Seafood Boil
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water
- 1/4 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb large shrimp (16/20 count), shells on
- 1.5 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 1 lb mussels, debearded and scrubbed
- 1 lb andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch rounds
- 2 lbs baby potatoes, halved
- 3 ears corn, shucked and cut into thirds
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 lemon, halved
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a 12-quart stockpot over high heat. Add Old Bay, kosher salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and smashed garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add halved baby potatoes and sliced sausage. Return to a boil and cook for 12 minutes until potatoes are nearly tender. Maintain a steady boil throughout.
- Add corn and squeeze lemon halves into the pot. Cook for 4 minutes. The liquid should taste assertively seasoned—adjust salt if needed.
- Increase heat to high. Add clams and mussels, stirring gently to submerge. Cook for 4-5 minutes until shells begin opening.
- Add shrimp and 3 tbsp cold butter. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes until shrimp turn opaque pink and reach 145°F internally. Discard any unopened clams or mussels.
- Transfer entire contents to a large serving bowl or spread across a newspaper-lined table. Serve immediately with extra melted butter on the side and crusty bread for soaking up the flavorful broth.
Inspired by Kaleena Bliss’s winning seafood boil. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.