Entree: United States – Gulf Coast – Seafood Boil (A communal one-pot meal of boiled shellfish, potatoes, corn, and sausage seasoned with bold Gulf Coast spices)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 26 min

Additional 3 min

Total 45 min

Ingredients

U.S. measurements first, metric equivalents in parentheses. Conversions are approximate; oz means weight ounces, not fluid ounces.

- 6 qt (5.7 L) water
- 1 qt (946 ml) light beer or additional water
- 1/2 cup (120 g) coarse kosher salt
- 1/3 cup (75 g) seafood boil seasoning (e.g., Old Bay or Louisiana crab boil)
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot sauce (such as Louisiana-style)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
- 2 lb (907 g) snow crab legs or blue crab sections
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) live crawfish or additional shrimp (optional)
- 1 lb (454 g) smoked andouille or kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2 in (1 cm) thick
- 2 lb (907 g) small red potatoes, whole
- 4 ears (about 2 lb (900 g)) corn on the cob, husked and halved
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp (30 g) chopped fresh parsley
- Extra seafood seasoning or cayenne for finishing

Show original ingredient measurements

- 6 qt (5.7 L) water
- 1 qt (946 ml) light beer or additional water
- 1/2 cup (120 g) coarse kosher salt
- 1/3 cup (75 g) seafood boil seasoning (e.g., Old Bay or Louisiana crab boil)
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot sauce (such as Louisiana-style)
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
- 2 lb (907 g) snow crab legs or blue crab sections
- 3 lb (1.36 kg) live crawfish or additional shrimp (optional)
- 1 lb (454 g) smoked andouille or kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2 in (1 cm) thick
- 2 lb (907 g) small red potatoes, whole
- 4 ears (about 2 lb / 900 g) corn on the cob, husked and halved
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp (30 g) chopped fresh parsley
- Extra seafood seasoning or cayenne for finishing

Instructions

1. Fill a very large pot with the water and beer, add kosher salt, seafood boil seasoning, bay leaves, hot sauce, smashed garlic, and quartered onions. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat to build a strongly seasoned broth.
2. Add the potatoes to the boiling broth and cook 10–12 minutes until nearly tender.
3. Add the corn halves and the sliced sausage to the pot and boil 5–7 minutes.
4. Add the crab legs (and crawfish if using) and boil 4–6 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and boil until shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2–4 minutes depending on size.
6. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit for 2–3 minutes so flavors settle; then drain the broth and carefully transfer the contents to a large serving platter or spread over newspaper for a traditional presentation.
7. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with lemon juice and a pinch of seafood seasoning; drizzle over the drained seafood and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional seasoning or cayenne to taste. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and melted butter for dipping.