Low-country blue swimmer crab boil

American crab boils are often eaten in communal settings - it's a great dish for getting people together. The mix of seafood, vegetables and sausage is traditionally tipped onto newspaper in the centre of the table and everyone just digs in.

Credit: Lee Chan's World Food Tour

• serves

  6-8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 ml) lager, such as PBR
• 2 tbsp Frank’s Louisiana hot sauce  or Sriracha
• ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
• 100 ml apple cider vinegar
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 litres water
• 1 kg chat potatoes, halved
• 3 corn cobs, hulled, cut into 3 pieces
• 2 x 300 g blue swimmer crabs 
• 300 g smoked kransky sausage, chorizo or Andouille sausage, chopped
• 400 g king prawns
• 300 g unsalted butter
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 4 lemon wedges

Instructions

1. Combine beer, hot sauce, 2 tbsp of Old Bay seasoning, vinegar, bay leaves and the water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil.
2. Add potato and cook for 5–6 minutes. Add corn and crab, and cook for another 5–6 minutes. Finally, add sausage and prawns. Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Strain liquid and place vegetables, seafood and sausage in a large bowl.
4. Belt butter in a large frying pan. Add garlic and remaining Old Bay seasoning, Stir to combine. Ladle butter over seafood and vegetables. Scatter with chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

 

This recipe is from Lee Chan's World Food Tour on SBS Food (Channel 33). Stream episodes via SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.