Grilled Lobster, the Brittany Way (Homard Grillé au Beurre)

In Brittany, the lobster isn't a sandwich — it's the whole event. The prized homard bleu is split, brushed with salted Breton butter and garlic, and grilled until the shell glows red. Here's the recipe that needs almost nothing but good lobster and good butter.

Why Brittany does it differently

New England turns lobster into rolls; Brittany puts it whole on the fire. The cold Atlantic gives the Breton homard bleu a firm, sweet meat that stands up to a grill, and the region's famous salted butter (beurre demi-sel) does the rest. No mayo, no bun — just lobster, butter, fire.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 live lobsters (about 600 g each), or 2 par-cooked lobsters
• 80 g salted Brittany butter (beurre demi-sel), softened
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Small handful parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon
• Fleur de sel

Method (about 25 minutes)

1. Prepare the lobster. Chill live lobster in the freezer for 20 minutes to sedate it, then halve lengthways with a swift cut through the head.
2. Make the butter. Mash the softened salted butter with the garlic, parsley and a little lemon zest.
3. Slather. Spread the cut sides generously with the herb butter.
4. Grill. Cook cut-side up over medium-high heat for 8–12 minutes, basting with more butter, until the shell is bright red and the meat just opaque.
5. Finish. Scatter with fleur de sel, squeeze over lemon, and spoon the buttery juices back over the meat.

Skip the fire — find it on a plate

Grilled whole lobster is a fixture from Breton ports to Paris brasseries. Find a spot serving it near you on TheLobsterFinder.

Good lobster, good butter, a hot grill. Brittany proves the best lobster recipe is almost no recipe at all.