Sommer’s Recipe Highlights

Southern Food at its Finest: This is what Lowcountry cuisine is all about. My South Carolina-style shrimp boil, infused with the unmistakable flavor of Old Bay seasoning and all the classic fixings, tastes like a carefree day spent on the water, minus the sunburn. The shrimp and sausage are incredibly plump and juicy, the corn is delightfully sweet, and the potatoes are perfectly tender. Every single bite is bursting with smoky, warm, and earthy flavors that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Made to Share: This recipe is designed to feed the whole family, and then some! We often host seafood boils for summertime parties and cookouts. But honestly, this recipe is fantastic any time I want to make a large amount of food for 8-12 people, with minimal prep, effort, or cleanup required. As a bonus, it’s ready to serve to all those hungry guests in under an hour.

Dump, Go, and Dump: This may seem like an impressive dish (which it certainly is, in terms of flavor), but a Low Country Boil is actually a remarkably simple recipe to make. Think of it like a slow cooker recipe, but without all the waiting! You simply add the vegetables, sausage, and seafood in stages to a large pot of boiling water, then drain off the liquid, and dump it all out onto a newspaper-covered table for serving. Easy peasy!

Key Ingredients and Tips for the Best Low Country Boil

To achieve the most authentic and flavorful Low Country Boil, using high-quality ingredients is key. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need and some helpful tips:

• Raw Shrimp: Fresh shrimp is always the best option when available, but previously frozen and thawed shrimp will work just fine. You can choose to peel and devein the shrimp before adding them to the pot, which I personally prefer, or you can cook them whole in their shells. Leaving the shells on can help protect the shrimp from overcooking, adds extra flavor to the broth, and enhances the whole peel-and-eat experience.
• Kielbasa Sausage: While Andouille sausage is often used in Louisiana-style shrimp boils, it can sometimes be quite spicy. When cooking for a crowd, I typically opt for a mild kielbasa sausage to ensure everyone can enjoy the dish. Choose a smoked kielbasa for a richer flavor.
• Small Potatoes: Traditional red potatoes are the best choice for Low Country Boil. Look for small, golf ball-sized potatoes, or cut larger potatoes in half. Baby yellow potatoes are another option, but they tend to cook faster and become softer after boiling.
• Corn on the Cob: Fresh corn is an absolute must when it’s in season! But don’t worry if it’s not – frozen half pieces of corn work great too. There’s no need to thaw them first; just toss them directly into the boiling water.
• Garlic and Onion: A rustic chop is all you need here. Cut the onion into wedges, and simply peel and smash the garlic cloves – no need to mince them.
• Old Bay Seasoning: Can you even call it a Southern boil without Old Bay? This classic seasoning blend contains over a dozen different spices, including pepper, paprika, and bay leaves. If you have a favorite Cajun or Creole seasoning, feel free to use that instead.
• Lager Beer: Adding a pale lager to the cooking liquid adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the overall dish. It’s a subtle but noticeable addition. However, if you prefer, you can easily omit the beer.
• Fresh Parsley: The fresh, herbaceous flavor of parsley provides a delightful balance to all the savory and sweet elements in the boil, preventing it from feeling too heavy.

How to Make Authentic Low Country Boil

Follow these simple steps for a truly delicious Low Country Boil experience.

Find the full ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Prep and Start: For this recipe, I use a large 12-quart cooking pot, which comfortably holds 12 servings. If you only have a smaller 6-8 quart pot, simply halve the ingredients or use two separate pots.

Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat and pour in the water. Then, add the onion, garlic, and potatoes. If the potatoes are small, roughly the same size as the shrimp, leave them whole. If they are larger, cut them in half right before adding them to the pot.

Next, slice the smoked sausage into large 1 to 2-inch pieces.

Add the Seasoning and Sausage: Now, add the Old Bay seasoning, kielbasa pieces, and beer (if using) into the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle but steady boil, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, now is a great time to prep and cover the table with layers of newspaper or brown packing paper. Don’t forget to have plenty of napkins ready!

Add the Corn: Once a potato is almost fork-tender, carefully add the corn cob halves to the boiling water. Give everything a gentle stir, and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Add the Shrimp: As soon as the corn has boiled for 5 minutes, it’s time to add the shrimp. Move quickly! Stir them into the broth, and cook the shrimp for only another 2-3 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque. Then, immediately turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner.

Final Touch: Lastly, stir in a few tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley. While technically optional, the parsley adds a nice, fresh balance to the other savory and sweet flavors.

Drain and Dump: I find this recipe super fun to make, and now it’s time for my favorite part: dumping and eating! Do this quickly to prevent the shrimp from overcooking. Pour everything into a colander to drain off the liquid, then carefully dump the shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn across the paper-covered table.

*Alternatively, you can use a skimmer to scoop out the ingredients from the pot and transfer them to the table or a large serving platter.

Expert Tip for the Perfect Low Country Boil

As with many favorite Southern seafood dishes, such as Cajun shrimp jambalaya and authentic New Orleans seafood gumbo, the key to getting every element in this recipe just right is to add the ingredients at different times. This ensures that everything is cooked to perfection.

Begin by adding the seasoning upfront, along with the onions, garlic, sausage, and potatoes, as these take the longest to cook. Then, add the corn. At the very end, toss in the shrimp or any other seafood you’d like to include.

Make sure the potatoes are almost fork-tender before you add the corn. Don’t be tempted to add the corn too early, as it actually gets tougher the longer it cooks. The goal is to have perfectly sweet, warm, tender kernels that pop when you bite into them!

Serving Suggestions for a Memorable Meal

Here in the Carolinas, we typically serve a seafood boil with crusty bread, hot sauce, lemon wedges, clarified butter, and homemade cocktail sauce for dipping. I highly recommend you do the same!

Heaps of shrimp, corn, and potatoes make a complete meal on their own. But I’m a “the more the merrier” kind of hostess, so I love to have a few of my favorite Southern side dishes on hand as well. Here are some down-home recipes that pair perfectly with a boil spread:

• Southern Fried Okra
• Creamy Coleslaw
• Spicy Collard Greens
• Homemade Mac and Cheese
• Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
• Cheese Grits
• Marinated Vegetable Salad
• Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Storing and Reheating Low Country Boil Leftovers

Leftovers, although rare, can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing, as the shrimp can become rubbery, and the potatoes may turn grainy. Nobody wants that!

You can reheat the shrimp boil on the stovetop over low to medium heat, or in a covered dish in the oven at 300°F (150°C) with a splash of water or broth, until just warmed through (about 10-15 minutes). You can also microwave it in short intervals, stirring between each. Just keep an eye on it and avoid overheating, so the shrimp stays tender and doesn’t become tough!

Frequently Asked Questions About Low Country Boil

How much shrimp per person should I cook?

It depends on the size of the shrimp (medium or large), but you should aim for about 8-10 shrimp per person. In terms of weight, this is roughly 1/2 a pound per person.

What’s the best way to clean shrimp?

I’ve cleaned shrimp countless times, so trust me when I say I know the tried-and-true method for easily cleaning raw shrimp. First, twist and pull off the shrimp head. Then, use your fingers to gather as many legs as you can in one grab, and yank them off in a quick motion. Discard the legs. Next, place both thumbs on the underside of the shrimp, where the legs were, and gently push up and away to remove the shell. Although I remove the main shell, I prefer to keep the tails on for easy grabbing.

Once the shell is off, use your fingers or a paring knife to remove the black vein along the back of the shrimp. (This is also known as deveining the shrimp.) That’s the shrimp’s digestive tract – and yes, it’s exactly what you think it is.

What equipment do I need to make Low Country Boil?

This recipe requires an enormous sauce pot (12-quart). However, feel free to use two large 6-8 quart pots if that’s what you have available. You’ll also need a good-sized colander to strain the boil, or a large skimmer or slotted spoon to scoop the shrimp, potatoes, and corn out of the pot.

Can I add other seafood to this Low Country Boil?

Absolutely! You can add just about any seafood you can find. Try this recipe with blue crabs, crab claws or legs, mussels, clams, oysters, lobster claws or knuckles, or crawfish.

Anything with a thick shell, like crab legs or mussels, should be added with the corn. Anything with a thin shell or no shell, like crawfish, should be added with the shrimp.

More Delicious Seafood Recipes to Try

Low Country Boil Recipe

This is a print ready version of the low country boil recipe.