Lobster Boil Party
Host the ultimate lobster boil with tender potatoes, corn, sausage, and lobsters cooked in layers. Perfect for summer parties or holiday feasts!
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 1027kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the broth:
- 3-4 lemons halved
- 2 onions quartered
- 1 head garlic halved
- 4 bay leaves
- ½ cup Old Bay seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoons Zatarain’s Seafood Boil concentrate a little goes a long way
- Salt + pepper
For the boil:
- 2 pounds baby potatoes
- 6-8 ears of corn cut in thirds (fresh or frozen)
- 2 pounds smoked sausage sliced into 1-inch pieces, such as andouille
- 8 whole lobsters 1 ¼–1 ½ pounds each
- 1-2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
To serve:
- 1-2 pounds Melted butter
- Hot sauce such as Frank's Red Hot
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Make the broth: Fill a large 16–20 qt stockpot with water (about 12 quarts, leaving room for ingredients). Add Old Bay, Zatarain’s, lemons, onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Cook the potatoes: Add potatoes and boil for 20 minutes, until nearly tender.
- Add corn + sausage: Stir in corn and sausage. Continue boiling for 10–12 minutes.
- Remove vegetables: Lift out potatoes, corn, and sausage with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a large baking dish or sheet pan and keep warm.
- Cook lobsters: Carefully add lobsters to the broth (in batches if needed). Cook 8–10 minutes, until shells are bright red. Remove and keep warm.
- Add shrimp: Toss shrimp into the hot broth and cook 2–3 minutes until pink.
- Assemble + serve: Scatter potatoes, corn, and sausage down the center of a butcher-paper-lined table. Layer lobsters on top, add shrimp, and serve with bowls of melted butter, hot sauce, and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Clams or mussels: Add in the last 5–7 minutes until they just open. (See my [guide to cleaning clams] for prep tips.)
- Using lobster tails: Add at the same step as whole lobsters, but only cook 5–6 minutes.
- Hosting a smaller boil (2–4 people): Halve the ingredients and cook in a smaller pot.
- Party essentials: Butcher paper, lobster crackers, bibs, and big bowls for shells keep things fun and easy.
Nutrition
Calories: 1027kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 79g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 362mg | Sodium: 1879mg | Potassium: 1267mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1678IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 5mg