Reaching out to folks on BBI to see if you can help me for a big boil I have planned for July 4th. This will be my first time doing this so any tips would be much appreciated!
Thought is that I will be doing, clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, corn, potatoes, sausage
Some initial question:
1) For a group of ~15-20, what sized stock pot do I need? I was thinking of doing 2, 24 Qrt pots. Is that enough? Should I go bigger or just get 1 pot?
2) I am pretty lost as it relates to the amount I will need for the group of ~15-20. Any guidance?
Thanks in advance for the help!
I know, but I am going with the "fuck it! lets do it" mentality. I do often cook for large groups of people, just never done an actual boil before.
That was my original thought with the 2, 24 Quart pots... do I go bigger than that?
What I learned: Have lots of hotdogs and hamburgs available to compensate for kids and those who didn't bother to bring a steak or lobster. I also added a few pounds of chicken spiedies that went over big. If you do spiedies, don't overcook them as they dry out easily and are already "precooked" to some degree from their marinating for several days.
Oh yeah, buy about twice as much beer as you first expected and have horseshoe pits ready. If not into horseshoes, Bocce Ball is good alternative to keep people moving and having fun
I'd get probably 15 pounds of mussels and 15 pounds of claims, this way you have 30 pounds of clams/mussels for 15 - 20 people so around 1.5 pounds per person.
both clams and mussels steam until they open and you don't want to over cook them. throw away any that open (you probably know all this stuff)
I'd throw the potatoes, sausage, and corn in with the lobsters, but how many and how big? 20 1.5 pound lobsters is something you would need to do in stages. I doubt you get enough big pots to fit that many lobsters in.
I'd put the potatoes and corn in first (for maybe 10 minutes of boiling) and probably brown the sausage before throwing in the pot with the lobsters.
the lobsters should boil for 10 minutes or so at that size.
the shrimp will cook the fastest, so you maybe add them last, and until the float/turn pink then they're done.
I've never done this I've cooked all those things before but never together. Sounds fun, but a lot of work.
Report back if you survive.
should be this:
throw away any that don't open
Frankly, if you insist on doing them all in one pot, I would make several different smaller pots instead of one or two giant ones, if for no other reason than you overcooking/under-cooking potatoes. If you have to stir them enough, the potatoes will disintegrate, but if you don't stir them (in a big pot) it will cook unevenly.
This is true - water from the ocean and some seaweed are always the best way to steam a lobster.
Even if you go 2x24 qts, if you're steaming full sized lobsters and enough for everyone you're going to be at it for some time. Might want to consider scaling down to tails, or maybe making fewer items.
I have seen it done with ice on bottom, (as the ice melts it turns directly to steam on the pot bottom), not sure I remember the ratio, you would have to watch and possibly add liquid (a bottle of good wine - maybe pour that in?) as needed. This will keep it from being a 'boil' more like an actual clam 'bake'.
Probably better with 2 to 4 smaller pots for 4 or 5 lobs each pot - max!
4 max probably on the lobsters, small ones, or fewer if large, put clams on top so they can open, and juices should flow down into the mix, favoring the corn and potatoes
Then, your -whole- lobsters - remove hot, hold upside down and halve lengthwise using a -serrated bread knife- on a board. If you want to show off, finish them on the grill after halving. but not for too long!
God Bless America!
(worked a few weeks for a caterer many, many years ago)
layer two, small potatoes quartered
layer three, corn, halves, unwrapped
layer four, a few lobsters
layer five, clams
(bottle of white or red to pour over top if you like, or stand by with some extra water)
- no spices needed
Thanks for the advice, keep it coming!
If you can find a harbor with lobster boats I'd suggest buying them right off the boat. Especially if you are buying a bunch, bring cash and show up mid afternoon as the boats are returning. Have a few ice cold beers for the crew and likely they give you a great deal.
I like to pull the tail meat away from the shell, leaving it connected just at the tail fin and stuffed back into the shell before cooking. This will stop the meat from sticking to the shell. First get a large, heavy knife. Place tail on cutting board top up. Insert knife where tail meets fin in the middle. Press down hard to crack through shell making a slit on top, long ways. (Or cut all the way through and have 2 half tails) l Peel the meat all out (leave just barely connected by fin) and then put back into shell. Then add to the pot and cook. This will make it much easier to get to the meat when it's boiling hot and you just want to dig it.