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Grab a large pot and your favorite seafood. I am going to teach you how to make the ultimate Cajun seafood boil at home. My recipe features my homemade Cajun seasoning and popular Cajun butter sauce, along with fresh seafood for a taste of the bayou that is perfect for gatherings.
My cajun seafood boil recipe has been a long time in the making. After sharing many of my favorites from Cajun shrimp deviled eggs to a classic Cajun shrimp and grits, it seemed something was missing.
Because Cajun boils are so easy to make, it never occurred to me to post this. I just put up the Cajun sauce and called it a day. But I heard your cries and I am here with all the details to help you make the most flavorful boil ever.
order:
- 7.5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/4dcUqms
- Lodge Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet: https://amzn.to/3TyyMSA
- Bamboo Seasonings Box with Mini Spoon: https://amzn.to/4dfHzA6
Why My Recipe Works
- Flexible- You easily increase or decrease the quantities in this recipe to feed a crowd. I have included equipment recommendations for coking outside but you can cook inside on the stovetop if needed.
- Flavor- You don't use old bay seasoning in Louisiana boils. Period. This recipe is all about flavor, from carmelizing the minced garlic for our buttery sauce to building flavor before the seafood cooks.
Ingredient Notes
- Beer- I use a pale ale (and yes, it was gluten-free) but you can skip this and just use water. Or try adding 2 cups of apple cider. Weird? Maybe but also delcious.
- Aromatics- Heads of garlic with the top ⅓ cut off, lemons, sliced white or yellow onions, and lots of bay leaves.
- Andouille Sausage- Slice on the diagonal so you get long thin pieces. This leaves more surface area to flavor the broth.
- Potatoes- I use red potatoes but yellow potatoes also work. You want something waxy and large enough (about 2 inches wide) you can cut in half. Small potatoes left whole don't absorb as much flavor.
- Sweet Corn- I cut each ear into thirds and plan on 2 pieces per person.
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
Can you use store-bought? Sure you could BUT mine has just the right amount of salt for this recipe. It also contains dry mustard which is my secret ingredient. And white pepper lends just the right level of spice.
Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce
Fun fact, this sauce is the most popular recipe on my site! You need fresh garlic, parsley, and lemon.
But a quick note about butter. Because the Cajun spice mix is seasoned you want to use unsalted butter.
Best Types of Seafood for a Boil
First off, you can use a variety of seafood or just one type. A plain shrimp or crab boil is just as delcious. But when pairing seafood I try to stick to no more than 3 varieties.
When choosing seafood seasonality and price are my determining factors.
Shrimp- Use extra large or jumbo shrimp. Uncooked with the shell on.
Crab- Blue crab is the classic choice and is in season in summer and early fall. But snow crab, Dungeness crab and king crab are all options. I typically use snow crab legs.
Crawfish- Another great choice if you can get them. They are in peak season March through May.
Lobster- I buy frozen tails when they are on sale and keep them for these types of occasions.
Mussels- Be sure to scrub and rinse them well.
Clams- Again be sure to wash them well.
How to Make A Cajun Boil At Home
Get your pot set up and everything prepped. Mix your seasoning together. Reserve a small portion for the sauce and the rest goes into the boil.
Make the Boiling Broth
Add your beer, aromatics and seasoning to the water. The pot should be no more than ⅔ full after adding these items. Add more water if needed. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cooking for a few minutes will allow the flavor to infuse.
Add the Potatoes
Add the sausage and potatoes to the pot. I notice most recipes cook until fork tender. This is too done! They will continue to cook when you add the seafood. I like to cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the Seafood
First, add your corn, then the crab and lobster to the boil. Be sure to stir the mixture and submerge the seafood.
Add the shrimp and cover. Immediately turn the burner off. If you keep the temperature up during the cooking process the residual heat will cook the shrimp.
Make the Butter Sauce
Carmelize the garlic in a little bit of butter. Then add the remaining butter.
Add the lemon juice and seasonings to the melted butter.
How to Serve a Seafood Boil
Remove the basket from the pot. I like to transfer it to a sheet pan for transporting to the table, this keeps the drips from getting on me and burning.
You can serve the cooked seafood on a rimmed baking sheet (actually 2 to 3) or serve directly on a picnic table covered in butcher paper. Yes, newspaper is traditional but who has that anymore?
Mix ⅓ of the butter sauce with 1 cup of the seasoned pot water. Spoon the sauce over the seafood and vegetables. Serve with the remaining Cajun butter sauce on the side for dipping.
Seafood Boil Tips
- Turn the heat off when adding the shrimp. This will ensure they don't overcook.
- If your crab is raw add it earlier. It will need an additional 10 to 12 minutes.
- Plan on 1 pound of seafood per person (this includes the shell weight).
- Use potatoes large enough to cut in half so they absorb the flavor of the pot liquid.
- Do not use Old Bay. Old Bay is largely made of celery seed and doesn't have a Cajun flavor. It is a decidedly New England spice.
- Have all your ingredients ready to go.
- Squeeze the cooked garlic out and smear on crusty bread. It will be soft and flavorful.
- Discard any mussels and clams that don't open during cooking.
- Using frozen seafood is fine, just make sure your shrimp is uncooked.
- Use jumbo shrimp. The bigger the better.
- If you like things extra spicy make a separate butter sauce and load it up with hot sauce.
- Make the boil seasoning and butter sauce in advance. You can reheat the butter while the seafood is cooking.
- The recipe will cook faster on a freestanding outdoor gas burner than on the stovetop so increase cooking times for indoor cooking.
- Do not add the corn too early. It only takes a few minutes to cook the small pieces.
- If you are doing a plain shrimp boil, add the corn and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the shrimp and cook for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the residual heat finish cooking the shrimp.
