Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Your Ingredients: Gather all your ingredients and have them ready before you start cooking. This will make the process smoother.
  2. Melt Butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once melted, reduce the heat to low.
  3. Add Olive Oil: Pour in the olive oil to prevent the butter from burning and add richness to the sauce.
  4. Sauté Garlic: Add minced garlic into the pan with butter and oil mixture. Sauté for about a minute until fragrant but be careful not to burn it.
  5. Spice It Up: Stir in Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix well so that all spices are incorporated into the sauce. Let it simmer on low heat for about another minute allowing flavors to meld together.
  6. Citrus Twist: Add lemon zest first followed by lemon juice. Stir well again; this will brighten up your sauce beautifully!
  7. Taste Test & Adjust Seasoning: Taste your sauce; if you prefer more spice or acidity, adjust accordingly by adding more cayenne or lemon juice.
  8. Serve Over Seafood: Remove from heat once everything is mixed well. Pour generously over cooked shrimp, crab legs, mussels or any seafood of choice right before serving.