Description
This Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce is a flavorful, hearty dish that combines a medley of seafood like crab legs, lobster tails, shrimp, mussels, and clams cooked with red potatoes, corn, and andouille sausage in a spicy, aromatic broth. The boil is served with a rich garlic butter sauce infused with bold Cajun spices, making it perfect for a festive gathering or family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Boil Broth Ingredients
- 2 (12 oz) bottles Beer (use your favorite beer)
- 8 quarts Water (pot should be about 2/3 full, add more water if needed)
- 5 Bay leaves
- 1 cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons Cayenne pepper (adjust more or less as desired)
- 1 tablespoon Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Dried thyme
- 2 Lemons (sliced)
- 10 Garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
- 2 Large onions (peeled and sliced)
- 2 tablespoons Salt
Boil Ingredients
- 3 pounds Red potatoes (halved)
- 6 ears Corn (peeled and cut into thirds)
- 1 pound Andouille sausage (sliced)
- 2 pounds Snow crab clusters/legs
- 1 pound Lobster tails
- 1 pound Mussels (optional)
- 1 pound Clams (optional)
- 2 pounds Jumbo shrimp
Garlic Butter Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups Butter (4 sticks)
- 8 Garlic cloves (diced finely)
- 1/4 cup Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon Brown sugar
- Salt (to taste; about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 cups Reserved broth (from the boil)
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup Hot sauce (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Boiling Broth: In a large stock pot, combine beer and water. Bring to a boil. Add bay leaves, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, dried thyme, salt, sliced lemons, smashed garlic cloves, and sliced onions. Stir well and boil for 5 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Cook Potatoes and Corn: Add halved red potatoes and corn pieces to the boiling broth. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are tender but firm.
- Add Sausages: Add sliced andouille sausage to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add Seafood: Add crab legs to the pot and cook for 3 minutes. Then add lobster tails, mussels, clams, and jumbo shrimp. Cover with a lid and boil together for 5 to 7 minutes until mussels and clams open and shrimp turn pink. Stir gently.
- Drain and Serve: Reserve 2 cups of the cooking broth, then drain the seafood and accompaniments. Lay out a newspaper or large serving tray and spread the seafood boil on top for a communal-style serving.
- Make Garlic Butter Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add finely diced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, onion powder, brown sugar, and salt. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and simmer on low for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens. For a thinner sauce, add up to 2 cups of broth. Add freshly chopped parsley and remove from heat.
- Serve the Boil: Pour the garlic butter sauce over the drained seafood boil. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with hot sauce on the side, if desired. Use any leftover sauce as a dipping sauce for the seafood.
Notes
- Adjust cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes according to your spice preference.
- Optional shellfish like mussels and clams can be omitted or substituted depending on availability and preference.
- Make sure to save some broth before draining to use in the garlic butter sauce.
- Serve this dish on newspaper or butcher paper for an authentic seafood boil experience and easy cleanup.
- Leftover garlic butter sauce can be refrigerated and used within 3 days.
- Use a large enough pot to avoid overcrowding, ensuring even cooking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Seafood Boil
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun
Keywords: seafood boil, cajun seafood, garlic butter sauce, crab boil, shrimp boil, andouille sausage, cajun recipe, seafood recipe
