Ingredients:

  • 6 quarts Water
  • 4 medium Lemons, halved
  • 1 large Yellow Onion, quartered
  • 1 whole head Garlic, cut horizontally (unpeeled)
  • 6 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1/4 cup Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (or beer)
  • 2 lbs Small New Potatoes (waxy), halved
  • 1 lb Smoked Sausage (Andouille or Chorizo), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 ears Corn on the Cob, shucked and broken into 2-3 inch segments
  • 2 lbs Large Shrimp (Prawns), shell-on, head-off, deveined
  • 1 lb Mussels or Clams, scrubbed and debearded
  • 2 lbs Crab (Snow, Dungeness, or Langoustine tails), pre-cut clusters or whole
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
  • 8 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced very finely
  • Zest of 2 medium Lemons
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Reserved Boil Seasoning (scoop powder from the top of the boil)
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

Instructions:

  1. Build the Base: In the large stockpot, combine the 6 quarts of water, lemons, onion, whole garlic head, bay leaves, salt, smoked paprika, cayenne, and apple cider vinegar.
  2. Bring to Strength: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and allow it to simmer vigorously for 10 minutes to let the flavours marry properly.
  3. Add Potatoes: Add the halved new potatoes to the boiling broth. Increase the heat back up if necessary to maintain a steady, rapid boil. Cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Add Sausage and Corn: Add the cut sausage pieces and corn segments to the pot. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes. (The potatoes should now be nearly fork-tender.)
  5. Add Hard Shellfish: Introduce the crab clusters and the scrubbed mussels/clams. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the mussels/clams have just started to open.
  6. Add Shrimp: Add the raw shrimp (prawns) last. Cook for only 2–3 minutes, until they turn opaque and pink and curl into a 'C' shape. (Do not overcook the shrimp.)
  7. Make the Butter Sauce: While the seafood is cooking, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and reserved boil seasoning. Cook gently for 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown the garlic). Remove from heat, stir in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice, and keep warm.
  8. Drain Thoroughly: Using a large colander or the spider strainer, quickly remove all the solids (seafood, potatoes, sausage, corn) from the boiling liquid. Discard the cooking liquid and the spent aromatics (onions, lemons).
  9. Toss and Serve: Transfer the boiled ingredients to a massive serving platter or, traditionally, directly onto a newspaper-lined table. Drizzle half of the warm Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce over the top, tossing gently to coat.
  10. Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish generously with fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately with the remaining Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce on the side for dipping.