Shrimp, king crab legs, clams, sausage, potatoes, and corn cook together in a pot and are served with a Cajun-spiced butter sauce.
The secret of how to make a seafood boil packed with perfectly cooked shrimp, king crab legs, and clams? Take it one step at a time. First, simmer a flavor-packed mixture of lemons, Cajun seasoning, onions, garlic, and chiles with small new potatoes to give them a head start. Then add your clams and gently spicy andouille sausage and simmer a few minutes more. Finally, toss in the faster-cooking shrimp and king crab legs, along with frozen corn on the cob (freezing the corn cools down the boil without diluting it the way ice would). A warm bowl of butter sauce spiked with more Cajun seasoning makes the perfect dipping partner for every delicious bite.
Ingredients
Seafood Boil
4 ears fresh yellow corn, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
6 quarts water
4 large lemons, halved crosswise
2 large red onions, halved lengthwise
3 medium jalapeño chiles, halved lengthwise and unseeded (optional)
1/2 cup Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 large garlic heads, halved crosswise
4 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
6 frozen king crab legs (about 2 pounds total), thawed
1 1/2 pounds jumbo unpeeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail on
Cajun Butter Sauce
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (such as Crystal)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.
Step 2
Place corn in a single layer on a large plate; freeze until ready to use, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Meanwhile, add water to a large (16-quart) stockpot. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into water, removing and discarding seeds; add squeezed lemon halves, onions, jalapeños (if using), Cajun seasoning, salt, cayenne, garlic heads, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil over high.
Step 4
Add potatoes. Cover pot and return to a gentle boil over high. Uncover and boil, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
Step 5
Add clams and sausage. Cover pot and return to a gentle boil over high. Uncover and boil, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 6
Add crab legs, shrimp, and frozen corn to stockpot, using tongs to incorporate them into the broth. Cover pot and let mixture stand, undisturbed, 15 minutes.
Step 7
Meanwhile, make the Cajun Butter Sauce: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Reduce heat to low; gradually add butter pieces, whisking until mixture is emulsified and thickened (do not let sauce boil).
Step 8
Remove from heat; stir in parsley, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and optional cayenne and transfer to a sauceboat or small serving bowl.
Step 9
Working in batches, drain seafood boil in a colander, using tongs to help transfer ingredients to colander and then to a serving platter. Serve seafood boil alongside warmed Cajun Butter Sauce.
