Cajun Seafood Boil
A festive Cajun seafood boil with snow crab, jumbo shrimp, and smoky sausage, enriched by a double-seasoned broth and rich garlic butter sauce. Perfect for gatherings and family meals.
Equipment
- 1 10-quart stockpot large
- 1 small saucepan for garlic butter sauce
- 1 spider strainer for draining boil
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 12 ounces beer optional
- 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning divided
- Hot sauce to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly sliced
- 1 large lemon cut into wedges
- 12 ounces andouille sausage sliced into rounds
- 1 lb baby potatoes red or gold
- 1 lb snow crab leg clusters
- 1.5 lbs jumbo shrimp deveined, shell-on
- 6 ears mini sweet corn on the cob
- 4 –6 hard boiled eggs optional
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 10 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Combine water, beer, Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon Old Bay, hot sauce, onion, and lemon in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes to build flavor.
- Add andouille sausage and baby potatoes to the pot and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Add snow crab clusters, jumbo shrimp, and corn to the pot, fully submerge, and boil for 5 to 7 minutes until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- In a small saucepan, simmer butter with garlic, lemon juice, remaining Old Bay, parsley, smoked paprika, and hot sauce for 5 minutes to create garlic butter sauce.
- Drain the seafood boil using a spider strainer and spread it on a lined tray.
- Pour the garlic butter sauce over the seafood boil and toss thoroughly to coat.
- Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and serve immediately on the tray or on individual plates.
Notes
- Do not overcook shrimp; cook about 5 minutes once boiling.
- Use quality lager to avoid bitterness in the boil.
- Thaw frozen crab legs fully before cooking.
- Adjust hot sauce and Cajun seasoning to taste for preferred heat.