This Low Country Shrimp Boil is a great way to feed a crowd in a casual way. So easy to make on the stove and serve on newspaper for a fun get-together. It’s an awesome year-round dish.
Low Country Shrimp Boil Recipe
Have you ever experienced a seafood boil? Since I live in the Pacific Northwest, I love using shrimp as my shellfish of choice when enjoying this type of cuisine.
This is a great way to feed a crowd for weekend get-togethers or holidays. Boils are fun to do outside with a large pot and a propane tank, but in Oregon I can’t wait for the weather to cooperate for this type of cooking. I use a large pot on the stove and cook it in two batches. I cover the dining room table in newspapers and everyone sits down for an interactive meal of peeling shrimp, corn on the cob, potatoes and kielbasa. I’m telling you, this version tastes fantastic!
I love serving this dish with my Easy Artisan Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Bread as well as my 5-Minute Spicy Lemon Broccoli.
The whole meal could not be easier to put together.
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I used the OXO 3-Piece Bowl and Colander Set to rinse the shrimp before I got started.
This is probably one of the nicest colanders I have and truly love that it has a lid.
It’s easy to keep the shrimp on ice and in the fridge with this bowl. No mess whatsoever.
Since the shrimp were unpeeled and vein-in, a little bit of prep work was required.
I used these Flexible Kitchen & Herb Snips to cut through the shell on the back of the shrimp.
This makes it easy to then remove the vein with the Shrimp Cleaner (both seen above).
Both tools made it all so simple to get these shrimp ready for the boil.
Here I’m using the Wooden Lemon Reamer to extract the juice from the lemons and into the broth.
If you’ve never used a lemon reamer, I can highly recommend them.
I never seem to be able to squeeze all the juice from a lemon and this tool is quite helpful when it comes to extracting it all. Good for limes too.
I have a really large (wide) stock pot I use to do my boils. I cook them in two batches, mostly because as we sit down to enjoy one serving the next comes off the stove warm and ready to eat. I find it much more enjoyable this way and the food remains hot.
Just use the biggest pot you can get your hands on and you’ll be fine.
Before serving and after each batch is cooked, I toss the mixture with garlic butter…it’s the perfect finishing touch to this meal.
Does this not look insanely delicious? That’s because it is.
PIN THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE!
There are so many great recipes to feed a crowd and are perfect for summertime. This Southern Tomato Slab Pie is one that comes to mind for all those summer tomatoes. This Cucumber, Tomato Salad is also a perfect potluck dish. This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad will also surely feed a crowd.
Two years ago I made this Roasted Brown Sugar-Five Spice Butternut Squash and it was to die for! Five years ago I threw together these Sweet Potato Spice Cookies on a whim and they have become one of my all time favorites. Six years ago these Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins came into my life and have never left. They are amazing and the peanut butter flavor really comes through.
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Low Country Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 pounds extra large prawns, unpeeled
- 5 quarts water
- 1 (12 oz) beer
- 1 bag Shrimp and Crab Boil (found in the seafood section)
- 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 T kosher salt
- 2 lemons, juiced plus rinds
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1-1/2 pounds small red potatoes
- 4 ears corn, broken into smaller pieces
- 1 lb kielbasa
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
Directions
- De-vein shrimp and set aside on ice until ready to use.
- In a large stock pot, add water, beer, shrimp and crab boil, Old Bay, salt, lemon juice and rinds from both lemons and onion. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Add corn and kielbasa, cook for 5 minutes more. Add shrimp, cooking for 3 minutes or until pink and opaque.
- Drain broth and toss with butter that has been melted with minced garlic.
- Serve on a bed of newspapers with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauces such as cocktail sauce or a spicy mayo.
- *I often double this recipe and cook it in two batches to feed a crowd. However, if you have a large enough pot (usually and outdoor boil pot) you can double it and cook it all at once.
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April Blosfield says
My kids are super picky, but everything you have in that shrimp boil are things they would eat. I think this needs to be on my meal plan for a fun Friday evening dinner.
betty campbell says
love the shrimp boil
Colleen says
Hi,
The shrimp boil looks amazing! Do you have a recipe for this? I couldn’t find one on your site.
Colleen says
Ok, clearly my brain…and eye-sight…has failed me today. I see the recipe…can’t wait to make this! lol
Kyle says
This is a great idea for my annual Memorial Day Weekend Kick-Off party!!!
jeri says
Looks delicious, but there’s no widget
Emma says
Giveaway widget appears to be missing? Just wanted to let you know 🙂
In other news, that shrimp boil looks AH-MAZE-ING. I’ve always wanted to do a seafood bake like this!
Emma says
Oh, seems to be working for me today!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
It looks amazing! I’ve only done a shrimp boil once and I really need to do it again!! Man oh Man does it look good!
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
Shrimp boils are so good! It’s been a while since I’ve had one. Need to remedy that!
Liz says
I am making this the first second I see fresh corn on the cob at the market! What a spectacular dish for entertaining!!!
Eve McGee-Malone says
Thanks so much for the recipe and the chance to win. No widget, though. 🙁
Cathy says
There has been some issues with it but it’s there now.
Jo Wake says
Didn’t know about this before. I love shrimp boils or crab boils. There is a restaurant we go to sometimes in North Carolina who specialise in them with different things such as clams, shrimp and crab as well as corn and potatoes oh and sausage of course.
I used to be given 5lbs of shrimp periodically so long as I made my Jambalaya. Lovely recipe.
MyMansBelly says
I just want to dive right into that pot. (It looks like it might just be big enough to do that.) 😉
Camille says
I love a shrimp boil! Reminds me of summer days and family reunions.
Devon says
We always make low country shrimp boils whenever we can! However, we love using this creole spice blend from McCormicks! It gets super spicy if you pop open the bag in the pot. It always reminds us of being on vacation and can make even a bad day into a happy memory.
http://www.mccormick.com/Zatarains/Products/Spices-and-Seasonings/Seafood-Boils/Crawfish-Shrimp-and-Crab-Boil-In-a-Bag
Misha says
This looks amazing!
Christine from Cook the Story says
Every single part of this dish screams summer time!
Natasha of Natashaskitchen.com says
Your shrimp boil sounds and looks heavenly!! Now I wish I had purchased corn at Costco! I had everything else! 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing and your pictures are so crisp and perfect! LOVE! 🙂
Brandie (@ Home Cooking Memories) says
Cathy, this looks so good….I just want to dig in and get messy with it all. I’m still new to shrimp boils (never made one) and while I don’t know if the garlic butter at the end is the usual way it’s done, I’m SOLD!
katie says
I LOVE shrimp boils!!! This sounds so good and now I’m officially craving a shrimp boil. Might have to make one for tonight for dinner! lol.
Audra says
I love family shrimp boils and yours look amazingly delicious! Love your addition of beer, pinning <3
Pamela says
I’ve indulged in so many shrimp boils during my lifetime. My Dad was the mayor of a little town in SC for a while, Carolina Lowcountry! His wife gave me a copy of “Charleston Receipts” which is the oldest Junior League Cookbook in print, started in 1950. I thought I would find a Shrimp Boil recipe in my copy but I did not. The book is more interesting to read than to cook from. If you ever need a terrapin recipe, Charleston Receipts has one. Your shrimp boil contains all the necessary ingredients for a perfect boil, wish it was warm enough to cook one outside and enjoy right now! I have had them with crab claws and cleaned crabs added. That inclusion just makes the party last longer. I’m not a fan of Old Bay but a shrimp boil requires it for seasoning. (I think I’ve grown tired of crabs steamed with so much Old Bay. In this area, more northern VA, DC and MD, they add so much Old Bay your lips burn and the crab flavor is masked. Also they steam the crabs whole! That was practically a sin when I was growing up. The first time I ate crabs in MD I thought I would die. I was taught to clean crabs at a young age, while they were still alive. No outer shell, no “Dead Man,” (which I later decided was roe, possibly fat?) claws away from the body, no gills, etc. When I was served steamed crabs with “Dead Man” still in the crab, I just knew I would perish. I drank more beer than I ate crab that night. Thanks for posting your recipe.
Lauren says
This looks so good…and tossing it all in GARLIC BUTTER at the end tipped the scales for me! Gonna have to try it!
Carrie Allton says
It’s tradition in our family to have a boil on the first night of our summer camping trip. We live on the Washington coast and pick up the prawns on our way out of town. I had cut the recipe out of a magazine years ago and even though I don’t need it now, my husband laminated it so my kids would have it someday for their own trips. Good memories!
Birdiebee says
What an awesome recipe. I have never made any type of boil before but will be trying this out on my family.
debby says
If i were to make this using both shrimp and crab legs, when would i add the crab? Also never heard of the shrimp & crab boil (seasoning im thinking?) Where is that? When you make 2 batches do you reuse the same seasoned broth for both or fresh everything for the 2nd batch? Thanks 🙂 please email me to be sure i recieve the answers.
debby says
Here in my hometown when i move, if we ask the newspaper they give us free end rolls of white unprinted on newspaper rolls. The ink on the paper skeeves me, i would prefer the plain white. Next time ask. Even just a clean sheet to lay ontop of all the printed paper.
Edwin Novak Jr says
Looking for a different dish for the 4th going to try it.
Lorri says
When I saw this recipe I knew we (my family) had to do this. We rented a cottage on Lake Huron (2016) and cooked this on the beach. It was fabulous! Just as you would picture in your mind of the way it should be. We are going to do this again this weekend (labor day). It’s such a great family get together!! Going to add crab legs this time.
Cathy says
That’s awesome!
Chuck says
Made this recipe for the midweek dinner and it is a hit! Good recipe with great taste. Will be making again and think I will sneak in some crab legs; just because!
Cathy says
Yes, it’s so easy.
Bryan says
This looks like a great recipe! It’s very similar to the Low Country Boil that I did for a surprise 80th birthday party for my Dad. Although, in addition to the shrimp, I also included some Dungeness crab. Normally I’d use a blue crab, but sometimes you go with what’s available. I had to buy a pot just for this party. We were expecting 35 to 40 so I bought a 44-quart and still had to do 2 batches. Since the shrimp takes very little time to get done, I cooked everything else, dumped that on the tables (the pot has a large strainer insert) and then cooked the shrimp in the same water. Also, with the left-overs, I cut the corn off of the cob, shelled the crab and shrimp and cut the sausage and potatoes into smaller pieces and it made a great chowder.
Stephanie says
I made this for my daughter to take to a gathering. Of course I had to taste along the preparation. I decided to use can baby corn. It was easier but just wanted to try using it. It was fine. Sent her with that and two loafs of French bread.. I did use deveined and shelled shrimp, since it was on sale. All and all I liked the recipe. I wasn’t feeling well to attend but will make this again for me😉
Cathy says
Glad it worked out!
Chastin says
This is an amazing recipe! Added a bag of clams and it was fantastic!!!! We will be making this again
Cathy says
Great idea!
susan says
I am unsure about the shrimp. recipe says to add it to spices and liquid and then add potatoes ect but them later on to add shrimp? does shrimp get cooked and removed and then re-added? I want to make this tonight so hope you see it today and reply. looks great!
Patti says
could you have your recipes available to sent them to e-mail. I don’t know how to print from face book so it would be wonderful to send anything to e-mail and then I could print or store it in file. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you
patti280comcast.net
Cathy says
Patti, there is a print recipe button by the recipe. Click on that and it will go to your printer.
Marjorie Harper says
Is it okay to cut the potatoes in half?
Cathy says
They might cook to fast if too small so it will depend on their size.
Charles Coleman says
So is there a multiplier cause I need to make this for about 60-70 people help me PLEASE !!
Michelle Fuster says
Hi – this may sound like a stupid questions but when I search for the “bag of crab and shrimp boil” the only thing I see is a jar of the seasoning. Where is the “bag” and how is that added to the pot?
Thank you! Looks amazing.
Michelle
Cathy says
Here is a link to it so you can see what it looks like. https://amzn.to/3emxtzt Add it to the recipe right where it asks you too. This is often found in the market at the meat and seafood counter.