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Cajun Seafood Boil

Cajun Seafood Boil
   

Shrimp, king crab legs, clams, sausage, potatoes, and corn are cooked together in a pot and served with a Cajun-spiced butter sauce for a family-style meal.

The secret for making a Cajun seafood boil packed with perfectly cooked shrimp, king crab legs, and clams? Take it one step at a time. First, simmer a flavor-packed mixture of lemons, Cajun seasoning, onions, garlic, and chiles with small new potatoes to give them a head start. Then add your clams and spicy andouille sausage and simmer for a few minutes more. Finally, toss in the faster-cooking ingredients — such as the shrimp and king crab legs — along with frozen corn on the cob (freezing the corn cools down the boil without diluting it the way ice would). A warm bowl of butter sauce spiked with more Cajun seasoning makes the perfect dipping partner for every delicious bite.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Cajun seasoning made of?

    Although Cajun seasoning recipes vary greatly from cook to cook, they almost always include a few core ingredients: paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. However, you may find additional ingredients in the mix, such as oregano, thyme, mustard powder, or other chile peppers, from time to time.

  • What is the best substitute for Cajun seasoning?

    Cajun seasoning is best known for its deep, smoky flavor and spicy kick. As such, a good substitute for Cajun seasoning should include aromatic herbs and spices, like paprika, pepper, and cayenne powder. For more complexity, layer on additional spices, such as thyme, oregano, and garlic powder.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

If you happen to get carried away with the spice level in your Cajun boil, tone it down by adding a splash of acidity — either from lemon or vinegar — to help subdue the heat. When ready to serve the boil, you can either opt for the traditional method (spreading out on a newspaper-lined table to enjoy family style) or, to spare yourself the mess, you can serve the boil on individual parchment-lined baking sheets to help keep the liquids from oozing everywhere.

In terms of equipment, aside from an extra large pot big enough to handle all the ingredients, don't forget to grab a few pairs of crab crackers to help break through the tough shells of the king crab.

Ingredients

Seafood Boil

  • 4 ears fresh yellow corn, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces

  • 6 quarts water

  • 4 large lemons, halved crosswise

  • 2 large red onions, halved lengthwise

  • 3 medium jalapeño chiles, halved lengthwise and unseeded (optional)

  • 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or to taste)

  • 2 large garlic heads, halved crosswise

  • 4 fresh or dried bay leaves

  • 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

  • 2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 6 frozen king crab legs (about 2 pounds total), thawed

  • 1 1/2 pounds jumbo, unpeeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail on

Cajun Butter Sauce

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

  • 2 teaspoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (such as Crystal)

  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

  1. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Place corn in a single layer on a large plate; freeze until ready to use, about 1 hour.

  3. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Meanwhile, add water to a large (16-quart) stockpot. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into water, removing and discarding seeds; add squeezed lemon halves, onions, jalapeños (if using), Cajun seasoning, salt, cayenne, garlic heads, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil over high.

  4. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Add potatoes. Cover pot and return to a gentle boil over high. Uncover and boil, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.

  5. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Add clams and sausage. Cover pot and return to a gentle boil over high. Uncover and boil, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

  6. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Add crab legs, shrimp, and frozen corn to stockpot, using tongs to incorporate them into the broth. Cover pot and let mixture stand, undisturbed, 15 minutes.

  7. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Meanwhile, make the Cajun Butter Sauce: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Reduce heat to low; gradually add butter pieces, whisking until mixture is emulsified and thickened (do not let sauce boil).

  8. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Remove from heat; stir in parsley, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and optional cayenne and transfer to a sauceboat or small serving bowl.

  9. Cajun Seafood Boil

    Working in batches, drain seafood boil in a colander, using tongs to help transfer ingredients to colander and then to a serving platter. Serve seafood boil alongside warmed Cajun Butter Sauce.

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