Boiling Crab Sauce

If you’ve ever had a seafood boil at The Boiling Crab and found yourself practically licking your fingers clean, chances are you fell in love with their Whole Sha-Bang sauce. Rich, buttery, spicy, and packed with garlic and lemon, this sauce isn’t just for shrimp — it elevates any seafood you pour it over. Whether you’re making a casual weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd, this flavorful sauce will have everyone dipping, dunking, and asking for more.

What Is Boiling Crab Sauce?

Think of this as a kicked-up garlic butter sauce with attitude. It’s rich with melted butter, punched up with Cajun and Old Bay seasoning, balanced with sweet heat from sugar and hot sauce, and brightened with fresh lemon juice and zest. Smoky paprika brings depth, and garlic ties it all together. You’ll usually find this luscious sauce coating shrimp or crawfish at The Boiling Crab, but I’ll tell you now — it’s too good to stop there.

Drizzle it on crab legs, spoon it over grilled fish, dunk lobster tails in it, or toss it with sausage and shrimp for a meal that brings the flavor of a seafood shack straight into your kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Sauce

• It’s fast. This isn’t one of those sauces that needs to simmer for hours. You’ll be done in under 20 minutes.
• It’s versatile. Use it with shrimp, crab, lobster, or even grilled veggies and chicken — it never misses.
• It tastes just like the original. If you’re a Boiling Crab fan, this recipe gets you pretty darn close to that same bold flavor.

Ingredients for Boiling Crab Sauce

Here’s what you’ll need to make this flavor-packed sauce — don’t worry, most of it’s probably already in your pantry:

• Unsalted Butter – This is the base. Rich and silky, it carries all the spices and makes them cling to whatever you’re cooking.
• Minced Garlic – For a savory depth and a hint of sweetness. Jarred garlic works fine here and saves time.
• Old Bay Seasoning – The classic seafood spice blend. Adds warmth and complexity.
• Smoked Paprika – Brings a touch of smokiness and color to the sauce.
• Cajun Seasoning – Adds bold flavor and a gentle kick.
• Sugar – Balances out all the heat and salt.
• Cayenne Pepper – Gives you that lingering warmth.
• Hot Sauce – Choose your favorite — Louisiana-style or vinegary hot sauces work great.
• Black Pepper – More mellow spice to round everything out.
• Lemon Juice & Zest – Bright and citrusy, lemon keeps this sauce from getting too heavy.
• Vegetable Oil – Used for sautéing sausage and shrimp.
• Smoked Sausage – Either Cajun-style Andouille or Kielbasa works beautifully.
• Large Shrimp – Peel and devein, but leave the tails on for presentation if you like.
• Corn on the Cob – Classic seafood boil side, and it soaks up the sauce like a dream.
• Lemon Wedges – For squeezing over the final dish.

How to Make This Seafood Sauce

This one’s a breeze — here’s how you bring it together:

Make the Sauce:

1. In a saucepan, combine butter, garlic, all the seasonings, sugar, hot sauce, lemon juice, and zest.
2. Let it all simmer together gently. Just a few minutes is enough to let the flavors meld.
3. Keep it warm and ready to pour over your shrimp, crab, or anything else you’re serving.

To Make Shrimp & Sausage With Sauce:

1. Brown the sausage. Slice and cook it in a skillet with a little oil until it gets nicely caramelized. Set it aside.
2. Cook the shrimp. In the same pan, toss in the shrimp and cook until pink and just cooked through.
3. Coat with sauce. Return the sausage to the pan, pour that luscious sauce over the top, and toss to coat.
4. Serve. Pile everything on a platter with corn on the cob and lemon wedges.

What to Serve With Boiling Crab Sauce

You’ve got the sauce, now bring on the sides. Here are some favorites to round out the meal:

• Snow crab or king crab legs
• Grilled lobster tails or broiled lobster
• Mussels, clams, or steamed shrimp
• Shrimp cocktail — give it a spicy twist by dunking into this sauce
• Tilapia, halibut, salmon, or any white fish
• Roasted veggies or sautéed greens
• French bread or sourdough to mop up every drop
• Eggs Benedict — yes, really

Variations and Customizations

You can make this sauce your own with a few easy tweaks:

• Use margarine instead of butter if you want the sauce to stay pourable longer.
• Add more heat with red pepper flakes or chili powder.
• Dial up the smoke with extra paprika or a splash of liquid smoke.
• Add wine like a dry white or Lillet Blanc for something fancy.
• Mix in herbs like parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
• Change the citrus — swap lemon for lime or orange, or try lemon pepper seasoning.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Storing:
Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’ve already tossed it with shrimp and sausage, those can be stored together or separately for the same amount of time.

Freezing:
Yes, this sauce freezes well! Store it on its own or with cooked shrimp and sausage for up to 3 months. I recommend keeping them separate for easier reheating.

Reheating:
Warm gently over low heat, either on the stove or in the microwave. If frozen, let it thaw overnight in the fridge first.

FAQs

What sides go best with a seafood boil?
Corn on the cob is a must, but coleslaw, grilled veggies, red potatoes, hush puppies, and crusty bread are also great choices. You can also go with Southern-style classics like red beans and rice or potato salad.

Is this sauce very spicy?
It does have a kick, but it’s easy to adjust. Dial down the cayenne or hot sauce if you want something milder.

Can I use this with non-seafood dishes?
Absolutely. It’s fantastic on grilled chicken, steak, roasted potatoes, or even eggs. The buttery base and bold seasonings make it wildly versatile.

Final Thoughts

This Boiling Crab Sauce is buttery, bold, and downright addictive. Whether you’re piling it over shrimp and sausage or using it as a dip for crab legs, it’s one of those sauces you’ll want to have on hand all summer long. It’s messy, flavorful, and the kind of recipe that brings folks together around the table with smiles and sauce-stained fingers. Try it once — and don’t be surprised if it becomes a regular in your kitchen.

Yield: 2

Boiling Crab Sauce

Print

This bold and buttery sauce is a spot-on replica of the famous Boiling Crab sauce—perfect for tossing with shrimp, sausage, or your favorite seafood boil fixings.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 fresh lemons, juiced and zested

For Shrimp & Sausage (Optional):

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage
• 1 pound large shrimp, shell and tail on
• fresh lemon wedges
• cooked corn on the cob

Instructions

To Make the Sauce:

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Reduce heat and let it sit to allow the flavors to marry.
3. Use immediately to toss with cooked shrimp, sausage, or any seafood—or serve as a dipping sauce.

For Shrimp & Sausage:

1. Slice sausage into 1-inch discs. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage on all sides, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. In the same skillet, cook the shrimp, tossing until pink and curled. Add to the mixing bowl.
3. Pour prepared sauce over the shrimp and sausage, tossing to coat well.
4. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with fresh lemon wedges and corn on the cob.

Notes

• To make a sauce that stays more stable and doesn’t solidify as quickly, use margarine instead of butter.
• This is one of the rare times where pre-minced garlic works well. It saves time and delivers a sweeter garlic flavor perfect for this sauce.

Nutrition Information

Yield

2

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 2270Total Fat 171gSaturated Fat 81gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 74gCholesterol 919mgSodium 7398mgCarbohydrates 89gFiber 11gSugar 33gProtein 101g

Easy Shrimp Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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Also try these Crab recipe:-

• Baked Crab Cakes
• Spicy Crab Sushi Bake
• Imitation Crab Cakes