Classic Maine Lobster Boil over a campfire

On a recent trip to Bar Harbor, we rented an AirBnB, made some delicious meals, and cycled around Acadia. This is called a boil but it’s technically a “steam” since the ingredients aren’t submerged in liquid.

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Diet: Pescatarian, gluten-free • Serves 4 • Prep time: 2 hours

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INGREDIENTS

Main

• 4 small lobsters (1 1/4 pounders)

• 1 pound of mussels

• 1 pound of littleneck clams

• 1 pound of potatoes, I used Yukon, blue and red

• 4 ears of corn

Boiling liquid ingredients

• 2 beers - we used Allagash White

• 1 clam juice bottle

• 2 lemons, halved

• 1 onion quartered

• 1 garlic head, sliced open

• thyme bunch

• parsley bunch

• jalapeno halved

• 4 bay leaves

• old bay seasoning

• salt & pepper

FIXINS

• Melted ghee, served in warm ramekins

• Lemon wedges

• Chimichurri

TOOLS

• Campfire

• Huge pot

• Long tongs

• Lobster crackers

METHOD

1

Build the campfire - we did the log cabin style from this helpful REI tutorial. Your wood will take 30-45 minutes to burn down to coals.

2

Fill the lobster pot with liquid ingredients and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, corn, and kielbasa and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add lobsters and cook for 12 minutes. In the last 5 minutes add clams, then mussels.

3

While the lobsters are steaming, pre-heat some butter ramekins with boiling water. Set out the chimichurri & lemon wedges.

4

Crack those lobsters & enjoy!

PLAYLIST PAIRING

The Mountain Goats — Indie Folk/Lo-fi band with some of the most arresting, beautiful, and inspirational lyrics I’ve ever heard.

Favorite lyric so far:

“You were a presence full of light upon this earth. And I am a witness to your life and to its worth.”