Name: Seafood Boil with Crab, Corn and Cajun Butter
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 2 lbs crab legs; 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 4 ears corn, cut into thirds; 1 lb baby potatoes, halved; 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced; ½ cup unsalted butter; 3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lemon, sliced; Salt and black pepper to taste; Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

So, Here's the Story (Or: Why My Kitchen Still Smells Like the Sea)

Alright, picture this: it's Saturday, the neighbors have decided to drop in (again), and I've got this itch to cook something that doesn't involve another sad sheet pan dinner. Enter the Seafood Boil with Crab, Corn and Cajun Butter. First time I made this, I accidentally dropped a whole lemon in the pot, peel and all. Guess what? Nobody complained and actually, that bright citrus punch stuck around in my recipe ever since. If you love a meal where everyone gets a little messy and there's more laughter than manners, this one's for you. (And yes, I still find bits of corn on the floor days later. Worth it!)

Why You'll Absolutely Love This (At Least, My Crowd Does)

I make this whenever I want to see my family go a little wild—especially my cousin Jase, who claims the Cajun butter is 'liquid gold.' It's also my fallback when I forgot to plan anything fancy but still want people to think I did. (Honestly, seafood boils are so forgiving; once I even ran out of crab and swapped in some smoked sausage and nobody blinked.) Plus, it's fun! You dump everything onto a big table and dig in with your hands. Only downside: I always lose one shrimp to the dog. Every time. Still, it's a total crowd-pleaser.

What You’ll Need (And What You Can Totally Swap)

2 lbs crab legs (snow crab, king crab, whatever's on sale) – My grandma swears by Dungeness, but honestly, any crab is a good crab.
1 lb large shrimp, deveined (shell-on or off, you do you)
1 lb baby potatoes
3-4 ears fresh corn, snapped into halves or thirds – In winter, I use frozen corn, works fine.
1 lb Andouille sausage, sliced (or Kielbasa for less heat)
2-3 lemons, halved
1 head garlic, halved horizontally – Pre-peeled cloves also work if you’re in a pinch.
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2-3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning – I like Tony Chachere's but the store brand is fine too.
1 tablespoon Old Bay – Or just double the Cajun if you don't have Old Bay.
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Here’s How I Do It (More or Less)

Bring on the big pot. Fill your biggest stockpot (mine's borderline ridiculous, but anything 8-quart-ish works) two-thirds with water. Toss in a hefty sprinkle of salt, a sliced lemon, Old Bay, and a good handful of Cajun seasoning. Get it boiling—no need to babysit, just check back after ten minutes.
Start with potatoes. Toss in the potatoes and garlic halves. Boil for 8-10 minutes, just until they start to soften. (I always poke a potato here, sometimes with a chopstick. Highly scientific.)
Add corn and sausage. Next, throw in the corn and sausage slices. Give it 5-6 minutes. If your corn's frozen, maybe a minute or two longer, but honestly, don’t overthink it.
Crab and shrimp time. Gently plop in the crab legs; after two-ish minutes, add the shrimp. This is where I sneak a shrimp to "test for doneness"—purely quality control, of course. Turn off the heat after about 3 minutes, once shrimp are pink and crab is heated through.
Drain (sort of). Now, drain it all—either with a spider or carefully pour into a colander (if you don’t have a colander big enough, do it in batches, no biggie). Dump everything onto a newspaper-lined table or a giant baking sheet if you’re fancy.
Cajun butter = magic. Melt the butter in a small saucepan with another lemon, the rest of your Cajun seasoning, and a little black pepper. Let it bubble gently for a few minutes. Pour that over everything, then toss gently. (Don’t worry if it looks too buttery, that’s the whole point.)
Finish with parsley. Sprinkle on parsley if you’re feeling elegant or just skip it. Up to you.

Not-So-Secret Notes (Trust Me, I Learned These the Hard Way)

The longer you let the potatoes go, the mushier they get—ask me how I know. Watch them close!
If you run out of Cajun seasoning, just mix paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, and a touch of dried thyme. Not quite the same but still good.
Lemon halves floating in the boil look strange, but leave them in—they add tons of flavor.
Actually, I find it works better if you let the whole thing sit for 5 mins off the heat before serving.

Variations I’ve Tried (And One That Was a Bust)

Once swapped shrimp for clams—delicious, just had to scrub them real good.
Tried adding sliced red bell pepper; okay, but it got kinda mushy. Wouldn’t bother again.
No crab? Extra sausage and a few mussels fills things out nicely.
For a spicier vibe, I splash in a shot of hot sauce to the butter.

What You Need (But Honestly, Don’t Sweat It)

Big pot – If you don't have a true stockpot, do it in two batches or use your biggest Dutch oven. Works in a pinch.
Colander or spider skimmer – I’ve used a slotted spoon and it was fine, just took longer.
Newspaper or a baking sheet – Spreading everything out is part of the fun, but a big platter's totally fine. Or just, you know, straight onto the table if you're feeling wild.

Seafood Boil with Crab, Corn and Cajun Butter

How To Store It (Though Honestly, It Never Lasts Long)

Pop leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate; they’ll keep 1–2 days, tops. I personally think the flavors are even better the next day, but that could just be because the butter gets a chance to really soak in. Just reheat gently, maybe with an extra spoonful of butter. (Leftover potatoes make a mean hash, by the way.)

How We Serve It Up (Family Style, Of Course)

I just dump the whole lot onto a paper-covered table, hand out bibs, and let everyone dive in. (My uncle always insists on extra lemon wedges. I keep them in a bowl nearby—easy fix.) Sometimes we make garlic bread to mop up the Cajun butter, but honestly, you could just use whatever bread is lying around. Oh, and a big salad if you’re feeling virtuous.

Lessons Learned (AKA Pro Tips I Picked Up the Hard Way)

Don’t rush the butter melting. I once tried to zap it in the microwave; ended up with splatters everywhere. Low and slow on the stove is best.
I used to skip the garlic, but now I always toss in at least a couple cloves. Big flavor difference, trust me.
Actually, potatoes in too late means they’re rock-hard, so always start them early.

Real Questions I've Gotten (And My Thoroughly Imperfect Answers)

Can I make this if I don’t have crab? Totally—just up the shrimp or add mussels, or even chunk in some white fish. I did it once with leftover lobster tails (fancy, right?).
What if I can’t find Cajun seasoning? Mix up your own! There's a great recipe over at Spend With Pennies. Or just go heavier on the Old Bay.
Is there a vegetarian version? Hmm, tricky but not impossible. Skip the seafood, load up on potatoes, corn, mushrooms, and veggie sausage. Oh, and a good dose of smoked paprika for that flavor hit. Not quite the same, but still a fun mess.
Where do you get crab legs cheap? I keep an eye on sales at my local market and sometimes order online from Fulton Fish Market. (Not sponsored! Just handy.)

One Last, Completely Unnecessary Digression

Once, my neighbor tried to convince me to make this boil on a campfire. I said, are you mad? But after thinking about it, I bet it would be a blast—maybe next summer. Or not. We’ll see.

Seafood Boil with Crab, Corn and Cajun Butter