directions and ingredients to makes two lobster rolls.
Ingredients:
- Two pound hard shell Maine lobster
- 2 tablespoons local farm market chives
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped Tarragon
- 1 stalk chopped Celery
- Mayonnaise
- Sea Salt
- Two tablespoons fresh Vermont butter
- New England style hot dog buns with cut sides and open top
Directions
- Add the live lobster to a kettle of roiling salted water and boil for 12 minutes. When cooked, remove the lobster and pierce the claws and tail shell with a large chef’s knife to allow water to drain.
- Pull the tail from the body. With the fingers on the underside of the tail shell, crack the shell, split it apart and remove the meat. Slice the back of the tail meat and remove the intestinal vein from the tail and discard. Remove any Roe (eggs) and set aside. Dunk the tail in cool water to wash.
- Next, crack the claws and knuckles with the chef’s knife. Remove the meat.
- Chop the lobster meat into chunks and place in a mixing bowl.
- Chop the local farm market chives and add to bowl
- Chop tarragon and add to bowl
- Add mayonnaise to taste
- Chop celery and add to bowl
- Add a touch of sea salt
- Heat griddle and melt two tablespoons fresh Vermont butter
- Toast until golden brown the New England rolls on sides and bottom
- Fill rolls to overflowing with lobster mixture
- Serve immediately with a garnish of coleslaw on the side
- As an option, Roe may be added to softened butter and spread on roll.
© Wayne Howe 2012