Large Seafood Tower Recipe

Shuck oysters

Keep oysters cold on ice until ready to serve. Hold each oyster with a thick towel or oyster glove. Insert oyster knife at hinge, twist to pop open, run blade under the top shell to cut the muscle, discard top shell and loosen oyster from the bottom shell while retaining the liquor. Arrange oysters on crushed ice in their shells.

Prepare shrimp

If shrimp are not already cooked, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 tbsp salt per 4 liters water). Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2–3 minutes depending on size. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and chill. Arrange shrimp on ice, tails up for easy picking.

Prepare lobster

If lobsters are not pre-cooked, cook live lobsters in a large pot of vigorously boiling salted water for 8–12 minutes depending on weight (8–10 min for 1–1.5 lb, 12 min for 1.5–2 lb). Remove and chill in an ice bath. Split lobsters lengthwise with a sharp chef's knife or kitchen shears: cut through the head and tail to expose meat. Remove tomalley if desired. Halve each lobster and arrange meat-side up on the ice bed.

Prepare crab legs & claws

If king crab legs and claws are frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or under cold running water. Steam or reheat pre-cooked crab legs for 5–7 minutes (steamer or in a large pot with a small amount of water and a steamer basket) until warmed through. For presentation, cut long king crab legs into 6–8 inch segments with kitchen shears and crack a portion of the shell with mallet so guests can access meat. Arrange crab legs and claws on the tower layers or surrounding platter.

Cocktail sauce

If making from scratch, mix 1 3/4 cups ketchup with 1/4 cup prepared horseradish, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice and a few dashes of hot sauce. Chill before serving in a ramekin.

Classic mignonette

Finely mince 2 shallots (about 1/3 cup) and combine with 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Let sit 10–15 minutes to soften flavors and chill in a small ramekin.

Lemon & condiments

Cut lemons into wedges and arrange on the platter. Place prepared mustard, hot sauce, and other condiments in ramekins next to sauces.

Build a sturdy base: choose a large multi-tier serving stand (seafood tower) or stack two large shallow bowls/platters with a smaller bowl inverted to create tiers. Line each tier with a layer of crushed ice (about 1–2 cups per tier) and tuck decorative seaweed or salad greens around the edges to hide ice edges.

Arrange seafood on the tower: Place the largest items (split lobster halves and king crab segments) on the bottom tier for weight and visual balance. Arrange crab claws and remaining crab segments on the middle tier. Place oysters and shrimp on the top tier and around the outer edge of lower tiers. Keep oysters level so they retain their liquor. Fill gaps with additional crushed ice and lemon wedges. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Position sauce ramekins evenly around the tower base or on the middle tier so guests can reach them. Place crab crackers, picks and cocktail forks at the table.

Serve immediately and keep the tower chilled throughout service by replenishing crushed ice as needed. Instruct guests to consume chilled shellfish (oysters, shrimp, crab, lobster) within 2 hours at room temperature; refrigerate leftovers promptly. If any shellfish was served raw (oysters), include a note for guests with compromised immune systems to avoid raw shellfish.