Low Country Shrimp Boil ~ this iconic Southern feast is the ultimate one pot meal ~ Vidalia onions, potatoes, corn, Andouille sausage, and shrimp get layered into a large stock pot with Cajun spices ~ just add friends and lots of ice cold beer!
*I’m thrilled to be partnering today with the historic Italian company Lagostina and their gorgeous line of pans.
a shrimp boil is the ultimate one pot meal!
I’m bursting with excitement today because I’m sharing one of the most iconic summer meals, the classic shrimp boil. It’s a feast for all the senses with vibrant ingredients, enticing aromas, and flavors that can’t be topped. This easy meal is summer all piled up in a pan!
what’s in a low country shrimp boil?
Lol it’s almost easier to list what’s not in it!
- corn ~ cut fresh corn on the cob into manageable pieces
- sausage ~ Cajun Andouille smoked sausages are traditional
- shrimp ~ leave the shells on, that makes them more fun to eat!
- onion ~ sweet Vidalia, of course
- beer ~ whatever you like to drink
- Old Bay seasoning ~ a must
- garlic
- lemon
- salt
TIP: I’ve made this with fresh shrimp and I’ve made it with a bag of frozen, shell-on shrimp, and both worked beautifully. No need to thaw the frozen shrimp, just allow a little extra cooking time.
Everything cooks together in this seafood boil, with each ingredient going into the pot at different times, depending on how quickly they cook.
The Lagostina large 6 quart stock pot with its drain basket is perfect for a good old fashioned shrimp boil. It’s large enough to hold all the ingredients as you layer them in, one at a time, depending on how long they need to cook.
how to cook a shrimp boil
It starts with making the simple stock. Water, beer, seasonings, garlic, and lemon bubble away for a few minutes before adding the onions and potatoes to the pot.
The sausage and corn are next into the pot, and finally the shrimp go in for the last few minutes.
After that it’s just a matter of lifting the basket, dumping out the delicious contents, and ringing the dinner bell! Traditionally a seafood boil is turned out onto newspaper right on a picnic table, with lots of hot sauce, and mayo dip handy. For a more elegant presentation bring it to the table in a skillet, bowl, or other large pan.
A final dusting of Old Bay, some fresh parsley, and lemon wedges finishes it off.
what to serve with shrimp boil?
This festive meal is perfect for summer gatherings, and it’s pretty much a meal in itself, but if you want to add side dishes, I suggest…
- Boston Market Style Cornbread Recipe
- Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw
- Mediterranean Bean Salad
- Corn and Cucumber Salad
- French Potato Salad
more classic summer meals
- Easy Pasta Alla Checca
- Great Island Curried Chicken Salad Plate
- Grilled Chicken with Peach Jalapeño Salsa
- Salmon Cobb Salad
- New England Shrimp Rolls
Low Country Shrimp Boil
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water
- 12 ounces of your favorite beer
- 1/3 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 lemon
- 1 head garlic
- 1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and cut in 4 wedges
- 1 lb baby red potatoes, left whole, or halved if large
- 4 ears yellow corn, cut in 2 inch slices
- 12 ounces Cajun Andouille smoked sausages
- 1 lb shrimp, shell on
Sriracha mayo dip
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Sriracha or other hot chili sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Put the water, beer, Old Bay, and salt in a large stock pot. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the pot, and drop the squeezed halves in too. Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves, and add it to the pot, along with the onion wedges. Bring the pot up to a boil and let it bubble away for 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and let them cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the sausage and corn and let boil gently for another 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp to the pot, cover, and let cook for a few minutes more, just until they are cooked through.
- Drain the pot and serve the boil with a sprinkling of Old Bay, fresh parsley, lemon wedges, hot sauce, and the Sriracha mayo dip.
- Make the Sriracha mayo by stirring the chili sauce into the mayo to taste, start with 3 tablespoons and go from there.
Nutrition
Don’t lose this Low Country Shrimp Boil ~ pin it!
Wow, what a generous giveaway! I have really gotten back into cooking–mainly to teach myself to eat more nutritiously, but also to lose weight! I would love these pans while I enjoy learning to cook again, since you say they’re more manageable than cast iron (which I do love to cook with), and I could gaze upon their beauty instead of my “ragtag” pan collection.
Low Country Shrimp Boil is perhaps my favorite summertime go-to dinner for guests. Everyone is impressed and loves it. When they find out how easy it is to prepare, thy can hardly believe it. Great recipe. Beautiful cookware.
These pans are really awesome! I love cooking with these types of pans! Clean-up is so easy and they look like new, even many years of cooking with them. I would love having the whole set!
What a perfect summer recipe. I will definitely be making this for the fourth of July weekend!!!! Those pans are gorgeous especially the stock pot with strainer (perfect for a boil ) I would love to add those into my try to cook and eat healthy life ?
I never would have thought of a mayo dip! Here in the south, the shrimp boil is ubiquitous, on the menu at every crab shack (and yes, it includes crab legs if you get it from there!), but I’ve never seen a mayo dip for it. Going to be trying it this week! Probably won’t use a sriracha, as I have Louisiana Crystal hot sauce on-hand (or the mouths I feed revolt).
Ooh! Love those pans … I seriously need to replace my 30+ year old pans. What a great giveaway!!! And the Low Country Shrimp Boil looks amazing! Heading to the beach tomorrow – I’m bringing in this recipe along 🙂 Thank you!
Happy 4th of July!
I have been cooking for my family over 30 years, and I have used some of your fantastic recipes.
Those pans would be a great replacement, and every time I go visit them or they came visit us, they asked to prepare their favorite meals. It helps me to relax and enjoy a great meal.
I have cook some of the low country meals, because both my daughters are from the south.
Never thought I’d say “what a gorgeous pan” but there’s a first time for everything. And this Low Country boil looks delicious. Seeing it altogether in the pan is more appetizing than dumped all over a table. Plus, depending on where you sit, you can lose out on some of your favorites once it’s dumped. I don’t like scrambling for my dinner!
Love your recipes. I have tried many of them with great results and compliments. Your giveaway is a
beautiful set of cookware.. Good luck to all.
Holy comments 😉 But who wouldn’t want to comment for a chance to win cookware ??