The Juicy Crab is a Cajun seafood boil restaurant in the United States that has won its spot in the hearts of thousands. The secret seems to be in the Juicy Crab sauce! Sure the seafood itself is delicious, but it’s the seasonings and sauce that tend to make this type of cuisine pop. So, what is it that’s so special about Juicy Crab sauce anyway? Is it possible to make it at home? Turns out it is! And luckily for you, we are willing and ready to spill the deets on exactly how to make it. Ready to take this on? Then, let’s go!
Table of Contents
- What Is Juicy Crab Sauce Made Of?
- Is Juicy Crab Sauce Healthy?
- How to Make Juicy Crab Sauce
- What Ingredients Do You Need to Make a Crab Boil?
- How to Make Juicy Crab Sauce at Home? Easy!
- FAQs
What Is Juicy Crab Sauce Made Of?
Juicy Crab sauce is made mostly of butter with a bit of seasoning added in. Among these seasonings include minced garlic, lemon juice, creole seasoning, and onion.
Know that the Juicy Crab Sauce, though the ingredients may sound tame, is full of flavor and spices that make it truly dynamic.
Before delving into exactly how to make the sauce, you should know that there are many variations to replicating the Juicy Crab Sauce recipe.
Juicy Crab has come out with its own seasoning you can use to add to the recipe that we’ve got for you coming up at the end of this post. However, if you don’t have any of this seasoning on hand, you may use the recipe as written below for outstanding flavor that is very similar to what you’d find at Juicy Crab.
Remember that Juicy Crab is a Cajun and Creole seafood boil joint, which means its signature sauce is going to have a lot of kick. It isn’t a light dressing for seafood, but rather, packs a robust flavor that is often associated with Cajun cuisine.
When making your Juicy Crab sauce, make sure to go heavy with your onion and garlic. This tends to be the essence of the Juicy Crab base along with the butter. Of course, you can opt to use granulated garlic and onion powder, but as you’ll see later, the usual recipe calls for both fresh minced garlic (know how many tablespoons that is in 2 cloves) and fresh onion. This tends to provide the best taste.
Is Juicy Crab Sauce Healthy?
Err…no. Juicy Crab sauce is not healthy in the slightest.
Though the Juicy Crab isn’t likely the most unhealthy restaurant you could frequent it isn’t for those looking to watch their weight either. Of course, if you skip the sauce and go straight for a plain seafood boil, you’ll likely be fine. But with all of the melted butter in this recipe, we don’t recommend dousing your food in the sauce if you are on a diet.
Having said that, there are many benefits that come from crab meat and other seafood types. Seafood contains Omega-3 fatty acids, A and B vitamins all of which promote a healthy lifestyle.
If you really are watching what you eat but still want to indulge in Juicy Crab sauce, try making the recipe at home but substituting half of the butter for olive oil. Just know that this may dramatically alter the flavor of the dish. It is also not best to replace all of the butter with oil as this would likely not harness the same taste and flavor as the original. Remember that butter has its own distinct flavor that pairs very well with seafood. Without its buttery essence, your Juicy Crab copycat sauce is likely to fall flat.
How Many Calories in Juicy Crab Sauce?
Juicy Crab sauce is made predominantly of butter. For this reason, you can expect the calorie count to be very high.
Currently, there is no specific information on the Juicy Crab website that can give us an answer to how many calories per serving are in Juicy Crab sauce. But considering that the sauce is mostly butter, we’re willing to bet the calorie count is a bit higher than you might think!
How to Make Juicy Crab Sauce
Ready to learn how to make Juicy Crab Sauce? If so then we’re certainly ready to fill you in! With a few ingredients, you can have a top-of-the-line seafood sauce to douse your own homemade seafood boils in whenever you want to! So, without further ado, let’s get into the details.
How to Make Juicy Crab Sauce Ingredients
- 4 sticks of Unsalted butter
- 4 Cloves minced garlic
- 1 White onion
- ½ Lemon squeezed
- 4 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp and ½ tsp of Salt
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon pepper
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tbsp Red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Six pepper blend
- 1 tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
- ½ tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 3 tbsp Onion powder
- 2 tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1-2 tbsp of Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- To begin, grab a blender or food processor. Blend your garlic, butter, and onion in the food processor until it is smooth.
- Remove the mixture from the food processor. Heat a saucepan over medium heat before adding the mixture.
- Melt the butter down and over medium heat before reducing the heat to low. Add the spices and continue simmering until the mixture begins to darken slightly (do not allow the butter to burn).
- Once darkened, add your broth. Continue to simmer over low heat. Continue cooking for about 20-25 minutes ensuring that the heat remains low so as not to burn the sauce.
- Once it is finished simmering, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce, but of course, this optional addition will make your Juicy Crab Sauce much spicier.
- Pour sauce over crab, fish, or other types of meat. If you wish to have a thicker sauce, you can add a bit of cornstarch to help it cling to the food a bit.
- Enjoy!
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make a Crab Boil?
You’ve got the sauce, now what do you use it for? Of course, there are a variety of ways to use your sauce, but if you want to duplicate the entrees you’ll find at Juicy Crab, try throwing these goods in your shopping cart the next time you’re out.
Try the Juicy Crab sauce on the following items:
- Snow crab legs
- Lobster tails (cut in half)
- Chopped Ears of Corn (cut horizontally)
- Smoked beef sausage
- Large shrimp (you can also check out these fried shrimp sides)
- Yukon gold potatoes
How to Make Juicy Crab Sauce at Home? Easy!
Though Juicy Crab sauce may not be great for the waistline it certainly tastes delicious on seafood! With our easy fool-proof recipe, you can enjoy gourmet seafood at home with little to no effort. Dish this up for a fancy dinner party or serve it as a late-night dinner for one. No matter what your mood this sauce is perfect to enjoy on any occasion!
Enjoy!
FAQs
What kind of seasoning does juicy crab use?
The Juicy Crab has its own blend of seasonings that is specific to its restaurant. It appears to be a blend of creole spices, lemon pepper, chili powder, garlic, and more.
What is the best sauce to eat with crab?
Tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, and butter are all sauce favorites that people frequently slather their crab meat with.
Are there health benefits to boiling seafood?
Seafood has a ton of amazing benefits, and boiling the meat means there’s no extra oil involved which is great for watching your weight. However, once topped with butter and other condiments, the caloric content of the dish skyrockets. So, if you have dietary needs be sure to watch your intake of calories when consuming seafood boil meals slathered in butter.
What’s the difference between cajun and creole food?
Relatively speaking, Creole food is generally known to contain tomato-based sauces while Cajun food will not. In terms of location, some people view Creole food as urban or “city” food while Cajun food is considered country cuisine. Both types of food have Louisiana roots. (By the way, we have a Cajun butter sauce you might like!)
What’s a seafood boil?
The term “seafood boil” often refers to a specific event in which family or community members serve up boiled shellfish with sundry accompaniments to invited guests. In the context of the Juicy Crab restaurant, a seafood boil is a serving of seafood that was boiled in a bag with a variety of yummy goodies. This can include lobster, crab legs, potatoes, and ears of corn, doused in savory seasonings and slathered in a rich buttery sauce.
What types of boils are out there?
Other than a generic “seafood” boil, you may find restaurants and communities offering crawfish boils, crab boils, shrimp boils, and several others.
