Crab Boil With Beer And Old Bay

4.9

(10)

3 Reviews

There's no better way to enjoy blue crabs than in an old-fashioned crab boil.

By

Southern Living Test Kitchen

Updated on July 8, 2023

Crab Boil with Beer and Old Bay — Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

Servings:

8

Blue crabs, once called the "pride of the Chesapeake," can be found throughout the Coastal South when in season, which typically lasts from late April to October. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some live blue crabs, there's no better way to enjoy them than in an old-fashioned crab boil, or "crab feast," as they say around the Chesapeake Bay.

Ingredients

4 quarts water
48 ounces light beer
1 cup Old Bay seasoning
3 tablespoons kosher salt
6 lemons, halved, plus lemon wedges for serving
4 garlic heads, halved
3 small yellow onions, halved with root ends intact
2 pounds small red potatoes, halved
2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 3-inch pieces
8 medium-size ears fresh corn, halved
4 pounds live blue crabs

Directions

Boil potatoes, sausage, and corn:

Combine water, beer, Old Bay, salt, lemons, garlic, and onions in a large (8- to 10-quart) stockpot; bring to a boil over medium-high. Add potatoes, sausage, and corn, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon; remove all solids from pot, and spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or newspaper.
Boil crabs:

Return cooking liquid to a boil; add crabs, and cook until shells are bright orange and crabmeat flakes easily, about 10 minutes. Serve crabs with potatoes, sausage, corn, and lemon wedges.

Crab Boil With Beer And Old Bay

Ingredients

Directions

Boil potatoes, sausage, and corn:

Boil crabs:

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