Seafood Boil
You don’t need to be at the beach to make this classic seaside dinner — an assortment of fresh seafood and a really big stock pot will get you there in an hour. Feel free to make this seafood boil your own by swapping in mussels for the clams, or lobster in place of the crab legs. With sausage, corn on the cob and steamed potatoes, this is a true one-pot meal. The flavorful cooking liquid turns into a buttery, lemony sauce that coats the seafood and vegetables. Cover your table with kraft paper and dump the seafood boil out, letting everyone dig in, or, for easier cleanup, serve the boil in a large shallow bowl, with small bowls of garlic butter on the side for dipping.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 2large lemons, halved
- 1(12-ounce) bottle lager, or 1 1/2 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 1head garlic, cut in half crosswise
- ¼cup Old Bay seasoning, plus more for serving
- 3dried bay leaves
- 2tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 ½pounds Yukon gold or small red potatoes, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
- 3large ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
- 2pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1pound Andouille sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1pound large (16/20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1pound cooked frozen crab legs, thawed
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
- Garlic butter, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
In a very large stockpot, heat 4 quarts of water over medium-high. Quarter one lemon and add it to the pot, along with the beer, onion, garlic, Old Bay, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.Step 2
Add the corn, clams and sausage. Cover and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the clams begin to open, 5 to 7 minutes.Step 3
Add the shrimp and crab legs, and cook until the shrimp are just starting to turn opaque, about 3 minutes. (Do not overcook!)Step 4
Using a spider strainer or sieve, remove the seafood, sausages and vegetables and place them in a very large bowl or platter, discarding any clams that have not opened. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking liquid and pour it into a small bowl. Add the butter and squeeze in the juice of half of the remaining lemon; stir until the butter is melted. Pour the mixture over the seafood and gently mix until coated. Sprinkle with parsley and Old Bay. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges, and serve alongside the seafood boil with small bowls of garlic butter for dipping.