Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce

a close view of a a garlic butter seafood boil with snow crab legs, lobster tails, shrimp, potatoes, kielbasa, corn and garlic butter seafood boil sauce

4.84 from 60 votes

Seafood Boil Recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce

This stovetop seafood boil recipe brings together snow crab legs, jumbo shrimp, juicy lobster tails, sausage, sweet corn, and potatoes simmered in a boldly seasoned broth with Old Bay and finished with rich garlicky butter. It's a messy, delicious, summer seafood feast made for sharing!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Seafood

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 960kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

24 qt stock pot with basket or other large pots
Tongs to add ingredients without splashing
ball whisk for seafood boil sauce

Ingredients

Cooking Liquid

2 qt orange juice
water enough to fill the pot half way
2 (12 ounce) bottles light lager beer optional
2 heads of garlic cut in half horizontally
1 large yellow onion quartered
½ cup Old Bay Seasoning
3 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

Seafood Boil

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
1 recipe Creamy Crab Butter Sauce for serving, optional

Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce

1 cup salted butter melted
1 tablespoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon brown sugar
zest of a lemon
¼ cup dry white wine like Sauv Blanc or Pinot Grigio
½ cup chicken broth
2 teaspoon hot sauce
juice of a lemon
¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Boil the Seafood

In a large stock pot, at least 20 quarts, add all the ingredients for the cooking liquid and enough water to fill the pot half way up.
2 qt orange juice, 2 (12 ounce) bottles light lager beer, 2 heads of garlic, 1 large yellow onion, ½ cup Old Bay Seasoning, 3 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, water
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then add the baby potatoes and corn. Let them cook for 10 minutes.
4 ears corn on the cob, 2 pounds baby potatoes
Now begin adding the sausage and crab legs, cook for 10 minutes.
8 clusters snow crab legs, 1 pound Andouille sausage
Add the lobster, let it cook for 3 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook for another three minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
4 lobster tails, 1½ pounds white shrimp
Drain the cooking liquid from the pot, pour the seafood boil over a serving tray or table lined with many layers of newspaper, and pour the seafood boil sauce over all the shellfish and vegetables.
Serve with my creamy crab butter dipping sauce in a small bowl.
1 recipe Creamy Crab Butter Sauce

To Make the Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce

While the seafood is boiling, melt the two sticks of butter with the garlic paste, brown sugar, Old Bay, smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Let cook for three minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the garlic doesn't burn.
1 cup salted butter, 1 tablespoon grated garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, zest of a lemon
Whisk in the chicken stock, white wine, and hot sauce and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
½ cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoon hot sauce, ¼ cup dry white wine
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and parsley, then set aside until the seafood boil is done cooking.
juice of a lemon, ¼ cup fresh parsley

Notes

I scaled this to be more family-size appropriate eating with 4 very generous servings (or 6 still-generous servings). Change the serving size as needed for a party!

Chef's Notes

Make sure your shrimp and lobster tails are thawed, if frozen.
If your pot is under 16 quarts, cook in batches.

'How much is a serving, really?' Guide

Per Person Estimate for 4 servings:

1–2 snow crab clusters
4–6 jumbo shrimp
1 lobster tail half
2–3 pieces of andouille sausage
1 corn section
4–6 baby potatoes
Plenty of garlic butter!

Storing and Reheating Instructions

If you have leftovers, you can save them in the fridge in an airtight container or gallon sized zip top bags for up to 2 days.

When you're ready to reheat, put the seafood into a large steamer pot or stock pot with a little water at the bottom. Steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the leftover seafood boil is warmed through.

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated using standard ingredient data. Actual values will vary based on specific brands, seafood size, and portion amounts consumed.

Nutrition