A seafood boil should feel abundant, relaxed, and just a little unruly. This one puts king crab legs, shrimp, sweet corn, tender potatoes, grilled lemons, and warm bread in the middle of the table, then finishes everything with Seven Barrels Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The Garlic EVOO adds savory richness without requiring a mountain of chopped garlic. Meyer Lemon EVOO brings the bright citrus finish seafood needs, balancing the sweetness of the crab and shrimp while cutting through the butter and olive oil.
Use king crab for the most dramatic presentation. Snow crab makes an excellent, more affordable substitute and requires no major changes to the recipe.
Recipe Details
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Course: Main course
Cuisine: American coastal
Best for: Summer entertaining, family gatherings, seafood nights, and casual celebrations
Ingredients
For the seafood boil
- 2 pounds small red or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 4 ears sweet corn, each cut into 3 pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise
- 2 lemons, halved
- 3 tablespoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay, plus more for finishing
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 pounds cooked king crab legs, thawed if frozen
- 2 pounds extra-large shrimp, shell-on and deveined
- 12 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces, optional
- ¼ cup Seven Barrels Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Seven Barrels Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Warm artisan bread, for serving
For the garlic-herb dipping sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup Seven Barrels Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Seven Barrels Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon seafood seasoning
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the ingredients
Rinse the potatoes and cut any unusually large ones in half. Cut the corn into thirds. Quarter the onion, halve the garlic head and lemons, and slice the sausage if using.
If the crab legs are frozen, thaw them completely in the refrigerator before cooking. Pat the shrimp and crab dry so the finishing oils cling to the seafood rather than sliding off with excess water.
2. Build the cooking liquid
Fill a large stockpot about halfway with water. Add the onion, halved garlic, one of the lemons, seafood seasoning, bay leaves, and kosher salt.
Bring the water to a strong boil over high heat. Reduce it slightly once boiling so it remains vigorous without spilling over the pot.
3. Cook the potatoes
Add the potatoes to the seasoned water. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on their size.
They should be beginning to soften but should not yet be completely tender.
4. Add the corn and sausage
Add the corn and optional sausage to the pot. Continue cooking for approximately 5 minutes.
5. Heat the crab
Add the crab legs and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Most commercially sold king crab and snow crab is already cooked, so the goal is to heat it through without making the meat dry or rubbery.
6. Cook the shrimp
Add the shrimp last. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on size, until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
Do not overcook them. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as the shrimp are done.
7. Drain carefully
Reserve approximately 1 cup of the seasoned cooking liquid, then drain the seafood and vegetables well.
Discard the bay leaves. Keep the softened onion and garlic if you enjoy serving them with the boil.
8. Add the Seven Barrels finishing oils
Transfer the seafood, potatoes, corn, and sausage to a very large serving platter, sheet pan, or paper-lined table.
Drizzle everything with the Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Toss or turn the ingredients gently so the oil reaches the crab, shrimp, corn, and potatoes.
Finish with the Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, chopped parsley, black pepper, and an additional light dusting of seafood seasoning.
Squeeze the remaining lemon over the platter just before serving.
9. Make the dipping sauce
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the Garlic EVOO, Meyer Lemon EVOO, fresh lemon juice, parsley, seafood seasoning, optional red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid if you prefer a slightly thinner sauce.
Divide the sauce among small individual bowls or place several shared bowls around the table.
10. Serve immediately
Bring the entire platter to the table while everything is hot. Serve with warm artisan bread for soaking up the garlic-lemon sauce.
Provide seafood crackers, small forks, plenty of napkins, and an empty bowl for shells.
Using Snow Crab Instead of King Crab
Snow crab is an excellent substitute when king crab is unavailable or too expensive.
Use approximately 3 to 4 pounds of snow crab clusters in place of the 2 pounds of king crab legs.
Because snow crab clusters are smaller and thinner, they usually need only 3 to 4 minutes in the boiling liquid to heat through. Add them at the same stage as the king crab, but begin checking them one minute earlier.
Snow crab provides more individual clusters, which can be easier to divide among guests. King crab provides larger, meatier legs and creates a more dramatic centerpiece.
Both work beautifully with Garlic EVOO and Meyer Lemon EVOO.
Cook’s Notes
Do not boil cooked crab too long. Most crab legs are already cooked before being frozen. Extended boiling can dry out the meat.
Shell-on shrimp are worth it. The shells help protect the shrimp from overcooking and contribute more seafood flavor to the cooking liquid.
Cook in stages. Potatoes need considerably more time than shrimp. Adding everything at once will produce either undercooked potatoes or overcooked seafood.
Finish after draining. The flavored oils should be added once the cooking water is removed. This keeps their garlic and Meyer lemon flavors present and aromatic.
Serve more oil at the table. Place small bottles or dipping dishes of both oils beside the platter so guests can adjust each bite.
Optional Additions
This recipe is easy to customize. Consider adding:
- Lobster tails
- Clams or mussels
- Scallops
- Thick slices of zucchini
- Artichoke hearts
- Whole mushrooms
- Green beans
- Additional sausage
- Hard-boiled eggs
When adding clams or mussels, scrub them thoroughly and discard any with damaged shells. Cook them until the shells open, discarding any that remain closed after cooking.
What to Serve With Crab Fest
The seafood boil is already a complete meal, but a few simple sides work well:
- Crisp green salad with Meyer Lemon EVOO vinaigrette
- Tomato and cucumber salad
- Coleslaw
- Grilled bread
- Watermelon and feta salad
- Peach and burrata salad
- Chilled white wine, rosé, sparkling water, or lemonade
Why Garlic and Meyer Lemon Work So Well With Seafood
Seafood naturally benefits from two things: savory depth and fresh acidity.
Seven Barrels Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil brings richness to the crab, shrimp, corn, potatoes, and bread without overwhelming their natural flavor. Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil adds a clean citrus finish that balances the butter and complements the sweetness of shellfish.
Together, they create an all-purpose seafood pairing that also works with lobster, scallops, clams, mussels, salmon, grouper, grilled oysters, and seafood pasta.
