Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup celery salt
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns, cracked
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 6 dried bay leaves, crumbled
  • 2 gallons water
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 3 large lemons, halved
  • 2 heads garlic, sliced crosswise
  • 2 large yellow onions, quartered
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 3 lbs snow crab or king crab legs, thawed
  • 1 lb andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 2 lbs baby red potatoes, whole
  • 6 ears corn, husked and snapped in half
  • 1 lb large shrimp, shell-on

Instructions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine celery salt, smoked paprika, cracked black peppercorns, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, ground ginger, and crumbled bay leaves to create the DIY spice blend.
  2. Fill a 20-30 quart stockpot with 2 gallons of water, distilled white vinegar, and kosher salt. Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves into the water and drop the rinds in. Add the quartered onions and the halved garlic heads.
  3. Stir in the DIY spice blend. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat and allow it to boil for 15 minutes to 'bloom' the spices and aromatics.
  4. Add the baby red potatoes to the pot. Maintain the boil and cook for 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are just starting to become fork-tender.
  5. Add the andouille sausage chunks and the corn pieces to the pot. Continue boiling for 5 minutes.
  6. Carefully add the crab legs into the liquid, ensuring they are mostly submerged. Boil for 5 minutes.
  7. Turn off the heat completely. Add the shrimp to the pot and stir. Let the pot sit for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque, using residual heat to prevent overcooking.
  8. Drain the contents of the pot through a large strainer or lift out using a strainer basket. Serve immediately spread across a newspaper-covered table or large baking sheets.