Seafood Boil Recipe

Prepare seafood and sausage

Rinse shrimp, clams/mussels, and crab legs under cold water. Pat shrimp dry but keep shells on for flavor. Slice andouille sausage lengthwise or into 1–2 inch pieces. Place seafood and sausage on separate platters and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Check mollusks: discard any clams or mussels with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped.

Prepare potatoes and corn

Wash potatoes well; leave small potatoes whole or halve larger ones so pieces are uniform (about 1–1.5 inches). Shuck corn and cut each ear into 2–3 pieces. Keep potatoes and corn cold until cooking.

Build the seasoned broth

In a very large stockpot (at least 12 quarts), bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add kosher salt, 3 tablespoons Old Bay (or seafood boil seasoning), halved lemons (squeeze one half into the pot then toss it in), crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, whole peppercorns, and hot sauce if using. Taste the broth after a minute and adjust seasoning—it should be noticeably seasoned because it will flavor the seafood.

Cook potatoes

Add the potatoes to the boiling seasoned broth. Return to a boil and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 10–12 minutes depending on size (a paring knife should slide in easily but still meet slight resistance).

Add sausage and corn

Add the andouille sausage pieces and corn sections to the pot. Continue boiling for 5–7 minutes until the corn is tender and sausage is heated through.

Add shellfish

Add crab legs and clams/mussels to the pot. Cover and cook for 4–6 minutes until clams/mussels open (discard any that remain closed) and crab is heated through. Then add shrimp on top and cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes, until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook shrimp.

Once everything is cooked, turn off heat and use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer contents to a large serving tray, newspaper-lined table, or shallow pans. Pour a little of the cooking liquid over the top for moisture and flavor if desired.

Make garlic lemon butter

While the boil finishes, melt 8 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown). Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Keep warm.

Transfer the seafood, sausage, potatoes, and corn to a large serving surface. Drizzle the garlic-lemon butter over the top, sprinkle with remaining Old Bay or Cajun seasoning and chopped parsley. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges, additional melted butter for dipping, and crusty bread or steamed rice if desired.