Here’s Chef Ed’s Ultimate King Crab Seafood Boil — a luxurious, crowd-pleasing feast full of bold Cajun flavor, juicy king crab legs, tender shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes, all tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce. Perfect for special occasions, summer gatherings, or just treating yourself.
🦀 Chef Ed’s King Crab Seafood Boil
Juicy king crab legs, shrimp, sausage & veggies tossed in spicy Cajun garlic butter
🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
🕒 Cook Time: 30–40 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4–6
✅ Ingredients
For the Boil:
- 2 lbs king crab legs (split at joints if needed)
- 1 lb large shrimp (peeled, tail-on or off)
- 1 lb smoked sausage (like andouille or kielbasa), sliced
- 4 ears of corn, cut into halves or thirds
- 1 lb baby potatoes (red or gold)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp Old Bay or Cajun seasoning
- Salt, to taste
For the Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
🔥 Instructions
1. Boil the Veggies
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Squeeze in the lemon halves and drop them into the pot, along with the garlic head, bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, and a generous pinch of salt.
Add potatoes first. Boil for 10–12 minutes until fork-tender. Then add corn and sausage; boil 5 more minutes.
2. Add Seafood
Add shrimp and king crab legs to the pot. Boil just until shrimp are pink and cooked through (about 2–3 minutes). Crab legs are often pre-cooked and just need to be heated through.
Drain everything into a large colander or scoop out with a slotted spoon.
3. Make the Garlic Butter Sauce
In a large pan or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (1–2 minutes). Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, lemon juice, and chili flakes (if using). Let it bubble gently for another 2 minutes.
4. Toss & Serve
Return the boiled seafood, sausage, and veggies to a large bowl or clean pot. Pour the garlic butter sauce over everything and toss well to coat.
Transfer to a platter or dump it out onto a parchment-lined table for that classic seafood boil vibe. Garnish with parsley and serve with extra lemon wedges and crusty bread (to soak up the sauce!).
🧑🍳 Chef Ed’s Tips
- Pre-split crab legs for easier eating. Use kitchen shears to cut along the shell before boiling.
- Add snow crab, lobster tails, or clams to make it a deluxe seafood boil.
- For more kick, stir a spoonful of hot sauce or Creole mustard into the garlic butter.
- Serve with bibs and lots of napkins — it’s messy and that’s the fun!
🧊 Storage & Reheating
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water and butter. Avoid microwaving shellfish, which can turn rubbery.
Chef Ed’s King Crab Seafood Boil Recipe
