Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Low Country Boil: A Perfect Hands-On Feast
If there’s one dish that screams community, celebration, and flavor, it’s the Low Country Boil. A symphony of shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn, this dish combines the freshest ingredients and layers them in a spiced broth that transforms simple elements into something extraordinary. It’s not just a meal; it’s an experience.
Traditionally prepared in massive pots over outdoor burners for large gatherings, this recipe brings the essence of the Low Country to your kitchen. Using a trusty Dutch oven, you can recreate this coastal favorite in a more intimate, scaled-down version that still packs all the flavor and fun of its larger counterpart.
What makes the Low Country Boil so special? It’s the hands-on nature of the feast. There’s no need for forks and knives—just grab some napkins and dig in! The beauty of this meal is in its simplicity and the balance of ingredients. Each bite offers something different: the creamy softness of red potatoes, the sweet crunch of corn, the smoky richness of sausage, and the delicate brininess of unpeeled shrimp. When all of this is cooked in a seasoned broth brimming with Old Bay, onions, garlic, and bay leaves, it becomes a medley of coastal flavors.
The finishing touches bring it all together. Melted butter infused with lemon juice provides a luscious dipping sauce, while a sprinkle of chopped parsley and wedges of lemon add brightness to the dish. Lay it all out on a newspaper-lined table or serve it straight from the pot—either way, this meal is about sharing moments as much as it is about savoring food.
Pro tip: Don’t rush the process. Let the potatoes soak up the spiced broth, allow the sausage to caramelize slightly, and time the addition of the shrimp perfectly so they’re just cooked through. The magic of a Low Country Boil lies in these details, ensuring that each component contributes to the dish’s overall harmony.
So, gather your loved ones, roll up your sleeves, and dive into this mouthwatering Low Country Boil. It’s more than a recipe—it’s a tradition that brings people together with every delicious bite.
Ingredients:
10 cups water
1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning (+ 1 tablespoon)
1 medium onion
7 cloves garlic
2 each bay leaf
1 pound red potatoes, small
4 ears corn
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced 1″ thick
2 pounds shrimp, unpeeled
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 each lemon, wedges (to serve)
parsley, chopped (to serve)
Instructions:
BOIL (60 minutes):
In a 7-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, bring 10 cups water, 1/3 cup Old Bay, onion, garlic, and bay leaves to a boil over mediumhigh heat.
Reduce heat to medium; cook for 5 minutes.
Add potatoes; cook just until tender, about 20 minutes.
Add corn and sausage; cook until corn and potatoes are tender and sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Remove pot from heat; stir in shrimp. Cover and let stand until shrimp are pink and firm, 5 to 7 minutes.
DIPPING SAUCE (while shrimp cooks):
In a small bowl, stir together butter, lemon pound baby red potatoes juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon Old Bay.
Drain shrimp and vegetables from cooking liquid; discard bay leaves. Serve with butter mixture and lemon. Garnish with parsley.
This is a great combination of seafood, meat and veggies. The Old Bay permeated the potatoes and
added a sweet-ish taste to the sausage. The corn was perfectly cooked and seasoned well with the old Bay.