Cajun Seafood Boil Corn (Printable)

Succulent seafood, spicy sausage, corn, and potatoes simmered in bold Cajun broth for a shared feast.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
02 - 1 lb snow crab legs or king crab
03 - 1 lb mussels or clams, scrubbed and debearded

→ Meat

04 - 12 oz smoked Andouille sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

→ Vegetables

05 - 4 ears corn, cut into halves or thirds
06 - 1.5 lb baby red potatoes, halved
07 - 1 large yellow onion, quartered
08 - 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
09 - 1 lemon, sliced

→ Broth & Seasonings

10 - 3 quarts water
11 - 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning blend
12 - 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
13 - 2 tbsp kosher salt
14 - 4 bay leaves
15 - 1 tbsp smoked paprika
16 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter

→ For Serving

18 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
19 - Fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Fill a large stockpot with 3 quarts of water. Add Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, salt, bay leaves, paprika, cayenne, onion, garlic, and lemon slices. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Add potatoes to the boiling broth. Cook for 10 minutes until beginning to soften.
03 - Add sausage and corn to the pot. Continue boiling for 7-8 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.
04 - Add crab legs and mussels or clams. Boil for 5 minutes until shells begin to open.
05 - Add shrimp and 2 tbsp butter. Boil for 2-3 minutes, until shrimp are pink and opaque and shellfish have fully opened.
06 - Immediately turn off heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer seafood, sausage, corn, and potatoes to a large serving platter or spread over newspaper on a table.
07 - Drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with extra Cajun seasoning, and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve hot with napkins and shell crackers.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Its basically a party where you get to eat with your hands and nobody judges the mess
  • The broth somehow makes everything taste better than the sum of its parts
  • You can feed a crowd without feeling chained to the stove
02 -
  • Dont skip the shell on shrimp they protect the meat from turning rubbery and flavor the broth
  • If shellfish dont open during cooking throw them out immediately
  • The potatoes continue cooking after you remove them so pull them slightly underdone
03 -
  • Make extra Cajun butter for dipping and brush it over corn right before serving
  • If your broth tastes flat before adding seafood add more salt not more spice

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