Canadian National Dishes

Potted Lobster

Name: Potted Lobster
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: PTundefinedM
Yield: 4 appetizer portions
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 450 g ready-to-eat cooked lobster claw and tail meat, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen, cut into 2–3 cm pieces; 113 g unsalted butter, divided; 2 bay leaves; 0.5 g ground mace (about ¼ teaspoon); 0.5 g ground white pepper (about ¼ teaspoon); 0.5 g finely grated nutmeg (about ¼ teaspoon); 2 whole cloves, finely ground; 1 g fine salt (about ⅙ teaspoon), or less if the lobster is salted; 4 small slices toasted bread or plain crackers (optional; not included in the nutrition estimate)

Potted lobster is a chilled lobster spread beneath a cap of butter. Parks Canada documents one 19th-century Prince Edward Island version associated with Province House National Historic Site and adapted for modern appetizer service. Its mace, white pepper, nutmeg, cloves and bay leaf give the lobster a warm, restrained aroma. This recipe follows that documented approach while using ready-to-eat cooked lobster and current refrigeration and reheating guidance; it is one heritage version, not a single formula for all of Atlantic Canada.

Canadian National Dishes

Wide view of potted lobster in a ramekin with toast on a pale tabletop. — Wide view of a lobster ramekin with toast on a pale tabletop.

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Total About 2 hours 30 minutes

Calories About 310 kcal per portion (estimate)

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Potted Lobster

Practical

Use ready-to-eat cooked claw and tail meat, and keep it cold until it goes into the oven.
Cut the meat into similar pieces so it warms evenly; check several thick pieces for 74°C.
Pack the lobster into shallow ramekins and refrigerate promptly so it chills safely.

Ingredients

Lobster

450 g ready-to-eat cooked lobster claw and tail meat, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen, cut into 2–3 cm pieces
113 g unsalted butter, divided
2 bay leaves

Seasoning

0.5 g ground mace (about ¼ teaspoon)
0.5 g ground white pepper (about ¼ teaspoon)
0.5 g finely grated nutmeg (about ¼ teaspoon)
2 whole cloves, finely ground
1 g fine salt (about ⅙ teaspoon), or less if the lobster is salted

To serve

4 small slices toasted bread or plain crackers (optional; not included in the nutrition estimate)

Directions

Method

Prepare the lobsterKeep the cooked lobster at 4°C or colder until ready. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. Cut the claw and tail meat into 2–3 cm pieces. Discard the shell, gills, gut and tomalley; use only the meat.
Season and coverHeat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Melt about 25 g of the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the mace, white pepper, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt. Add the lobster and turn gently to coat. Transfer it and the bay leaves to a small ovenproof dish; dot with the remaining butter and cover tightly with a lid or foil.
Heat safelyBake for about 15 minutes, until the butter is melted and the lobster is hot throughout. With a clean digital thermometer, check several thick pieces; the thickest pieces must reach 74°C. If needed, return the dish to the oven in short intervals and check again. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Pack and chillDivide the lobster among four clean shallow ramekins with a clean spoon. Strain the melted butter and juices through a fine-mesh strainer, then spoon the butter over the lobster to cover the surface. Refrigerate promptly, within two hours of cooking, and chill for at least 2 hours until cold.
ServeServe cold as a spread with optional toast or plain crackers. Keep the ramekins refrigerated between servings.

Practical

Serving

Keep the prepared lobster at 4°C or colder and eat it within 1–2 days. Take out only the portion you plan to serve, and return the ramekins to the refrigerator promptly. The butter layer is part of the serving style, not a preservation seal; do not store the lobster at room temperature or treat it as canned food. The historic recipe mentions lobster body contents, but this modern version uses only claw and tail meat and discards tomalley.

Control points

The butter separates or looks cloudyThis is normal when butter cools; the dish is still a chilled spread. Spoon the solidified butter together with the lobster.
The ramekins are not cold after two hoursContinue chilling in the refrigerator before serving; do not leave them on the counter to cool.
The lobster seems dryMake sure the meat is covered with the pan butter and avoid heating it longer than needed to reach 74°C.

Nutrition

Serving sizeAbout 112 g lobster and 28 g butter
CaloriesAbout 310 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 2 g
ProteinAbout 23 g
FatAbout 23 g
FibreAbout 0 g
SodiumAbout 530 mg

Rounded estimate for lobster and butter only; optional toast and crackers are excluded. Product salting and the amount of butter retained can change the values.

Allergens and food safety

Contains lobster (crustacean shellfish) and butter (milk). Optional bread or crackers may contain wheat or other allergens; check their labels. Keep the cooked lobster refrigerated at 4°C or colder, avoid contact with raw seafood juices, reheat the thickest pieces to 74°C (165°F), refrigerate promptly within two hours, and eat within 1–2 days. Discard tomalley and other body contents; marine biotoxins can accumulate in tomalley and are not destroyed by cooking. People at greater risk of foodborne illness should avoid raw or undercooked shellfish; this recipe reheats cooked lobster to 74°C.

FAQ

Can I keep potted lobster on the counter because it has a butter cap?

No. The butter cap does not make this home recipe shelf-stable. Keep it refrigerated at 4°C or colder and use it within 1–2 days.

Closing notes

Serve the chilled lobster with thin toast or plain crackers so its sweet flavor and warm spices remain clear.
Make it a day ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator, and bring out only what you plan to serve.