Ingredients:
- 1 Gallon Water
- 1 large Yellow Onion, quartered
- 2 medium Lemons, halved
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 2 Tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
- 1/4 Cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 5 lbs Small Red Potatoes, halved
- 4 ears Corn on the Cob, cut into 2-inch segments
- 1 lb Smoked Andouille or Kielbasa Sausage, sliced 1-inch thick
- 5 lbs Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 lbs Crawfish or Blue Crabs (optional)
- 1 Cup (226g) Unsalted Butter
- 10 cloves Garlic, minced finely
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Hot Sauce (e.g., Tabasco or Cholula)
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions:
- Prepare the Boil Liquid: Fill the stockpot with water. Add onions, lemons, bay leaves, peppercorns, Old Bay, and cayenne. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Cook the Hard Vegetables & Sausage: Once boiling vigorously, add the potatoes and sausage. Cook for 10 minutes until potatoes are just fork-tender.
- Add Corn: Add the corn segments to the pot. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes.
- Add Seafood: Add the shrimp (and crabs/crawfish if using). Cook just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque (about 2–4 minutes, depending on size). Do not overcook!
- Drain and Reserve: Carefully drain the entire contents of the pot using a colander, reserving about 1 cup of the flavourful cooking liquid. Transfer the solids to a large serving bowl.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: In a separate saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté gently for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir in the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and thyme. Whisk well. Whisk in a splash or two of the reserved cooking liquid until the sauce is luscious and pourable.
- Toss and Serve: Pour the entire garlic butter sauce generously over the drained seafood mixture. Toss everything gently until well coated.
- Garnish and Devour: Sprinkle heavily with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.