Ingredients:

  • 6 quarts (5.7 liters) water
  • 1 (16-ounce) package (454g) Crab Boil Seasoning Blend (e.g., Zatarain's or Old Bay)
  • 1/4 cup (55g) salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons (8-16g) cayenne pepper (depending on desired heat)
  • 2 lemons, halved
  • 2 large onions, quartered
  • 8 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco)
  • 4 pounds (1.8kg) red potatoes, small to medium size
  • 2 pounds (900g) smoked sausage (Andouille or Kielbasa), cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 6 ears corn on the cob, shucked and halved
  • 6-8 live blue crabs or Dungeness crabs (about 2-3 pounds/900g-1.3kg total), cleaned
  • 1 pound (450g) jumbo shrimp (optional), peeled and deveined
  • Melted butter, as desired, for dipping
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

  1. Combine water, crab boil seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, lemon halves, onion quarters, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and hot sauce in the stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
  2. Add the potatoes to the boiling broth. Cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the sausage and corn to the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  4. Gently add the crabs to the pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the crabs turn bright red and their shells release easily from the body.
  5. If using shrimp, add them to the pot during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, until pink and opaque.
  6. Carefully drain the crab boil, reserving some of the broth if desired for dipping. Spread the contents onto a large platter or a table covered in newspaper. Serve immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges.