Blackstone Garlic Butter Seafood Boil with Lobster, Shrimp & Clams

Blackstone garlic butter seafood boil brings lobster tails, jumbo shrimp, littleneck clams, corn, and crispy baby potatoes together without dragging out a giant stockpot. The flat top gives the vegetables browned edges while a covered pan creates the steam the clams need to open.

This is an advanced griddle recipe because every ingredient finishes at a different time. Three heat zones keep the cook organized: a medium zone for browning, a medium-low zone for gentler seafood cooking, and a low zone for holding finished ingredients.

The reward is a restaurant-style seafood spread drenched in lemon-garlic butter. Bring the whole griddle platter to the table with crusty bread, plenty of napkins, and an empty bowl for shells.

Ingredients

Seafood

• 2 lobster tails, 5 to 6 ounces each
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached
• 1 pound littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning

Potatoes and Corn

• 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
• 3 ears corn, each cut into 3 pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Garlic Butter

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For Steaming and Serving

• 1/2 cup seafood stock or chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, or additional stock
• Lemon wedges
• Crusty bread

Equipment Needed

• Blackstone griddle
• Large basting dome
• Disposable foil pan or griddle-safe shallow pan
• Instant-read thermometer
• Two griddle spatulas
• Tongs
• Separate trays and utensils for raw and cooked seafood

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Seafood

Scrub the clams under cold running water. Discard cracked clams. Tap any open shells and discard clams that do not close. Keep the clams refrigerated while the griddle preheats.

Use kitchen shears to cut through the top of each lobster shell, then split each tail lengthwise with a chef’s knife. Pat the lobster and shrimp dry and season them lightly with 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning.

Step 2: Make the Garlic Butter

Melt the butter with the garlic, 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning, paprika, crushed red pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Reserve about one-third in a clean bowl for finishing. The reserved butter must not contact raw seafood.

Step 3: Create Three Heat Zones

Preheat one griddle zone to medium heat, approximately 350 to 375 degrees F. Set a second zone to medium-low, approximately 300 to 325 degrees F. Leave the third zone on low for holding cooked ingredients.

Scrape the cooking surface clean. Seafood cooks quickly, so arrange every ingredient and tool before anything hits the griddle.

Step 4: Brown and Steam the Potatoes

Add avocado oil to the medium zone. Arrange the potatoes cut-side down, season with salt, and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Turn the potatoes, add 2 tablespoons water beside them, and cover immediately with the basting dome. Steam for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the dome and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until tender and browned. Move them to the low zone.

Step 5: Cook the Corn

Place the corn on the medium zone and brush it with a small amount of garlic butter. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until hot and lightly charred. Move the corn beside the potatoes.

Step 6: Steam the Clams

Place the clams, stock, wine, and 2 tablespoons garlic butter in the foil pan. Set the pan on the medium zone and cover tightly with foil or the basting dome.

Steam for 6 to 10 minutes, checking after 6 minutes. Transfer each clam to the holding zone as it opens. Discard any clam that remains closed after cooking.

Step 7: Cook the Lobster Tails

Place the lobster tails flesh-side down on the medium-low zone. Cook for 3 minutes without moving them. Flip, brush the meat with garlic butter, and cover. Cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, depending on size. The shells should be bright red and the meat should be firm, pearly, and opaque. Move the lobster to the holding zone as soon as it is done.

Step 8: Cook the Shrimp Last

Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on the medium zone. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, brush lightly with garlic butter, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp as soon as they are pink, firm, and opaque.

Step 9: Finish the Seafood Boil

Bring the potatoes, corn, clams, lobster, and shrimp together on the low zone. Spoon the reserved garlic butter over everything and toss the potatoes, corn, and shrimp gently for 1 to 2 minutes. Finish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Pro Tips for a Better Blackstone Seafood Boil

Stage Every Ingredient

The potatoes need the most time, while the shrimp need the least. Moving finished food to a low holding zone prevents overcooking.

Keep the Lobster Heat Moderate

High heat can toughen lobster before the center cooks. Use medium-low heat and a basting dome for gentler, more even cooking.

Use a Pan for the Clams

Clams need liquid and trapped steam. A foil pan keeps the broth on the griddle instead of sending it toward the grease opening.

Reserve Clean Garlic Butter

Separate the finishing butter before brushing raw seafood. This avoids cross-contamination and keeps the final sauce tasting fresh.

Do Not Wait for Every Clam

Remove clams as they open. Leaving the first ones in the steaming pan until the last one opens can make them tough.

Substitutions and Variations

• Replace the lobster tails with an additional pound of shrimp for a less expensive version.
• Add 12 ounces sliced andouille sausage before cooking the potatoes.
• Substitute mussels for half or all of the clams.
• Use all seafood stock in place of the white wine.
• Add scallops after the lobster and before the shrimp.
• Increase the crushed red pepper or use Cajun seasoning for more heat.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Mix the garlic butter up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Scrub the clams, cut the corn, and halve the potatoes several hours before cooking. Keep the seafood refrigerated and separate from the vegetables.

Do not season the shrimp or lobster until shortly before cooking. Salt can pull moisture from seafood and interfere with browning.

Storage and Reheating

Remove the lobster and clam meat from their shells before refrigerating leftovers. Store the seafood and vegetables in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Reheat gently on a clean griddle over medium-low heat with a small spoonful of garlic butter or broth. Stop as soon as the seafood is hot. Aggressive reheating will toughen the shrimp, clams, and lobster.

Seafood Safety

Most seafood should reach 145 degrees F. Shrimp and lobster should be firm, pearly, and opaque. Clams should open during cooking; discard any that remain closed. Keep cooked seafood and clean utensils away from the trays and tools that held raw seafood.