Ingredients
- Water - a little more than 1/2 of the container (20 qt size)
- 3/4 box salt
- 1/2 box red cayenne pepper (of 1 oz. box, more if you like it hot!)
- 1 pkg crab boil spices (usually 1 pkg for 5#, but boxes usually specify)
- 4-6 lemons (medium)
- 4-6 onions (medium)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic (smaller pieces - not the whole)
- Wieners (1 or 2 packages), split slightly
- New potatoes (2-3 per person)
- Corn (2-3 niblets per person)
- Shrimp (5-7 lb., about 1/3 to 1/2 lb. per person)
- Cocktail Sauce or Lemons for the table
- Butter or Margarine for the table
Directions
Heat water to boil. Add salt to water and taste. If your chin feels hot, get your face out of the water. When the brine gags you, that's enough salt (you'll think you have ruined it but you haven't). Add crab boil (leave in sack). Add garlic cloves. Add red pepper to taste. If you taste it and your chin feels hot again, get your face out of the water and find somebody else to finish, since you're an idiot. Roll lemons to soften, cut in half, squeeze juice into mixture, and then drop the halves in. Cut onions in quarters and drop into mixture (no need to peel, but we do). Add potatoes (whole or in halves depending on size). Don't need to wash or peel - gives body. For that matter, anything that happens to fall into the mixture will add body. Add corn if desired. Stir occasionally while the food is cooking.
Let the potatoes and corn boil for 10-12 minutes before adding shrimp, but don't overcook the potatoes. Split wieners slightly (to allow seasoning to penetrate) and add to mixture a few minutes before the shrimp. Add shrimp and boil for about 12 minutes. Usually the shrimp will be ready anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on water temperature, size of shrimp and other food. Watch the shrimp closely because if you overcook, they'll be hard to peel. Usually the shrimp is done when it turns pink and the shell starts separating from the meat along the curve of the back (you should see a clear area between the meat and shell). After the shrimp cools some, they should peel readily by removing the first ring or two (toward the head) and then squeezing the tail end between the thumb and forefinger.
Print this recipe
Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Internet
Submitted By: Marlen
matchlessm@aol.com
Dodds Family Shrimp Boil