Louisiana Style Crab Boil

Larry "Lee" White, Seafood Manager

With Memorial Day around the corner, this is a great recipe to incorporate with crawfish. This is a recipe that Chef Lee says he stole from a close friend. It became an instant classic when he cooked it for family and friends.

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup mustard seed

6 tablespoons coriander seeds

1/4 cup whole allspice seeds

1/4 cup dill seeds

2 teaspoons whole cloves

12 small dried chilies crumbled, or 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

16 bay leaves

8 quarts water

1 dozen small new potatoes, scrubbed

2 large onions, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise

2 lemons, halved

1-1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon of salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of cayenne

2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (Seafood Department)

1 large head of garlic, cut in half crosswise

1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 HEB sweet corn (Produce Department) (Primo Pick)

2 pounds crawfish (Seafood Department)

5 pounds snow crab

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 dozen littleneck clams

1 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

 

Directions:

  • Place the first seven ingredients in cheesecloth and tie with butcher's twine. 
  • Put the seasoning bag, water, potatoes, onions, lemons, 1 1/4 cups of salt, 1/4 cup cayenne, and garlic in a large stockpot. 
  • Bring the liquid to a boil, cover and boil for 15 minutes. 
  • Add the sausage, corn, crawfish, and crabs. 
  • Using a long-handled spoon, stir around and press the contents down well into the water.  Cover the pot and return to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat. 
  • Add the remaining salt and cayenne.  Cover and let the boil stand for 10 minutes. 
  • Add the shrimp and clams.  Return to the heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes.  Drain. 
  • Turn the crab boil on top of newspaper.  Serve with melted butter and garnish with parsley.

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