Recipe: Seafood Boil

My friends and family know I absolutely love seafood, and it is my vice when it comes to proteins. I can give up red meats fairly easily and avoid other land animals more regularly, but I haven’t been able to pass up shellfish just yet! Seafood boil is one of my favorite ways I like seafood to be prepared, for its spice and punch of flavor, but it can get expensive when dining out. I wanted to share an easy recipe for those of you who are looking for a doable recipe to try at home.

Photo Credit: Southern Creole Spices

For my seafood boil, I made it for two people (so two pounds of seafood), so I chose shrimp and mussels! You can really pick any seafood you want (crab legs, crab, crawfish, clams, etc.) and add andouille sausage if you’d like.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb head-on shrimp
  • 1 lb mussels
  • 2 lemons
  • 2 corn cobs
  • 2 potatoes
  • 1/2 can beer
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 tbsp salt

Steps:

  1. Submerge the mussels in water and put salt in there – I’ve learned from my mom that it helps them spit out any dirt and sand that they’re retaining inside their shells. Keep them in the salt water for at least half an hour.
  2. Depending on your preference, I chose to devein my shrimp but keep the head on before putting it in the boil.
  3. To add some substance and make it a “real” boil, I cut up some potatoes and corn so there would be additional things to snack on while I enjoyed the dinner.
  4. Rinse out the mussels once you are ready to start the boil.
  5. Pour the water, beer, salt and Old Bay seasoning into a large pot on medium to high heat.
  6. When it has boiled, add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
  8. Add the seafood and cook for 10 minutes (or until the shrimp shells are pink and all mussel shells are opened).

Enjoy your delicious meal!