1. Fill your largest pot (at least 8-quart capacity) about 2/3 full with water. Add Old Bay seasoning, bay leaves, and lemon halves. Bring to a rolling boil.
2. Taste the water—it should taste like mildly salty, spicy ocean water. Add more seasoning if needed.
3. Add potatoes first and cook for 10 minutes until they’re starting to get tender but not fully cooked.
4. Add sausage pieces and cook for 5 minutes. The sausage will start releasing its flavors into the water.
5. Add corn pieces and cook for another 5 minutes until corn is tender and bright yellow.
6. Finally, add shrimp and cook for just 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and curl up. Don’t overcook or they’ll get rubbery!
7. Immediately drain everything through a large colander.
8. Dump the hot mixture onto newspaper-covered tables or large serving platters.
9. Serve immediately with melted butter, hot sauce, plenty of napkins, and shell crackers.
10. Provide small bowls for shells and encourage everyone to dig in with their hands!

Notes:

• Use your biggest pot—don’t overcrowd or everything won’t cook evenly.
• Season the water well—that’s where all the flavor comes from.
• Time the additions carefully—potatoes first, shrimp last.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp—they go from perfect to rubbery in seconds.

Storage Tips:

• Best eaten immediately while hot and fresh from the pot.
• Leftovers keep refrigerated for 1-2 days and are great cold in salads.
• Don’t reheat the whole mixture—seafood gets tough when reheated.
• Scale recipe up or down easily by adjusting proportions while keeping timing the same.