This Low Country Boil is a blend of shrimp, crab, sausage, corn and potatoes, all cooked together to create a hearty dinner. A complete meal in one pot that’s perfect for a feeding a large group of people!
You can never go wrong with fresh seafood recipes, whether it’s bouillabaisse, seared scallops, grilled swordfish, steamed lobster or this fun and festive Low Country Boil recipe.
If you’ve never had a Low Country Boil, you’re missing out! This savory blend of seafood, vegetables and sausage is a unique and unexpected dish that always gets rave reviews from family and friends.
Table of Contents
Low Country Boil Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need fresh lemons, Old Bay seasoning, garlic cloves, onion, baby red potatoes, corn on the cob, crab, shrimp, sausage, butter and parsley.
How Do You Make Low Country Boil?
Place lemon quarters, Old Bay seasoning, garlic and onion in a large pot of water, then bring the mixture to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until they are just tender. Next, add the crab, corn and sausage and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are done. Drain the seafood mixture, but reserve 1 cup of the boiling liquid. Whisk melted butter into the boil liquid, then pour it over the seafood. Garnish with parsley, lemons and Old Bay, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- This recipe contains both shrimp and crab, but you can use just one variety of seafood if you prefer.
- I recommend buying the largest shrimp you can find for this recipe. I use 16-20 count jumbo shrimp. You can use any type of crab such as dungeness, blue crab or snow crab. If your seafood is frozen, be sure to thaw it first.
- You can boil your shrimp with or without the shells. I typically remove the main part of the shell and just leave the tails on as it’s easier to eat this way.
- Fresh corn on the cob tastes best in this recipe – you can use white, yellow or bi-color corn. In a pinch, frozen corn on the cob will also work.
- I often use small red potatoes in this dish, but Yukon gold potatoes are also a great choice.
- Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Quick Tip
Choose your favorite type of smoked sausage to go in your boil. I typically use kielbasa, but andouille is also a great option.
Recipe FAQs
A Low Country boil is a dish that originates from the Low Country area of Georgia and South Carolina. It is also sometimes known as Frogmore Stew. This dish consists of seafood, typically shrimp, crab or both, along with potatoes, sausage and corn. All the ingredients are cooked together in one giant pot. Some people even have Low Country Boil parties where they prepare large quantities of this classic meal to feed to a big group of people.
A Low Country Boil can be served as a stand alone main course, but some people prefer to add more side dishes to round out the meal. Some great options include an Italian salad, sliced sourdough bread, red cabbage slaw or a creamy dill potato salad. I typically keep things simple with a loaf of garlic bread and sometimes a green veggie such as roasted asparagus, sauteed broccolini or grilled zucchini.
The majority of the crab that you buy at the store is pre-cooked, so in this case, all you’re really doing is heating the crab. Typically, crab legs take about 5-7 minutes to heat through. Legs tend to cook quicker than the body pieces of the crab. If you choose to cook the crab bodies along with the legs, you’ll want to add another 3-4 minutes to the cook time.
Shrimp cook very quickly, and it takes about 2-3 minutes for shrimp to be done. You can tell when your shrimp are ready to eat because they’ll be bright pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook your shrimp as they can become tough.
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Flavor Variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can easily customize the flavors to suit your tastes.
- Seafood: You can use other types of seafood in your boil such as chunks of firm fish, scallops, clams, mussels or even lobster tails.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies along with the potatoes. Some great choices include sliced carrots or diced tomatoes.
- Seasonings: You can add other flavors to the broth such as hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, bay leaves, or whole peppercorns.
You just can’t go wrong with a Low Country Boil, especially for a celebration. The tender shrimp and crab meat pair so well with the creamy potatoes, smoky sausage and sweet corn. Everyone will be sure to come back for seconds!
More Seafood Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Low Country Boil Video
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Low Country Boil
Ingredients
- 3 lemons divided use
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning plus more for garnish
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 onion peeled and cut into 6 pieces
- 1 pound baby red potatoes halved
- 4 ears corn on the cob cut into 3-4 inch pieces
- 2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined (leave tails on)
- 2 pounds crab legs and/or bodies
- 1 pound smoked sausage such as kielbasa, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cut 2 of the lemons into quarters. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and reserve the wedges for later use.
- Fill a large pot with 12-14 cups of water. Place the 2 quartered lemons in the water along with the Old Bay seasoning, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes or until just tender.
- Add the crab, corn and sausage and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes or until pink and opaque.
- Drain the shrimp mixture from the pot, reserving 1 cup of the broth.
- Melt the butter and whisk it into the reserved broth. Pour the broth over the shrimp and crab mixture.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay seasoning to taste, then serve immediately.
Notes
- I recommend buying the largest shrimp you can find for this recipe. I use 16-20 count jumbo shrimp. You can use any type of crab such as dungeness, blue crab or snow crab. If your seafood is frozen, be sure to thaw it first.
- You can boil your shrimp with or without the shells. I typically remove the main part of the shell and just leave the tails on as it’s easier to eat this way.
Used this recipe many times, doing it today for my birthday. Always a family favorite!!
Can you make this without the sausage for vegetarians?
That’s fine!
I would recommend this dish for any gathering!
I gave it a shot, and it turned out to be a flavor-packed feast that transported me straight to the coast.
This reminds me of a meal I order at my favorite seafood restaurant. So much better to make it at home instead of eating out. Thanks for sharing!