Ready for an amazing feast of flavor? Then get out your biggest pot and prepare an authentic seafood boil. This is not a slow cook recipe, because it's important not to overcook shellfish, or it becomes shriveled and rubbery. Which is good because you will want to dig in as soon as possible! Traditionally, families would spread out newspapers on the table, put out some saltine crackers, cocktail sauce, and- of course, cold beer. Once you master the basic recipe, check out the versions we ROCK OUT to add some spice and additional flavors to the mix. The great thing about this recipe is that you can swap out ingredients and use your favorite shellfish and veggies. I love to add fresh lobsters and King Crab legs. Don't forget to fix some melted butter, get out your shellfish crackers and small lobster forks, and if you don't want to cover your tables with newspapers- just discard your shells in a bowl.

• 8 small ears fresh corn

• 2 pounds crab legs in clusters

• 1 lb fresh jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 lb. mussels in shells

• 4 links mild Italian sausage

• 1 TBSP minced garlic

• 48 oz seafood stock

• 1 TBSP seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®), or to taste

• 2 pounds new or small red potatoes (Keto or low carb diets use preferred green veggie alternatives)

• 8 TBSP melted butter

• Lemon, sliced in half

• (optional) full fresh lobster or lobster tails

Your largest pot with cover, colander, sharp knife, cooking spoon, measuring cup, large platter or carrying tray, tongs, small bowl. Shellfish cracker, lobster forks, bowl for discarded shells.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 30 min on stovetop Ready: 60 min Serves: 4

Before you handle any food, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean your kitchen work area and pull back your hair or wear a cap. You want to avoid contaminating your meal with harmful bacteria that could cause food illness.

To make the New England Seafood Boil:

1. In large pot, heat half of the butter (4 TBSN) on med-high heat until melted. Add garlic and stir.

2. Add sausage links and brown on all sides. Sausage does not need to be completely cooked, just seared on the outside. Remove sausages from pot and set aside.

3. Add seafood stock to the pot and stir with butter, garlic and sausage fat.

4. Add Old Bay seasoning to the stock mixture and turn heat on high to bring to a boil.

5. Once boil starts, add potatoes and corn cobs. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.

6. While potatoes cook, slice the sausage into small three inch chunks. The middle of the sausage may still be raw and that's OK.

7. Add sausage chunks to the pot and cook covered for 5 minutes.

8. Add the crab legs and cook covered for another 5 minutes.

9. Add the shrimp and mussels and cook covered for another 5 minutes.

10. Turn off heat and let the ingredients continue to steam until the shrimp is completely cooked and no longer translucent.

11. Using a colander, drain the ingredients in the sink. Use tongs to place seafood on a large platter or carrying tray.

If you wish, sprinkle more seafood seasoning to taste.

12. Melt the remaining 4 TBSN butter in microwave for a minute in a small bowl.

13. Serve immediately, with melted butter for dipping, lemon halves, and a bowl for any discarded shells.

1 serving: 320 calories, 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 130 mg cholesterol, 1230 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate (3 g sugars, 4 g fiber), 28 g protein.

The Seafood boil is a treasure chest of vitamins, minerals and protein, and is low in carbs and calories. Crab legs offer a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and a large variety of vitamins and minerals. Mussels are high in B12 vitamins and provide many other B & C vitamins, amino acids, vital minerals including iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc. Shrimp contains zero carbs, and is also very low in calories (approximately 1 calorie/1 gram of shrimp). Shrimp is packed with protein and is composed primarily of water, but there is also a small amount of fat as well. Shrimp can provide you with your daily mineral intake of iron, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, and potassium, along with vitamin A, vitamin E, and B6, and B12. It also contains iodine, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin.

A big, buttery Chardonnay. Pinot Gris or a dry Riesling is also a good choice as it adds more vibrant layers of fruit.

Side Dish pairing: Italian Herb Bread, Caesar Salad, Smoked Fresh Oysters.

Need DINNER MUSIC?

Check out our Playlists on YouTube for perfectly themed music to set the ambiance of your meal! For this recipe, we recommend:Playlist: Tales from the Sea

Vegan and vegetarian. Replace all shellfish with your favorite veggies such as zucchini strips, Portabello mushrooms, and green/red peppers. Instead of seafood stock, use vegetable stock. Use a vegan-friendly butter. Kick the GLUTS and use gluten-free butter. Reduce the carbs by replacing potatoes and corn with non-starch vegetables like green beans or tomatoes. Or simply skip the veggies and stick purely to the seafood. By the way, shrimp has zero carbs so eat as many as you want. Pump up the protein, if you want as this already provides a large amount, with adding more sausage or shrimp. Louisiana Crawfish & Seafood Boil- Replace Old Bay seasoning with your favorite Cajun seasoning. Add 2 lbs of crawfish instead of mussels and add to boil at the same time as the crablegs. Replace Italian sausage with Andouille sausage. Add a little heat by adding 2 TBSN red pepper flakes to boil.

Beer Boiled Seafood Platter- Replace three cups of seafood stock with stout beer.