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Southern Style Shrimp and Crab Boil

Ingredients

  • 4 (3 ounce each) packages dry crab boil
  • 16 red-skinned potatoes
  • 3 large artichokes
  • 8 ears of corn, shucked
  • 12 bratwurst sausages
  • 3 pounds asparagus
  • 5 pounds fresh whole shrimp
  • 5 pounds crab legs
  • 6 gallons water
  • 1 1/2 cups salt
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 5 lemons, cut in half
  • 4 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and quartered
  • 4 heads garlic, halved horizontally
  • 1 bunch celery, well washed and tops removed
  • 24 scallions, trimmed

Prep Time:

45 minutes

Cook Time:

40 minutes

Serves:

15

This recipe is for a large gathering of hungry people. It has just enough spice to give it sass, but not enough to scare off the faint of heart.

Why Try? This is entertaining on a grand scale, with the flavors and experience that will leave your guests saying "Wow!"

Foodie Byte: This is an old-fashioned eat-with-your-hands kind of dinner that everyone will enjoy and remember. And everything cooks in the same (big) pot!

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Preparation

  1. Set the kettle with basket insert on high heat, cover and bring to a rolling boil. Add seasonings.
  2. With the cooking stock at full boil, start by adding the vegetables that will take the longest to cook: the potatoes and artichokes. Cover the pot, bring to boil again and cook for 7 minutes.
  3. Add the corn, bratwursts, lemons, onions, garlic, celery and scallions to the pot. Cover and boil again for another 7 minutes. NOTE: It's best to precook the brats ahead of time for a nice caramelized appearance--and to reduce grease in the boil pot.
  4. Add the asparagus, crab legs and shrimp. Tuck the ingredients down into the stock with a wooden paddle and stir. Cover the kettle, and when the stock returns to a rolling boil and the shrimp turn pink, turn off the heat. (If the shrimp and crab boil any longer they will be difficult to peel.) Remove all ingredients from the pot and serve immediately.