Seafood Boil
A lively seafood boil featuring tender jumbo shrimp, crack-open crab, smoky sausage, sweet corn, and potatoes—all seasoned with Cajun spices and served communal style for a festive dining experience.
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1.5–2 quarts water Enough to cover everything in a very large pot
- 3–4 tbsp Cajun seasoning Store-bought or homemade
- 1 large onion Quartered
- 2 large lemons Halved
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- 4–6 cloves garlic Crushed
Main ingredients
- 1.5 lb baby potatoes Halved if large
- 1 lb andouille sausage Sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 4 ears corn Shucked and halved (or 2–3 cups frozen corn)
- 1–1.5 lb jumbo shrimp Peeled and deveined (tails on is fine)
- 1 dozen large eggs Adjust quantity depending on guests
For garlic butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter 8 tbsp for garlic butter
- 3–4 cloves garlic Minced
For garnish
- Chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges
Seasoning
- to taste Salt
- to taste Cracked black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- In a very large stockpot, bring 2–3 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add the Cajun seasoning, quartered onion, halved lemons, bay leaves, and crushed garlic. Taste the broth after a minute and adjust salt.
Cooking
- Add potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until just tender.
- Slide in the andouille sausage rounds and corn halves, cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Add shrimp and eggs to the pot. Cook shrimp for 2–4 minutes until opaque pink. If using crab legs, nestle in with sausage and corn, cooking for 4–5 minutes.
- Drain everything and discard bay leaves and lemon halves.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add minced garlic and warm gently for 1–2 minutes. Pour garlic butter over seafood.
- Serve immediately in a communal bowl.
Notes
For variations, consider adding crab, reducing spice for a milder flavor, or using firm white fish. Serve with melted garlic butter, lemon wedges, and crusty bread.