Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Boil Recipe is a concoction of seafood, corn, potato and sausage boiled in a blend of aromatic seasonings.
This crab boil recipe uses a bag of Louisiana crawfish, Crab, and Shrimp boil that fills the air with its savory and spicy scent.
You can prepare this for Lent without the sausage.
Don’t feel intimidated with the ingredients. It is worth it even if you have to clean the crabs yourself.
Clueless in cleaning crabs. Watch my video How to Clean Blue Crab.
I wanted to add crawfish but when I stopped by the Asian store they didn’t have it. Of course… I was there the day before and they had a bucket full of crawfish.
Oh well, I was hoping to recreate an authentic Louisiana Style Boil - not today! Don’t get me wrong even without the crawfish it was still very delicious.
Today was too windy so forget about cooking outdoors. Luckily when it was time to eat – the wind had died down and we were able to set up everything outdoors - Louisiana style.
Shrimp & Crab Boil for Labor Day Weekend Celebration
We gathered all the sale paper and covered our picnic table with it. Our center piece was the delicious shrimp and crabs and the whole shebang.
Can’t wait to dived in using our bare hands and chowing all these food with a cold beer and soda. Corn was juicy and deliciously infused with the Louisiana seasoning.
We ate so much that no one had any room for dessert but everyone loved the very cold Watermelon Agua Fresca with tequila. So refreshing especially on a hot day.
One of the best thing about this lunch was clean-up. It was a breezed. Some ate using a paper plate while others were comfortable eating on the newspaper Louisiana style.
FYI, we wiped clean the newspaper before laying it on the table. I wish lunch or dinner is always this easy.
When we were done we folded the newspapers with all the garbage inside and dump it in a plastic bag. That’s it, we were done.
We spend the afternoon playing cards and sipping some Spicy Margarita and Watermelon Agua Fresca. Both these drinks were so refreshing. Such an enjoyable lunch.
Another good thing about this lunch, aside from being scrumptious it cost a lot less than having it in a restaurant. We had more food for less money at the comfort of our home.
If you’re not drooling yet and you want to learn how to make this Louisiana shrimp and crab boil recipe watch my video.
How to calm down (kill) the angry crabs?
Place them in a deep pot and turn your faucet to the hottest setting. After a few minutes in hot water you can easily grab the crab by the back and brush it.
How can I get rid of the smell of seafood on my hands?
Before eating, make sure you have a lot of fresh cut lemon by the sink. Scrub your hands very well to get rid of the fishy smell.
Can I cook this Louisiana shrimp and crab boil recipe ahead of time?
Yes, warm it in the liquid you cooked it in. Cook it with the sauce the day you are having it.
Can I cut the crabs in half before cooking?
Absolutely. In fact, I prefer it cut in half after boiling. The crabs absorb the sauce better.
I don’t have newspaper what else can I use?
Parchment paper, foil or plastic table cover. If you have banana leaves that will work too.
How to Make this Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Boil Recipe
Would you like to try another popular delicious recipe native to Louisiana - the Creole Seafood Gumbo.
Note: My pictures are showing 2 trays of crabs. The other tray are crabs boiled in water without seasoning.
Recipe
Louisiana Shrimp and Crab Boil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bag Zatarain's crawfish, shrimp & crab boil
- 5 blue crabs
- 1 pound large shrimps
- 5 pieces red potatoes halved
- ½ pound smoked sausage cut into 3 pieces
- 2 ears white corn
- 1 lemon quartered
- 10 cups water
Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 1 head garlic peeled and minced
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ cajun seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- paprika
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seafood Steamer Seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon louisiana hot sauce
Instructions
- Rinse shrimp and trim tendrils.
- Rinse and brush the crab to get rid of dirt and grime. Keep hot water running and that will calm the crabs. It will be easier to clean.
- In a deep wide pot, add the potatoes, corn, sausage, lemon and the Zatarain's crawfish, shrimp & crab boil in bag. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Cook crabs for 10 minutes and remove from pot. Set aside.
- Lower heat to medium-low. Simmer until potatoes, corn and sausage are cook.
- Ten minutes before turning off the heat cook the shrimp until pink in the boiling water.
- While the above is cooking prepare the sauce.
- Melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan.
Sauce
- Saute garlic until golden.
- Add the Cajun seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, Cayenne pepper, lemon juice, ground pepper, paprika and hot sauce.
- You may tweak sauce to your liking. If you like it spicier then add more hot sauce or cayenne pepper.
- Simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Take the seafood, vegetables and sausage and mix with the sauce. You can mix it in big container or in the pan.
- If you want a truly Louisiana Style dining, spread out newspaper on the dining table or picnic table. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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