Lobster Boil

Evoke the flavors of a clambake in the comfort of your own home with this one-pot meal.

Updated November 26, 2024

Overhead view of a lobster boil arranged on a square white porcelain platter. — Serious Eats / Sydney Oland

Why It Works

All of the flavors of a New England clambake are present in this convenient, scaled-down recipe—no beach, seaweed, or hot rocks required.
Choosing small potatoes and lobsters simplifies cooking, as they will be done in the time it takes the clams to open.

Quite simply, this is the indoor version of a clambake (without the hot rocks and seaweed). If you can't gain access to a beach and are craving a simple, but special treat, this lobster boil can evoke in a downtown apartment memories of an evening by the ocean. The secret to getting everything to cook at the same time is to layer the seafood on top of the potato, corn, and sausage. This version uses kielbasa, but a chorizo or even andouille could be a delicious addition to this recipe.

When serving, I split the lobsters and give each person a half. But if it's in your budget and you can find a large enough pot, by all means give everyone their own lobster. A few large shell-on shrimp thrown on top are an excellent addition to this meal as well. Serve with plenty of beer and hot cornbread.

February 2012

Recipe Details

Lobster Boil Recipe

Cook 40 mins

Active 15 mins

Total 40 mins

Serves 4 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
8 small potatoes
13 ounces kielbasa, cut on the bias into 2-inch pieces
2 ears corn, cut into thirds
3 pounds clams
12 ounces beer
Two 1 1/2-pound lobsters

Directions

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and sweat until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add potatoes and kielbasa and stir to combine. Add corn, clams and beer and bring to a simmer. Once beer is simmering, add lobsters to pot and cover tightly with a lid. Cook until clams are open and lobster is bright red, about 18 minutes.
Remove lobster from pot, crack claw and slice in half. Place potatoes, kielbasa, corn and clams in a large serving dish. Taste cooking liquid and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with cornbread, green salad, lemon wedges, and drawn butter for dipping.

Special Equipment

Large stockpot

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
765	Calories
34g	Fat
48g	Carbs
60g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	765
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	44%
Saturated Fat 11g	57%
Cholesterol 208mg	69%
Sodium 2330mg	101%
Total Carbohydrate 48g	17%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 60g
Vitamin C 48mg	240%
Calcium 200mg	15%
Iron 6mg	33%
Potassium 1705mg	36%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.