Mardi Gras Shrimp Boil (Printer-friendly)

A festive Southern seafood boil featuring shrimp, potatoes, corn, and smoky sausage infused with Cajun spices.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood & Sausage

01 - 2 lbs large raw shrimp, shell-on, deveined
02 - 1 lb andouille sausage or smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces

→ Vegetables

03 - 1.5 lbs baby red potatoes, halved if large
04 - 4 ears corn on the cob, cut into thirds
05 - 1 large yellow onion, quartered
06 - 1 lemon, sliced

→ Boil & Seasonings

07 - 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
08 - 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
09 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 2 tbsp salt
12 - 1 tsp black peppercorns
13 - 8 cups water
14 - 1 bottle (12 oz) light beer (optional)

→ To Serve

15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped
17 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Fill a large stockpot with 8 cups of water and the beer if using. Add Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, salt, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, onion, and lemon slices. Bring to a boil over high heat.
02 - Add potatoes to the boiling liquid. Boil for 10–12 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a fork.
03 - Add corn pieces and sliced sausage to the pot. Cook for another 7–8 minutes to heat through and continue building flavor.
04 - Add the shrimp to the pot. Boil for 2–3 minutes only, until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook or shrimp will become rubbery.
05 - Drain the boil completely, discarding the broth and aromatics. Arrange shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn on a large platter or newspaper-lined table.
06 - Drizzle everything with melted butter, sprinkle generously with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Its impossible to eat this without laughing, with buttery fingers and beer spilling and someone inevitably stealing the last perfect shrimp
  • The whole house fills with spices and seafood while it cooks, building anticipation like nothing else
02 -
  • Shrimp cooks shockingly fast, usually in under three minutes. Do not walk away or you will ruin it.
  • The broth is basically liquid gold but sadly gets discarded. Some people save it for soup base but the spices get intense.
03 -
  • Buy the biggest pot you can find. Overcrowding means uneven cooking and nobody wants that.
  • Let the sausage brown slightly in the pot before adding vegetables for extra flavor.

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