Dive into the world of Low Country Boil, a flavorful Southern tradition! With fresh seafood, spicy sausage, corn, and potatoes, this dish is a feast for the senses. Perfect for family gatherings or a cozy dinner, it’s a recipe that brings warmth and joy to the table. Explore our collection of tips and techniques to master this delicious meal. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or trying it for the first time, you’ll fall in love with the taste of Low Country Boil!
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Low Country Boil
Low Country Boil is a delectable Southern feast that has captured the hearts of seafood lovers. This delicious concoction, also known as Seafood Boil or Low County Seafood Boil, is a flavorful mix of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and potatoes, seasoned with mouthwatering spices.
A Low Country Boil is not just a meal; it’s an experience. From family gatherings to beachside picnics, it’s a dish that brings people together. With ingredients like extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined with the tail on, baby yellow gold potatoes, smoked sausage, and sweet onion, the Low Country Boil offers a delightful blend of textures and flavors.
What sets the Low Country Boil apart from other recipes for a seafood boil is its distinctive seasoning. The blend of concentrated shrimp and crab boil seasoning, old bay seasoning, and an optional dash of lager beer adds a unique twist to the flavor profile. The cooking process involves careful timing for adding each ingredient, creating a beautiful symphony of flavors that linger on the palate.
Though the recipe for a seafood boil might vary across different cultures and regions, the Low Country Boil stands out as an iconic Southern dish. Its origins trace back to the coastal regions, where seafood is abundant, and it has since spread across the country as a favorite choice for gatherings.
Served with melted butter and lemon wedges, the Low Country Boil is a meal that tantalizes all senses. It’s the kind of dish that creates memories, fills the room with laughter, and leaves everyone eagerly anticipating the next time they can savor this Southern gem.
Low Country Boil: Ingredients & Equipment
To make this Low Country Boil, you will need …
Ingredients
- water and lager beer – the liquid you will be cooking the boil in.
- concentrated shrimp and crab boil seasoning and Old Bay seasoning – the seasoning for the boil.
- baby yellow gold potatoes, onion, smoked sausage, corn on the cob, and extra large shrimp – all the delicious add-ins for the boil.
- salted butter and lemon wedges – for serving. These are optional but a delicious addition!
Equipment
- Dutch oven or other large pot – for cooking the boil.
How to make Low Country Boil
Bring liquids and seasoning to a boil. In a 5 quart or larger stock pot, add the water, beer, boil seasoning, and old bay. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil.
Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the pot and allow the liquid to come back to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add the onion and sausage. Add the onion and sausage to the pot and allow it to come back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the corn. Add the corn to the pot, stir it in, and allow it to come back to a boil for 10 more minutes.
Add in the shrimp. Lastly, stir the shrimp in, and cook until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 4-5 more minutes.
Strain and serve. Strain and serve immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges.
Low Country Boil: FAQs
You can customize the recipe by adding ingredients like crab, crawfish, lobster, or clams to suit your taste preferences.
It is typically served family-style, often spread out on a newspaper-covered table. Melted butter and lemon wedges are common accompaniments.
It is best enjoyed fresh, as cooking in advance might affect the texture of the seafood. However, you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time.
Yes, the lager beer is optional, and the dish will still be delicious without it.
Side dishes like coleslaw, garlic bread, or a fresh salad pair well with Low Country Boil. Beverages like iced tea or cold beer complement the flavors beautifully.
You can control the spiciness by reducing the amount of concentrated shrimp and crab boil seasoning or using a milder version.
While it’s best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can be frozen and reheated later. However, the texture of the seafood may change slightly.
Yes, kids often enjoy the flavors of Low Country Boil. You can adjust the spiciness and ingredients to suit their preferences.
This is a popular choice for outdoor cooking, such as beach parties or picnics. You can use an outdoor propane burner or even a grill.
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Low Country Boil
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 12 ounces lager beer optional
- ¼ cup concentrated shrimp and crab boil seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds baby yellow gold potatoes cut in half
- 1 medium sweet onion peeled, large diced
- 12 ounces smoked sausage cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 ears corn cut in half
- 2 pounds extra large shrimp peeled and deveined, tail on
- ½ cup salted butter melted, for serving
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a 5 quart or larger stock pot, add the water, beer, boil seasoning, and old bay. Stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and allow the liquid to come back to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add the onion and sausage to the pot, stir it in, and allow it to come back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add the corn to the pot, stir it in, and allow it to come back to a boil for 10 more minutes.
- Lastly, stir the shrimp in and cook until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 4-5 more minutes.
- Strain and serve immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges.
Notes
- You can leave out the beer totally if you don’t want to use it, you can also add a little more water.
- You have to use a very big pot, if you don’t have one large enough, you should divide everything into two smaller pots.
- This is also very good served with some of the cooking liquid to dip into and cocktail sauce.
- Red potatoes work well too! If they are larger than bite-sized, I cut the potatoes in half, this goes for the baby gold potatoes as well, but if they are smaller and bite-sized already, you can leave them whole.
- A lot of the time, I will toss the entire boil after it has been strained in the melted butter. But, having the butter on the side is a better option if you are having a party or something where some people may not want the extra butter.
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, I like to add the leftovers to a baking dish with a splash of water or stock and bake until warmed through.
- I like to use lager beer since it is more on the mellow side and will not overpower the taste of the boil.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
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