Seafood Boil Party Ideas for Your Backyard Feast
The taste of summer.
Summertime on the East Coast is full of sunny days, family time, and plenty of fresh seafood. Make the most of the season by hosting your very own backyard seafood boil. Explore our list of seafood boil party ideas and essentials to help you host a successful summer feast.
Everything You Need to Host a Seafood Boil
Nothing says New England summer like a backyard seafood boil. Follow these steps to make sure you have everything you need for a successful family-style meal.
1. Check Your Cooking Capabilities
A seafood boil consists of large quantities of heavy ingredients like lobster, clams, corn, and potatoes. You’ll need the necessary cooking equipment to handle the load. At a minimum, you’ll need a large stock pot to boil your lobster or crabs, plus a steamer basket for cooking mussels or clams. Outdoor cookers allow you to prepare your seafood outside for convenient serving. A grill will be handy for cooking corn cobs – a quintessential side dish at seafood boils.
Seafood boils are designed for casual, family-style dining. To host one, you’ll need an outdoor dining space that can accommodate your guests. A patio dining set will offer an elevated dining experience, but a simple picnic table or folding table is perfect for a casual meal. For extra-large guest lists, consider putting two portable tables end-to-end so everyone can sit together and enjoy the family-style meal.
Make your seafood boil party extra special with themed place settings for your guests. While disposable plates and plastic flatware are an easy go-to, outdoor-safe dinnerware and serveware will elevate the aesthetic of your meal. Choose plates or serving platters with fun nautical designs, and use a gingham tablecloth or napkins for a quintessential picnic feel. Don’t forget to lay out seafood tools like shell crackers and picks to complete your place setting.
You’ll need a place to store and serve cool drinks to help you beat the summer heat during your seafood boil party. Have a beverage cooler nearby to keep your drinks nice and cold. You can also opt for a serving cart as a makeshift drink station, and accessorize it with outdoor-safe glassware and pitchers for self-service and easy hydration.
No meal is complete without a sweet dessert to top it off. Invest in an ice cream maker to have a cool, homemade summer treat at the ready, or set up a fire pit so your family can gather around for s’mores and stories at the end of the evening.
