Lobster Newburg

Delmonico's 1876 classic: tender lobster in a silky sherry cream sauce thickened with egg yolks, spooned over toast points with a dusting of paprika. Serves 4.

High-proteinNo added sugar

Contains: milk, egg, shellfish, wheat. Based on the ingredients as written; check package labels, which can change.

Lobster Newburg in a silver chafing dish with toast points on a china plate
  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 10 min
  • Total 25 min
  • Yield 4 servings

Updated

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Lobster Newburg first appeared at Delmonico's in New York in 1876. The story goes that a regular, the sea captain Ben Wenberg, showed Charles Delmonico a lobster dish he had learned on his travels; the kitchen refined it and put it on the menu as Lobster a la Wenberg. After the two men fell out, the name was changed, and Lobster Newburg it has been ever since.

It is rich and simple: lobster warmed in butter and sherry, then folded into cream thickened with egg yolks. Serve it over toast points or rice, or in puff pastry shells.

Ingredients

Lobster

  • 1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size chunks
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry

Sauce

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Salt, to taste

To serve

  • 4 slices white bread, toasted and cut into triangles
  • Paprika, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Warm the lobster. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the lobster and stir gently until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer 1 minute.
  2. Thicken the cream. Whisk the cream and egg yolks together, pour them into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil, or the yolks will curdle.
  3. Season. Season with the nutmeg, cayenne and salt.
  4. Serve. Spoon the lobster over the toasted bread triangles and sprinkle with paprika.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

530Calories
17 gCarbohydrates
1 gFiber
16 gNet carbs
31 gProtein
36 gFat

Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Optional ingredients, garnishes and anything served on the side are not included. Brands and portion sizes change the numbers.

High-proteinNo added sugar

Tips

  • Keep the heat low once the yolks go in, and stir the whole time; the sauce should reach 160°F and thicken without simmering.
  • Shrimp, scallops or crab work the same way; Newburg sauce is good with any shellfish.
  • For a party, keep it warm in a chafing dish and serve with rice or puff pastry shells.

Printable: safe cooking temperatures chart (PDF).

Questions about this recipe

Where does the name Lobster Newburg come from?
From Ben Wenberg, a sea captain and Delmonico's regular. The dish was first called Lobster a la Wenberg in 1876; after he and Charles Delmonico quarreled, the name was changed to Newburg.
What is the difference between Lobster Newburg and Lobster Thermidor?
Both are lobster in a rich sauce. Newburg is lobster in sherry cream thickened with egg yolks, served over toast; Thermidor is a mustard-flavored cream sauce baked back in the shell with cheese.

Serve it with

Build the whole dinner: sides, sauce and dessert ›

Pairs with: a cold lager, or an off-dry Riesling. Wine pairing guide

Another classic lobster dish: Lobster Savannah (Locke-Ober's, baked in the shell).

Part of our famous hotel and restaurant recipes, from Boston's Parker House to Delmonico's in New York and Antoine's in New Orleans.

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