Seafood Boil Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This is a recipe for a crab boil with Old Bay seasoning, which is our favorite way to do a East coast style seafood boil. Be sure to read through all the directions about layering your seafood boil so ingredients aren't overcooked.

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You will need at least a 10-quart tall stock pot for this recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Ingredients

4 quarts water
1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning (plus more for topping)
1 medium yellow onion peeled, quartered, and slices separated
4 cloves garlic peeled
1 pound baby potatoes red or gold (or both), washed
6 small ears sweet corn (I usually break regular ears of corn in half for this)
8-12 clusters snow crab precooked, fresh or frozen (this is about 3-6 pounds, depending on size)*
2 pounds jumbo shrimp precooked, peeled or in shell, deveined
2 large lemons quartered, for serving (optional)
crusty bread for serving (optional)

Instructions

In an oversized stock pot, combine water, Old Bay seasoning, onions, and garlic. Stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir.
Carefully add baby potatoes to the water mixture, stir, and let cook for 10-12 minutes with lid on, or until you can just pierce the potatoes with a fork.
Add the corn into the liquid on top of the potatoes, replace the lid, and cook for around 5 minutes. Make sure everything is covered by the liquid.
On top of the corn, add in crab legs, which will sit just above the water, and replace lid. Steam for 5-10 minutes, or until crab legs are heated through and bright red.
In this last 5 minutes of the crab cooking, add shrimp into the liquid around the crab and cook for the 3-5 minutes. Shrimp are done when slightly start to turn into a C-shape. (This is also the step you would add sausage, if using.)

TO SERVE:

Use a large serving platter or line a table with newspaper or craft paper. Carefully strain ingredients from liquid and place on platter or table while hot. Top lightly with additional Old Bay seasoning.
Serve with fresh lemon quarters, extra old bay, and sides of drawn butter. (SEE POST FOR DRAWN BUTTER RECIPE.) Add sides of crusty bread and butter.

Notes

*Plan for 2-3+ crab clusters per person.

OPTIONAL: You can also add andouille sausage and Cajun seasoning for a Cajun style seafood boil. Add 1-2 13-ounce packages of sausage, cut into rounds, when you add the shrimp.

You can also add a 12-ounce can of beer to the water mixture for an even more flavorful broth.

I also left salt off of this recipe because I find Old Bay seasoning to be very salty. You can taste the water broth mixture before adding ingredients and add salt, if needed.