Jul 09 2026

Grand Seafood Tower Recipe

Time1h
Serves4

Atlantic lump blue crab, Alaskan king crab, Maine lobster, shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, and accoutrements [serves 4+]

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Ingredients

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Seafood

Accoutrements

Method

Preparation

  1. 1

    Prepare the Seafood

    Begin by preparing the seafood. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add salt generously to the water.

  2. 2

    Cook the Lobster

    Add the whole Maine lobsters to the boiling water. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the shells turn bright red and the meat is opaque. Remove and let cool.

  3. 3

    Cook the Shrimp

    In the same boiling water, add the peeled and deveined shrimp. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove and let cool.

  4. 4

    Cook the Crab

    If using live Alaskan king crab, add it to the boiling water and cook for about 10-12 minutes. If cooked, simply thaw the legs in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the crab meat from the shells when cooled.

  5. 5

    Prepare the Oysters

    Place the oysters on a tray filled with ice to chill. Use an oyster knife to carefully shuck the oysters, keeping the liquor in the shell.

Assembly

  1. 6

    Arrange the Seafood

    On a large serving platter or tiered seafood tower, start by arranging the blue crab in the center. Surround it with the cooked lobster, shrimp, king crab, and oysters.

  2. 7

    Add Accoutrements

    Place small bowls of cocktail sauce and melted butter around the seafood. Add lemon wedges and hot sauce for guests to use.

  3. 8

    Garnish

    Finish by garnishing the platter with seaweed for an elegant touch.

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