Low Country Boil Recipe

This Low Country Boil recipe is loaded with fresh shrimp, smoky sausage, sweet corn, and tender potatoes. It's topped with melted butter full of garlic and seasonings and is ideal for breaking bread with friends and family.

This classic Southern recipe is an easy one-pot meal that everyone will love! Grab the biggest pot you can find and let's get cooking!

Love a seafood boil? Try my Seafood Boil and my Old Bay Shrimp Boil!

 

Gather around the picnic table, it's time to eat! Welcome to my low country boil party, we're cooking up some tender shrimp, fresh corn, spicy sausage, and potatoes. If you have crab legs, feel free to throw those into the pot too!

My first low country boil was when my parents took me to Hilton Head, SC as a kid. We stopped in Charleston for dinner en route and I remember the waiter coming out with a big platter of seafood, a few bibs, and tons of napkins.

We sat there and ate for hours and ended up reheating some more the next day. When we got to Hilton Head, we took a day trip to St. Helena Island where I actually learned about the origins of Southern food, the strong African influence, and how low country boils were a celebratory food and a means of keeping Gullah tradition alive. It was beautiful.

Fast forward to me starting a food blog (still so cool to say) and making my own low country boil recipe, I had to tell this story as I tried to recreate such an awesome memory from my childhood.

This recipe for low country boil comes together in under an hour and its the perfect recipe to feed a large crowd. The secret is the garlic butter sauce that's slathered on top that really carries the flavor and makes this low-country boil finger licking good! If you're ready for a perfect recipe to enjoy, you've come to the right place!

What is a low country boil?

A low country boil, also known as a tidewater boil, beaufort stew or beaufort boil, and most commonly, Frogmore Stew (even though it's not a stew at all), is a recipe that originates from the Gullah-Geechee people off the South Carolina Coast, also known as the low country. The Gullah kept their African traditions alive by making this one pot meal with low country catch from the bay. It was a celebratory food and a means of bringing people together, using the food available.

A low country boil is not to be confused with a Louisiana seafood boil down on the gulf coast as it uses shrimp instead of crawfish. You can also add blue crab, crab claws, and vegetables to make this lowcountry boil recipe yourv own.

What You'll Need

• A large stockpot (at least a 20 quart pot) If you don’t have a pot large enough, use two large pots and divide the ingredients equally among both pots.
• Lots of paper towels
• A large platter and/or newspapers to serve the seafood on

What's in a low country boil?

Every frogmore stew recipe is a little different, however, here's what you'll need for this recipe for low country boil!

• Jumbo shrimp ( as big as you can find!): I used 2 lbs of shrimp which fed five people, however, you can adjust the amount of shrimp as needed.
• Seasonings: cajun seasoning, whole peppercorns or black pepper, a cup of old bay seasoning, and bay leaves. These make for the perfect seasoned broth. You'll need large quantities to be sure to take inventory of your spices prior to getting started!
• Onions, Lemon, and Garlic bulbs: aromatics to give this stew lots of delicious flavor. Save extra lemon wedges to squeeze on top of your seafood. I also recommend using vidalia onions / sweet onions.
• Smoky Sausage: beef sausage, andouille sausage, or kielbasa sausage are all great for this shrimp boil recipe.
• Red Potatoes: I like using small red potatoes but you can also use yukon gold potatoes as well.
• Chicken Stock: you can also use seafood stock for added seafood flavor.
• Hot sauce: for a nice kick!

Substitutions and Variations

• Free free to add crab claws or whole crabs into the boil. Just be sure to cook them thoroughly. As a rule of thumb, crab is typically done when it's orange/red and begins to float.
• For the broth, add in a few cans of beer for added flavor. Also, feel free to give Zatarain's shrimp and crab boil seasoning to the broth instead of cajun seasoning. You can also try using creole seasoning.

Tips

• Fresh seafood is best! Try to use the freshest ingredients that you can find.
• Be sure to use a very large pot. I recommend using a 15-20 quart pot. If you don’t have a pot large enough, use two pots and divide the ingredients equally among both pots.
• Save a couple of lemons to squeeze on top of the boil while eating. It makes the boil so bright and fresh tasting!
• For the savory broth, bring to a boil and cook everything as instructed. Sometimes when you add more ingredients, the temperature of the water will decrease. Don't worry, increase the heat and simply return to a boil and cook as instructed.

How to make a Low Country Boil

• Start by making the broth. Add 6 quarts of water, chicken broth, onions, lemons, garlic, old bay, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a large stock pot. Bring this to a rolling boil.
• Add the potatoes, add corn, and sausages to boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes, until potatoes become tender, but not mushy.
• Then add shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes, until shrimp are pink. (Reserve 1-2 cups of the stock!)
• Make the garlic butter sauce by melting the butter in a skillet and adding diced garlic, seasonings, and adding in a little bit the stock from the boil. Pour on top of the boil and serve with more melted butter. Enjoy!

How to Store and Reheat a Low Country Boil

If you have leftovers, be sure to store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave until warm (not hot, you don't want to overcook it, it'll become rubbery). You can also heat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. I, however, recommend eating your leftovers cold!