Garlic Butter Seafood Boil

Garlic butter seafood boil with delicious sauce recipe. Add this spicy sauce to your favorite seafood boil, and use some on the side to dip the yumminess in!

While you're here, be sure to checkout this amazing Blackened Salmon recipe. Another great dish is this Blackened Salmon in Mushroom Cream Sauce!

Living in Houston for so many years, I realized how big of a deal crawfish season is!  Any and every chance Houstonians get, they have a crawfish boil, or attend a crawfish boil.

There is something so magical about the opportunity to fellowship around a huge pot of seafood, a cold beverage, and good friends or family! Well this seafood boil provides that same opportunity!

Hands down the best seafood garlic butter sauce I’ve made and tried! I wish I had a picture of it but it looked so good that I instantly had to dig in! Will definitely be using again when I’m in the mood for snow crab legs which is usually once a month! A must try for all my seafood lovers out there!

Crab legs are just as amazing as crawfish, (and in my opinion, better)! This post isn't to debate that theory though. One of the best parts about seafood is that it takes on the flavors of spices that are used. 

Collect ingredients for the Seafood Boil:

Collect all of the items you need before you get started. It makes cooking so much easier! Here is what you will need:

• Seafood: crab legs, shrimp, and any other seafood you like including lobster, clams, or crawfish.
• Sausage: feel free to omit this ingredient if you are not a fan. Beef sausage was used for this recipe. Some of my audience have used chicken sausage, and even meatless sausage as a substitute.
• Potatoes: red potatoes are best because they hold-up and do not get so mushy. Regular (russet) potatoes can be used if that's what you have. Just cut the boil/cooking time a bit because they will get mushy.
• Corn on the cob: frozen works just fine. Fresh corn on the cob can be used as well. Although you do not have to, you can cut it in half for more servings.
• Optional additions: boiled eggs- don't knock-it until you try it! Some people have sent me pictures of broccoli, and other veggies that they have added. I love it, get creative and make what you like!

The seasoning mix:

When you first look at the recipe, it does seem like A LOT of seasoning! In reality, it is- but it is not salty seasonings. The majority are just herbs, spices, and Cajun seasoning, with no salt content.

Spices such as: garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, and then the addition of lemon slices. All of these are masked in the delicious melted butter to drizzle over the seafood boil, and create the most amazing dipping sauce.

Can I use an oven steamer bag?

Yes! In fact, I have made my seafood boil this way a few times and it is AMAZING! Make sure you buy the plastic bags that are made for the oven.

Cook the sauce as directed in the recipe card below. Reserve a bit of sauce for dipping if you'd like. Add the seafood and the vegetables to the bag and pour the sauce all over the top.

Then you will bake the seafood for about 20 minutes or so. It is important to keep an eye on the crab and shrimp so that they do not overcook.

Things to keep in mind:

The potatoes will take longer to cook, so you may want to cook them separately. Shrimp cooks SUPER fast, and if you cook it too long, it will be mushy or rubbery. So again, cook it separately, or add it to the bag later.

When I use the oven bags, I cook the crab legs, corn, and shrimp for about 20-30 minutes. It came out perfect, and nothing was overcooked. Potatoes and anything else I add to the boil are cooked separately.

Video of seafood boil:

Why do all of these seafood boils look different?

All of these photos are a bit different because we make a crab boil A LOT around here. Crab legs and lobster tails are our favorite! Each time we make it, it's a little different. Don't worry- the recipe I shared below is THE BEST hands down.

However, I truly encourage you to substitute, or add too as you see fit. If you and your family do not like spicy- omit some of the seasoning. Utilize what you have on hand. Be creative!

NOTE: the green stuff you see on top in some of the photos are Parsley Flakes. It's really just an aesthetic touch to make it look extra delicious!

Can I use frozen seafood for the crab boil?

Yes! Most of the time, I purchase frozen shrimp and crab legs. Sometimes- it's cheaper, or just easier to find. Most frozen seafood is fully cooked, and then frozen.

Keep that in mind and adjust cooking times accordingly. If it is pre-cooked, cut the cooking time by 5-10 minutes. Try to get the jumbo shrimp w/ shell on if you're buying frozen. It tends to stay juicy and plump!

This recipe for the Garlic Butter Seafood sauce is amazing!

You will love it! Make it super spicy, or not so spicy by adjusting your cayenne and red pepper flakes. You MUST add the garlic cloves and the Old Bay seasoning though, it gives it that amazing tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with your seafood.

You will need a large stockpot to cook your Cajun seafood boil in, and then it's on and poppin'! Trust me, you haven't experienced seafood until you add this sauce!!

There's nothing like cracking that shell open in the right spot and pulling out the WHOLE, juicy piece of crab meat. Then when you add in your corn-on-the-cob, sausage, and shrimp, it's a whole meal!

Now that my mouth is watering.... enjoy this recipe!

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Yield: 8 people

Garlic Butter Seafood Boil

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Garlic butter seafood boil and sauce. Add this spicy sauce to your favorite seafood boil, and use some on the side to dip the yumminess in!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 clusters Snow crab legs, washed thoroughly
• 1 pound Shrimp, deveined, tail on
• 1 pound Andouille sausage, cut into thick slices
• 6 Corn on the cob
• 6 Baby red potatoes
• 3 tablespoons Garlic, diced
• 1 whole Onion, diced
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 4 sticks Butter
• ¼ cup Olive oil
• 2 cups Chicken broth, optional (see notes below)
• 1-2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Seasonings to add to Boiling Water

• 5 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 whole Lemon, juiced
• 3 Bay leaves

Seafood Boil Sauce (to pour over and dip)

• 4 sticks Butter, unsalted
• ¼ cup Olive oil
• 1 whole Onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons Garlic, diced
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 2 cups Chicken broth, optional (see notes below)
• 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 3 tablespoons Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon Lemon pepper seasoning, (optional depending on fresh lemon juice)
• 1-2 dashes Tobasco sauce

Instructions

SEAFOOD BOIL

1. Fill up a large stock pot with water, leaving enough room at the top to add the seafood. Add old bay seasoning, lemon, and bay leaves. Bring to a light boil.
2. Place the corn and red potatoes into the seasoned water. Boil for 10 minutes.
3. Add the crab legs and sausage . Cover with a lid and boil for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp. Boil for 5 minutes (shrimp will turn pink, do not overcook).
5. Drain the water and remove bay leaves. Transfer to serving dish or leave in the stock pot.
6. Pour that delicious garlic butter sauce all over, and/or reserve some sauce on the side to dip the seafood in (recipe below).

GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

1. Melt one stick of butter and olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they become translucent.
2. Add Garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stirring constantly so garlic doesn't burn. Add juice of the lemon, and all the seasonings. Adjust cayenne and red pepper to your level of spiciness.
3. Add remaining 3 sticks of butter. Simmer until butter is melted, stir constantly.
4. If using chicken broth, gently stir it into the mixture now. Pour over your favorite seafood and/or reserve some for dipping.
5. Enjoy!

Notes

Chicken broth is used to "cut" the sauce. It does not take away from the flavor in any way. In fact- it's great to add broth if trying to create more sauce, or pour directly over your seafood boil.

Sauce can also be used for dipping.

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