Easy Seafood Boil
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 365kcal
Impress your friends and family with a homemade Seafood Boil! Made with fresh seafood, smoked sausage, potatoes, and corn, it’s the ultimate one-pot feast for special occasions.
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Equipment
- Extra Large Stockpot You’ll need an extra large, 16-quart stockpot. Or, you can split the recipe in two and use two large stockpots.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mixed seafood crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster tails, etc.
- 1/3 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon halved (plus additional lemon wedges for serving)
- 1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1 inch rounds, kielbasa, andouille, etc.
- 2 pounds red potatoes
- 4 ears corn shucked and halved
- 1 large onion chopped
- Seafood Boil Sauce for serving
Instructions
- Add 12 cups (3 quarts) water to an extra large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the old bay seasoning, garlic, lemon, potatoes, sausage and onion. Return to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the seafood & corn. Cook for 5-7, until the shrimp is pink and the seafood is cooked through.
- Drain the food through a colander & discard the liquid. Serve on newspapers, a baking sheet, or a large platter. Serve with lemon wedges and seafood boil sauce, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
The boiling times can vary for every type of seafood. This is why it’s a good idea to stagger the various kinds in the pot so everything finishes cooking simultaneously.
Here's a general timing guideline:
- Lobster tails: 8 to 12 minutes
- Crab legs: 5 to 7 minutes
- Crawfish: 5 to 7 minutes
- Clams: 5 to 7 minutes
- Mussels: 4 to 6 minutes
- Scallops: 2 to 5 minutes
- Shrimp: 2 to 4 minutes
- Divide the leftover seafood, vegetables, and sausages into separate airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- To reheat, add the seafood, sausages, and vegetables to a skillet over medium heat with some broth, oil, or butter and cook until it’s all heated through.
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Adding the potatoes and sausage to the boil earlier than the seafood, onion, and corn is best, as these ingredients take longer to cook and absorb flavor.
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Layer the ingredients in the pot based on cooking time. Start with the potatoes and sausage, then add the corn and large shellfish, and finally, add the small seafood, like clams and mussels, on top.
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After boiling and draining the pot, scatter the boil on a flat surface so it cools slightly and soaks up the excess moisture before serving.
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Swap some of the water: Try replacing some of the water with chicken broth, seafood stock, light beer, or crisp white wine.
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Seafood seasoning options: Instead of Old Bay, try Zatarain’s Crab Boil, Emeril’s Essence, or Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic. Or make your own spice blend! Cajun, dry jerk rub, or Thai curry seasoning will all make the seafood pop.
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Spicy seafood boil: Add a dash of your favorite hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, or serrano peppers to the boiling liquid for an extra layer of heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1524mg | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg