Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 450°F and ready a large, heavy baking tray (known as a half sheet pan).

Step 2:

Chill two 1 ¼ lb live lobsters in the freezer for 10 minutes. Working one at a time, transfer the lobster to a cutting board, belly side down with the head facing you.

Step 3:

Using a kitchen towel, hold the lobster down. With the blade of a sharp chef’s knife pointing towards the head, insert the tip into the top of the head right behind the eyes and press down firmly to split the head in half. Flip the lobster over and, using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the lobster’s body cavity open all the way down to the end of the tail but not all the way in half. Remove any tomalley or eggs by gently washing them under cool water. Crack the claws and transfer belly side up to the baking tray. Repeat with the second lobster.

Step 4:

In a cast-iron pan or heavy skillet, saute the pancetta on low until crispy, and most of the fat is rendered out about 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel. Strain the fat through a fine sieve into a heat-proof measuring cup to remove any bits and set it aside.

Step 5:

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel and add 2 Tbsp of the reserved pancetta fat. Sautee the shallot and garlic over low heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the pancetta, shallots, garlic, bread crumbs, herbs, artichokes, and lemon zest and seasons with salt and pepper.

Step 6:

Open the cavity of each lobster and stuff with half of the bread crumb mixture. Dot each lobster with 1 Tbsp butter. Bake the lobsters for about 15-20 minutes and then broil until browned, about 2 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

*Note, you could also use a whole or split tail in this recipe.