Weeknight Seafood Boil
César Pérez
Photo by Elvin Abril
- Serves
- 4
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 Minutes
You really don't need a weekend in New England (unless you already live there) to enjoy a proper seafood boil. These surprisingly simple feasts are usually reserved for special occasions or large crowds, but they come together so easily that you can definitely enjoy one on a Tuesday night, just because. Feel free to swap out clams for mussels (or add both!), crab legs for lobster tails, and absolutely play with your seasonings and other additions. The most challenging part is the timing, ensuring everything is finished at the same time and all of your seafood is tender and perfectly cooked. But don't worry—I’ve pretty much made this foolproof. Keep lots of extra Old Bay on hand for sprinkling and maybe wear a bib to avoid garlic butter stains on your shirt.
Ingredients
- FOR THE BROTH
- 12 cup water
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 garlic head, halved
- Handful of fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, oregano)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, halved and squeezed
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
- ⅓ cup Old Bay seasoning, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- FOR THE BOIL
- 1 pound baby potatoes, larger potatoes cut in half
- 2 ears of corn, cut into fifths
- 12 ounce Kielbasa, or any other similarly sized smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 pound littleneck clams
- 4 small lobster tails, butterflied
- 1 pound Argentinian red shrimp or large shrimp, shell on and cleaned
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- FOR THE GARLIC BUTTER
- 1 pound salted butter, preferably European-style (such as Kerrygold)
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- Fresh herb sprigs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Featured Video
Weeknight Seafood Boil
Directions
- Step 1
Make your broth: In a large stock pot, at least 7 quarts deep, bring water to a rolling boil. Add the onion, garlic, herbs, bay leaves, lemons, lemongrass, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover for 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Make the garlic butter: As the stock is boiling, melt the butter, grated garlic, herb sprigs, and Old Bay seasoning over low heat. Keep it warm as you continue with the rest of the seafood boil.
- Step 3
Add your boil ingredients: After 10 minutes, uncover the stock pot and add the potatoes and sausage. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes have passed, uncover the pot and add the corn. Place the cover back on and cook for another 5 minutes. Follow with the clams and lobster tails for another 5 minutes. End with the shrimp, moving things around to ensure that they’re completely submerged, cover, and turn off the heat. The shrimp will cook through perfectly with the residual heat for the last 5 minutes.
- Step 4
Serve: After the shrimp are done, immediately transfer everything to a large serving platter or onto a butcher paper-lined surface. Generously sprinkle Old Bay over everything. Serve with lemon wedges and your warm garlic butter.