Basic Seafood Boil
I call it basic because it's the start of a good meal. This recipe makes enough for 12 people, so size accordingly. Start with this and add or change as you like. Some ideas are to add clams, mussels, crab legs. Change the Andouille to kielbasa or your favorite smoked sausage. Oh, and the total time it takes is REALLY dependent on the beer consumption.
I call it basic because it's the start of a good meal. This recipe makes enough for 12 people, so size accordingly. Start with this and add or change as you like. Some ideas are to add clams, mussels, crab legs. Change the Andouille to kielbasa or your favorite smoked sausage. Oh, and the total time it takes is REALLY dependent on the beer consumption.
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- 14 oz onion chopped
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, peeled more the marrier i say
- 7 tbsp old bay seasoning (more to taste if desired)
- 5 tbsp salt
- 10-12 sprigs fresh parsley
- 3 lbs baby red potatoes unpeeled
- 12 ears corn shucked cut in half
- 4 lbs raw shrimp thawed, the size is your preference
- 24 oz andouille sausage cut in 2-inch lengths (or your favorite smoked sausage)
- melted butter optional
- Carbohydrate 43.4037760357229 g
- Cholesterol 280.235036046167 mg
- Fat 21.5586415574522 g
- Fiber 4.96968434271601 g
- Protein 47.2042080791435 g
- Saturated Fat 7.23446048617816 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (472g)
- Sodium 652.669298815741 mg
- Sugar 38.4340916930069 g
- Trans Fat 2.3458003047964 g
- Calories 550 calories
Step-by-step
- Remove steamer insert from 16 quart stockpot: set aside. Combine celery, onion, and garlic in stockpot; fill with 14 quarts water. Add Old Bay seasoning and 5 Tbsp salt, or to taste.
- Heat to boiling on MED-HIGH. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30-40 min. Add parsley; simmer 5 min.
- Place potatoes in steamer insert; lower carefully into hot broth. Cook 15 min, until almost tender. Add corn; cook 5 min. Add shrimp and andouille; cook 3-4 min until shrimp are pink. Remove from heat.
- Carefully lift steamer insert from stockpot; spoon vegetables, shrimp, and andouille into large deep tray or bowl. Sprinkle lightly with Old Bay. Strain broth; serve broth and butter as accompaniments to shrimp boil.
Replacing the traditional andouille with a mild smoked kielbasa alters the fundamental fat profile of the aromatic broth, rendering the final liquid distinctly lighter and less spicy. Historically, coastal communal pots relied on whatever cured meats and aromatics were regionally available, adapting standard boiling techniques into feasts. Potatoes go into the steamer insert first because dense root vegetables require a full fifteen minutes of simmering to soften completely before starchy corn and delicate proteins enter the vessel. Shrimp require precisely three to four minutes of exposure to hot liquid; pull them the exact second they curl into tight 'C' shapes and turn pink to prevent rubbery textures. Storing leftover cooked seafood and vegetables safely requires an airtight container kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, consumed within two days. Transforming these chilled leftovers involves chopping the potatoes and sausage into dice, crisping them in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and folding in the leftover peeled shrimp just until warmed through. Crusty French bread or saltine crackers serve as traditional accompaniments, offering necessary textural contrast to absorb the rich, seasoned pot liquid.
