How do you make a crab boil

Seafood boil made just like in New Orleans, Louisiana, with shrimp, crawfish, Manila clams and a homemade Cajun seasoning and butter sauce. So easy and delicious!

How do you make a crab boil

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Seafood Boil Recipe

Seafood boil, shrimp boil, crab boil, and crawfish boil are my favorite summer recipes. I love seafood, especially when they are coated with a spicy butter sauce with homemade seasonings.

It’s a great tradition to have friend and family together, sit around a big table and savor a delicious boiled seafood dinner.

This is the best and ultimate recipe just like New Orleans Louisiana, with a Cajun sauce that is fiery and addictive. This easy recipe took me only 30 minutes from start to finish.

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Other Summer Seafood Recipes You Might Like

  • Shrimp Boil
  • Crawfish Boil
  • Clambake
  • Summer Seafood Stew
  • Peel and Eat Shrimp

How to Make a Seafood Boil?

  • Prepare the seasoning and the sauce in the recipe.
  • Boil and cook all the ingredients together in a huge stock pot.
  • Combine the seasoning sauce and the cooked seafood together.

Voila, you have the best summer dinner that you can enjoy with friends and family!

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Ingredients for Seafood Boil

My recipe calls for the following ingredients:

  • Homemade DIY seasonings with Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, Louisiana hot sauce and sugar.
  • Unsalted butter.
  • Garlic.
  • Seafood such as shrimp, crawfish and clams.
  • Corn on the cob.

I skipped crab, potatoes, and smoked sausage but you should add them to the dish if you have the ingredients.

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Tips for Seafood Boil

  • Use a big pot to boil the seafood. If you don’t have a tall and deep pot, you may boil and cook the seafood in batches.
  • You may serve the seafood boil in a bag, using 1 gallon plastic bag.
  • If you have plastic bags, mix the seafood and the sauce in the bag.

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Frequently Asked Question

Can I Cook Seafood Boil in an Oven?

Yes, you sure can. If you don’t want to boil the seafood, you can mix the raw seafood and the sauce together on a sheet pan.

Bake in the oven at 425°F (220°C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked through.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 580 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with Seafood Boil?

This meal is best served with a crusty bread. French fries or sweet potato fries also goes well with it. For a summer dinner party, I recommend the following recipes.

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Crawfish Boil

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Parmesan Garlic Bread

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil

Beer Steamed Mussels

5 Secrets to 20 Min Dinners

Get tricks for quick & easy meals!

Yes, I Want It

Yield: 4 People

Seafood Boil (The Best Recipe!)

How do you make a crab boil
How do you make a crab boil
Print

Cajun seafood boil just like in New Orleans, Louisiana, with shrimp, crawfish, Manila clams and a homemade seasoning and butter sauce. So easy and delicious!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. (0.4 kg) head-on and shell-on shrimp, rinsed
  • 1 lb. (0.4 kg) crawfish, rinsed
  • 1 lb. (0.4 kg) Manila clams, rinsed and scrubbed
  • water, for boiling
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 2 ears corn, cut off the cob into 2-inch pieces (5 cm)
  • 2 sticks (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 heads garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce

Seafood Boil Seasonings

  • 4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. Rinse the shrimp with water, Use a pair of scissors to cut off the mustache and legs. Set aside. Soak the crawfish in water and rinse a few times until the water becomes clear. Rinse and scrub the Manila clams. Drain and set aside.
  2. Combine all the ingredients of the Seafood Boil Seasoning in a bowl. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
    How do you make a crab boil
    How do you make a crab boil
  3. Fill a large stockpot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the lemon halves, follow by the shrimp, crawfish, Manila clams and corns. Cover the stockpot and cook the seafood and corns until they turn red or cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain the seafood and corns, discard the water and lemon. Set aside.
    How do you make a crab boil
    How do you make a crab boil
  4. While the seafood is cooking, in a big skillet over medium heat, add the butter and stir in the minced garlic. Saute the garlic for 1 minute (not brown). Add the Seafood Boil Seasoning and Louisiana hot sauce. Stir to mix the spicy butter sauce well. Turn off the heat.
    How do you make a crab boil
    How do you make a crab boil
  5. Transfer the seafood and corn into the spicy sauce, stir to combine well. If you have a small skillet, mix the butter sauce and the seafood in two batches. Serve immediately.
    How do you make a crab boil
    How do you make a crab boil

Notes

Adapted from Cultural Chromatics. This is a Vietnamese-Cajun version of seafood boil, which in my honest opinion, so much better than traditional seafood boil. 

I skipped potatoes and smoked sausage. Feel free to add 8 oz. of baby potatoes and 8 oz. of sausage in the seafood boil.

What supplies do I need for a seafood boil?

The most important piece of equipment you'll need at your seafood boil party is an outdoor gas stove, in addition to a large stock pot and stock pot basket. You can also purchase a steamer kit, which will generally contain a stock pot, steamer basket, propane burner, and other accessories.

What liquid do you use for a crab boil?

In a large pot add 2.5 quarts of water and 5 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a rolling boil. 2. Add seafood and 1 tablespoon Zatarain's® Concentrated Liquid, Shrimp & Crab Boil.

How do you boil crabs at home?

1: Bring a large pot of water to the boil and approximately 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Once water is at the boil place crabs in the pot upside down. 2: Cook for approximately 5-8 mins. Once they start floating & are a very vibrant orange colour it is a good indicator to tell they are cooked.

What do you put in boiling crab?

How to Make Boiling Crab Sauce.
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat..
Once melted, reduce heat to low and add garlic powder, minced garlic, old bay seasoning, paprika, cajun seasoning, sugar, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and lemon pepper. ... .
Stir in the hot sauce and lemon juice. ... .
Use right away..