Bring a taste of pure luxury to the breakfast table with this decadent lobster eggs benedict recipe. It will be love at first bite when you sink your fork into tender, sweet lobster meat hugged in a rich, buttery, tangy hollandaise sauce and silky yolk from poached eggs. If you are looking for gourmet brunch ideas, then this restaurant worthy one is for you!
Skip the brunch reservations and serve up a true taste of indulgence with this classic eggs and lobster dish. Whether you’re looking for a dish to serve up for a special occasion, or even a way to use up leftover lobster, this lobster benedict will instantly tantalize your taste buds. This feast for the senses will have you popping the bubbly and celebrating the ultimate gift of the sea.
Pulling from the classic, famed Delmonico’s eggs benedict from Manhattan, this gives you everything you love about a classic benedict with the addition of tender lobster meat. This lobster and eggs benedict is an upscale, refined version sure to impress.
Ingredients
Page Contents
When you start with a luxury ingredient like fresh lobster, you don’t need much to allow it to shine. The beauty of eggs benedict lies in the celebration of simple ingredients. The three main components that make up a lobster eggs benedict are a base, such as an English muffin or toasted peasant bread like this recipe from Food and Wine, poached eggs, a hollandaise sauce, and of course, the lobster meat.
- Lobster: You can use live lobster, lobster tails, or claw, knuckle, and lobster tail meat. To make this recipe even easier, feel free to use already cooked lobster. Just make sure use the finest Maine Grade A, hardshell, Homarus americanus lobster.
- Eggs: You will need egg yolks for the rich hollandaise sauce, and whole eggs for the poached egg portion of this lobster recipe.
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure to pick a high-quality butter for the maximum amount of flavor. Using unsalted butter will allow you to have control of the final flavor. You can always add a pinch of sea salt if desired.
- Peasant Bread: While you can use the classic English muffin as a base, using peasant bread will allow you a heartier option to stand up to all of the lobster while not getting soggy from the sauce.
- Boiling Water: This helps the butter emulsify into the sauce.
- Lemon Juice: Lobster and lemon go hand in claw. Freshly squeezed lemon juice balances the richness of the hollandaise sauce.
- Cayenne Pepper: You just need a little pinch to give a slight kiss of heat.
How to Make Lobster Eggs Benedict
Making your lobster eggs benedict can easily be broken into four simple steps, cooking your lobster, poaching the eggs, making the hollandaise, and finally assembling.
How to Cook Lobster
- For this recipe we are using two live lobsters. You can either steam the lobsters, or boil them. This will give you pure lobster flavor without diluting the sweet meat.
- Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a couple tablespoons of kosher salt and allow to dissolve.
- Carefully lower two lobsters into the hot water, keeping their tails pointed away from you so they can’t splash you.
- Cover the pot and allow the water to come back to a boil. Set a timer. For a 1.25 lbs. lobster it will be between 6-7 minutes. For a 1.5 lbs. lobster it will take 7-9 minutes.
- The shells will turn red, and the internal temperature should be between 135-140 degrees. You can check this by inserting a digital thermometer into the underside of the tail into the thickest part of the meat. The antenna will be easy to twist off and remove.
- Run the cooked lobsters under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Twist off the tails and claws. Use kitchen shears to cut down the tail shell. Carefully remove the tail meat from the shell. Use a kitchen knife to cut down the center of the tail and remove the intestinal tract.
- Crack the claws. Carefully remove the claw meat.
Making the Hollandaise Sauce
- Place the egg yolks into a blender. Pulse the blender to lightly break them up.
- With the blender running stream in the hot water.
- While the blender continues to run, stream in the melted butter. Keep streaming in the butter until you reach the milky, white portion. Discard.
- Continue to blend until the sauce is pale yellow, silky, the butter is emulsified, and it thick.
- Add the lemon juice and cayenne. Blend until combined.
- Taste and add any additional seasoning.
Poach the Eggs
- Bring a large skillet filled halfway with water to a simmer. You don’t want the water at a full boil.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to swirl vortex into the water.
- Carefully add one egg at a time into the simmering water. Don’t over crowd the pan. It’s better to poach your eggs in two batches.
- Allow the eggs to cook until the whites are set, about three minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and gently allow them to drain on paper towel.
Assemble the Lobster Eggs Benedict
- Toast the peasant bread.
- Cut the lobster meat into generous chunks.
- Place the lobster meat on top of each piece of toasted bread.
- Top each toast with two poached eggs.
- Spoon the hollandaise sauce over the poached eggs.
- Serve with remaining hollandaise sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- What are some substitutes for the peasant bread in this recipe?
- You can use a classic English muffin, brioche roll, or even a croissant.
- Can I substitute the lobster in this recipe?
- While this recipe is for lobster eggs benedict, you can swap out the lobster meat for poached, grilled, or sauteed shrimp to make a shrimp eggs benedict.
- Do I have to use poached eggs for lobster benedict?
- No. While that is the classic preparation of eggs benedict, you can use your favorite method for cooking eggs. A fried eggs, sunny side up egg, eggs over easy, or even lobster scrambled eggs would all be delicious options.
- Can I make lobster eggs benedict gluten free?
- Yes. Simply swap out the bread in this lobster recipe for your favorite gluten free variety.
- What additional ingredients can I add?
- Add sauteed spinach for Florentine lobster benedict.
- Top the bread with Canadian bacon before adding the lobster meat.
- Give a fresh topping like chives, parsley, or dill.
Tips and Techniques
- While this recipe calls for live lobsters, you can use frozen lobster tails or lobster meat. If using frozen tails or meat, make sure that they are properly defrosted overnight in the refrigerator.
- For the best results, don’t make the hollandaise sauce ahead of time. The lobster can be cooked the day before, and the eggs poached a day in advance as well.
- To poach your eggs in advance, place the poached eggs into an ice bath. Keep them refrigerated until ready to serve. Just before serving, plunge the eggs into a pot of hot water for 30 seconds. Briefly drain them on paper towel.
- Be mindful of not overcooking the lobster. An instant read thermometer is your best friend. For the best texture always aim for around 140 degrees.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
- Eggs and lobster are the ultimate protein packed way to start the day. Round out the meal with fresh fruit, sliced tomatoes, or a simple green salad if serving this for brunch or lunch.
- Serve up this classic lobster breakfast with another classic like a mimosa or champagne.
- Other beverage options include juices like orange juice, grapefruit juice, or tomato juice.
- Whether you’re serve this as breakfast, brunch, or an elevated lunch, all varieties of coffee or tea pair well with this dish.
- Traditional breakfast sides like hashbrowns or fried potatoes work with this dish.
- If you’re serving this for brunch or lunch, sauteed spinach, grilled asparagus, or roasted broccolini are all excellent options.
Also, try this Lobster Hollandaise sauce with a surf and turf of lobster tails and filet mignons!
Final Thoughts
When it comes to creating a truly impressive and memorable dish, this lobster eggs benedict is it! Rich, decadent, and piled high with that sweet and succulent LobsterAnywhere lobster, this luxurious dish will instantly turn a meal into an event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use lobster tails for lobster eggs benedict?
Yes. This recipe calls for live lobsters, but feel free to substitute with lobster tails, or lobster meat.
Can I make lobster benedict dairy free?
The texture of the hollandaise sauce might be slightly different, but you can use a plant based, non-dairy butter for this recipe.
Can I cook the lobster ahead of time for lobster benedict?
The lobster can be cooked up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.
Boston’s Best Lobster Eggs Benedict Recipe
Eggs benedict is truly a decadent dish, but this recipe takes it to the next level by adding lobster. You can cook the lobster from scratch, as we do here, but if you have leftover lobster from a lobster boil the night before, this is the perfect way to use it up.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
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Two 1.25 live lobsters
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8 large eggs
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Four 3/4-inch-thick slices of peasant bread, toasted
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3 large egg yolks
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2 tablespoons boiling water
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2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, melted and hot
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
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In a large pot of boiling water, cook the lobsters until bright red all over, about 12 minutes. Let cool slightly under cold running water, then twist off the tails and claws. Crack the claws and remove the meat. Using kitchen scissors, slit the tail shells lengthwise, then remove the meat. Remove the dark intestinal veins and cut the tail meat crosswise into thin slices.
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Half fill 2 large deep skillets with water and bring to a simmer. Crack 4 of the eggs into each skillet and poach over moderate heat just until set, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the skillets and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange the lobster meat on the toast. Top each serving with 2 eggs and keep warm.
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Meanwhile, in a blender, briefly pulse the egg yolks to break them up. With the machine on, add the boiling water in a thin stream, then add the hot butter in a thin stream, stopping when you reach the milky liquid at the bottom; blend just until the butter is incorporated and the sauce is thick and pale. Add the lemon juice and cayenne. Spoon the hollandaise sauce onto the eggs and serve immediately.
Notes
- Frozen lobster tails, or already cooked lobster meat that has been defrosted, can be used for this recipe as well.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Poach
- Cuisine: American
