Here’s how to make a Seafood Cajun Boil for Parties a total success for 15-20 guests AND enjoy yourself! Sharing all of our tips & tricks! All your favorite Cajun spices, king crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, fresh corn and potatoes all with a side of some perfect salted butter.

Chad and I love to entertain and this type of large family style meal is one we do a few times a year. We’ve mastered it over the years and it’s time to share. Ideally this meal will all take place outside on a large patio with enough tables and chairs to make ONE LARGE LONG TABLE. 

The cooking goes on outside along with the group so your not stuck in the kitchen at the party!

Seafood boils are SO MUCH FUN! This is one of the best community style dinners. Everyone is excited to get their hands on that bounty of the sea! No forks or spoons, just knives. Dipping and dripping in butter…make sure everyone wears a t-shirt they can stain.

I’m sharing it ALL here to help YOU, this is a meal we’re now known for in our tribe. Here’s how we make Seafood Cajun Boil for Parties work!

**** There’s a link to the YouTube VIDEO IN THE RECIPE BELOW if you’d like the visuals to go with the story SCROLL DOWN AND HIT PLAY! ****

CONFESSIONS OF A TYPE A

We party planners, the over achievers, those that don’t ask for help because ‘don’t worry I’ll take care of it’….I’M TALKIN TO YOU here;)

I’ve hosted too many BIG dinner parties that I’m pooped or so buried in tasks I can’t enjoy myself or my guests because I’m running too much. Then, like my birthday party I’m like WTF just happened!? Whirlwind 5 hours and all you’ve got is racoon eyes and the pieces that people share with you the next day.

My peeps. You guys. Us. We need to stop that shit.

Life goes by in a hot second and we need to take in TODAY. Take it ALL IN. The perfect, the over the top tasks or the checkboxes on the list…be gone.

Well, who are we kidding? Make the list short, manageable and DELEGATE.

Yes girl, it’s time to grab the TRUST TREE. The ride or dies, the mom’s, sisters, aunt’s that actually like a kitchen OR like to help, that perfer to be involved. Maybe their an extrovert/introvert like you are and they feel more comfortable with something to do.

It’s showtime! Grab 4 people total (including you so 3 extras) If your serving a party of 15-20 here’s the scoop;

STEP 1 – PORTION GUIDE

For a Seafood Cajun Boil for Parties we divvy up the food and usually there’s juuuuust enough left over shrimp and potatoes for a breakfast or salad the next day! Plus, someone always brings an appetizer or two so there’s something to nosh on while it all get’s cooked.

There isnt any shy eaters in my bunch either, there’s always plenty of grub!

A salad or garlic bread is another item you can add in. Not really required but I like the variety for folks that prefer lower sugar or no starchy veg. Options!

Here’s the numbers you’ll need for ANY size party in the future;

• 1 box of frozen King Crab legs from Costco or Sam’s Club, 5-7 pounds for everyone to share
• Per Person here’s the ratio’s for the rest of it;
  • 1/2 pound shrimp
  • 1/2 a corn cob
  •  1/4 lb each of
    • sausage
    • potatoes
  • 1/4 c salted butter

STEP 2 – PREP IS EVERYTHING

About an hour before the party (or the morning of) I’ll cut the corn in three’s, potatoes if needed and slice the sausage up.

TIP! If you have mild and spicy sausage you can cut them differently to be able to tell them apart in the mix.

I cut the mild sausage/ kielbasa straight edge and I’ll cut the spicy Andouille on the bias.

Use a couple large bowls to thaw the shrimp and with a large cleaver or knife cut the crab legs at the joints to make it stretch a little bit more!

TIP! Serve the dinner in SHIFTS.

First shift is the potatoes, sausage and corn. Bring them to a boil and add 1/2 of your shrimp.

Pour that all along your table for the first round. If you’ve got hungry or hangry people this will get them started while you start to cook the CRAB – the best part!

Second shift is crab and shrimp back to a boil with a touch more Cajun spice. When that is ready pour down the table and dig in!

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STEP 3 – YOUR TABLE’S READY

Think of this Seafood Cajun Boil for Parties as a restaurant and you’ve got a table of 20 coming in. If you’ve ever been in the restaurant biz it’s all going to come back to ya here.

Use butcher paper as the tablecloth and tape it down to lay flat and not blow away. You’ll need a Cook, Server, Busser and a Maitre De (you).

• The Maitre De does the prep work, helps the cook with timing, makes sure everyone’s got a drink, sets the table up, the floater making sure it’s all running smooth.
• Server they’re the table voice & your back up helper. They show up a little early to the party, shell out napkins, show how to crack open the crab legs telling them about the mild vs spicy sausage
• Busser will take glasses, knives and butter bowls to the kitchen and when everyone’s done they wrap up the remaining trash in the paper topper on the table and toss it.
• Cook will do the boil pot. Setting up the pot and propane, getting the water to temp , watching it all cook and serving the table when ready.

STEP 4 RELAX

The beautiful thing about this is you’re outside with the whole crew the whole time your cooking everything up. Enjoy the group, have a couple of those crab legs reserved for you and your team to enjoy together.

Have a cold beverage and hang out with your friends, watch the sunset. Roll up all that paper covering the table and toss it in the trash, that’s the type of clean up I like!