Description

This flavorful Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce features a vibrant mix of shellfish, sausage, corn, and potatoes cooked in a zesty seasoned broth. The ingredients are boiled together to perfection and then drenched in a rich, garlicky, buttery sauce accented with lemon, paprika, and white wine, offering a classic, communal feast perfect for gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Cooking Liquid and Seafood Boil

2 qt orange juice
Water (enough to fill the pot halfway)
2 (12 ounce) bottles light lager beer (optional)
2 heads garlic (cut in half horizontally)
1 large yellow onion (quartered)
½ cup Old Bay Seasoning
3 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
4 ears corn on the cob (cut into sections)
2 pounds baby potatoes (washed)
8 clusters snow crab legs (rinsed and scrubbed)
1 pound Andouille sausage (sliced into 2 inch pieces)
4 lobster tails (raw and split in half)
1½ pounds white shrimp (size 13/15 or 16/20, deveined)

Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce

1 cup salted butter (melted)
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
½ cup chicken broth
2 tsp hot sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)

Optional

1 recipe Creamy Crab Butter Sauce (for serving)

Instructions

Prepare the Cooking Liquid: In a large stock pot (at least 20 quarts), combine the orange juice, light lager beer (if using), garlic heads, quartered onion, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and enough water to fill the pot halfway. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.
Cook Potatoes and Corn: Add the baby potatoes and corn sections to the boiling liquid. Allow them to cook for 10 minutes to soften.
Add Sausage and Crab Legs: Introduce the sliced Andouille sausage and cleaned snow crab clusters to the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes to ensure the crab and sausage absorb the flavors.
Add Lobster Tails: Place the split lobster tails into the pot and cook for 3 minutes.
Add Shrimp: Finally, add the deveined white shrimp. Boil for an additional 3 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque.
Drain and Serve: Carefully drain the cooking liquid from the pot. Pour the seafood and vegetables onto a large serving tray or spread them over multiple layers of newspaper on a table. Immediately drizzle the freshly prepared garlic butter sauce over all the ingredients.
Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: While the seafood boils, melt the salted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated garlic, brown sugar, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes to infuse the butter without burning the garlic.
Incorporate Liquids and Simmer: Whisk in the chicken broth, white wine, and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook gently for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
Finish the Sauce: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley. Set the sauce aside until the seafood boil is ready to be served.
Optional Serving: Serve the seafood boil with a side of creamy crab butter sauce for dipping if desired.

Notes

For best results, use fresh seafood and thaw any frozen shellfish thoroughly before cooking.
The beer in the cooking liquid is optional but adds depth of flavor; substitute with additional water or seafood stock if preferred.
Adjust red pepper flakes and hot sauce according to your preferred spice level.
Using newspaper or butcher paper can make serving and cleanup easier and adds to the rustic presentation.
The creamy crab butter sauce is optional but complements the garlic butter sauce nicely for dipping flavors.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Boiling
Cuisine: Southern American, Cajun

Keywords: seafood boil, garlic butter sauce, crab legs, shrimp boil, Cajun seafood, Andouille sausage, lobster tails, corn on the cob, baby potatoes