Go to Homepage
Get Our Cookbook

    Low Country Boil

    September 17, 2024

    The Low Country Boil is as much a recipe as it is a social tradition. Sausage, shrimp, potatoes, and corn are cooked together in a pot to be shared around the table with friends and family.

    Categories

    low country boil made with corn, shrimp, potatoes and sausage spread out on a table with sauces for dipping
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    Get Ready to Party With The Best Low Country Boil Recipe

    A low country boil is part of a long tradition of seafood preparation that originated in various regions of the coastal United States. Our recipe calls for Old Bay, the iconic American spice blend, which imparts notes of mustard, paprika, and celery salt as everything cooks in one big pot. The low country boil is the style best known in South Carolina, and its primary ingredients are shrimp and sausage, potatoes and corn. Other regional varieties swap the seafood element–crawfish or crab (in Louisiana), and clams or lobster (in the Northeast). Anyway you cook it up, you’ll have a great reason to gather together for a real feast as this recipe is easy to scale up for a hungry crowd of seafood lovers.

    corn, shrimp, potatoes, sausage, onion, garlic, spices, parsley & lemon wedges in bowls on the counter for a low country boil
    water being poured into a large pot with chicken stock, smashed garlic and old bay seasoning to make a low country boil

    What To Serve With a Low Country Boil

    This one pot meal contains fish, meat, and veg all in one place, but crusty bread is always a good idea. You can serve everything with a side of our Homemade Cocktail Sauce or Garlic Aioli for dipping delight. And in case you need a little crunch with your meal, our Simple Green Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette is a great addition.

    onions, potatoes and corn boiling in a pot of water, chicken stock smashed garlic and old bay seasoning
    shrimp, onions, potatoes and corn boiling in a pot of water, chicken stock smashed garlic and old bay seasoning
    shrimp, sausage, onions, potatoes and corn boiling in a pot of water, chicken stock smashed garlic and old bay seasoning
    homemade low country boil in a strainer pot with corn, sausage, shrimp, potatoes and onions

    How To Cook a Low Country Boil

    Don’t sweat the small stuff! Line up all of the prepared ingredients in the order they will be added to the pot, and you’ll glide through this like melted garlic butter.

    1. Start your engines, or in our case, bring stock and seasoning to a boil in a big ol’ pot!

    2. Add the potatoes first (because they need the longest cooking time), and cook for 2 minutes.

    3. Next up is onions and sausage, cooking for another 8 minutes. A note on the best sausage to use for a low country boil: we love a smoked variety such as andouille or garlic sausage for extra flavor!

    4. Add the corn for 3 more minutes in the steamy pot.

    5. The final layer, and frankly why we’re all here, is the shrimp, which will cook until pink, about 3 more minutes.

    6. Once you’ve strained everything, you can serve on a platter or directly on a paper-lined tabletop. Tuck into this perfectly Old Bay-scented medley with melted butter and dipping sauces.

    low country boil made with corn, shrimp, potatoes and sausage spread out on a table with sauces for dipping

    Tools You’ll Need: Hint, It’s Mostly One Big Pot

    Encore Shrimp, Corn, And Sausage, Please!

    If this low country boil whet your appetite for this combination of ingredients, here’s some other great shrimp, sausage, and corn recipes we love:

    low country boil made with corn, shrimp, potatoes and sausage spread out on a table with sauces for dipping

    How Much Fun Was That?

    We can’t help but smile everytime we eat this meal. Snap a photo of your low country boil and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!”

    💌 Let's Stay Together

    There are so many great ways to receive all of our latest recipes, meal tips, and inspiration.

    Low Country Boil

    Updated on September 17, 2024

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  30 min
    • Calories:  459
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Related Recipes

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups chicken stock
    • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
    • ½ cup Old Bay seasoning, plus more to taste
    • 2 pounds baby red potatoes or medium red potatoes, halved or quartered about 2-inch pieces
    • 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch slices
    • 1 pound cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 4 ears corn, cut into thirds
    • 1 pound tail-on raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 4 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
    • Sea salt, to taste
    • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
    • 2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley, for serving (optional)
    • Lemon wedges, for serving
    • Garlic aioli, for serving (optional)
    • Cocktail sauce, for serving (optional)

    Method

    1. In a large stockpot set over high heat add the chicken stock, 8 cups water, smashed garlic, and Old Bay seasoning and bring to a boil.

    2. Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onions and sausage and continue to cook for 8 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 3 minutes longer. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is opaque, the corn is tender, and the potatoes are tender, about 3 minutes longer.

    3. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and minced garlic until combined if using.

    4. Remove the pot from the heat. Strain the mixture in a colander. Taste and season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper if desired.

    5. To serve, transfer the mixture to a large platter or spread it out onto a parchment paper lined table. Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with the garlic butter. Add lemon wedges for squeezing. Serve with the garlic aioli and cocktail sauce alongside.

    Note: without the garlic butter, this recipe is dairy-free–whether you want to add it or not is up to you!

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 459
    • Protein 31 g
    • Carbohydrates 62 g
    • Total Fat 10 g
    • Dietary Fiber 5 g
    • Cholesterol 162 mg
    • sodium 585 mg
    • Total Sugars 11 g

    Low Country Boil

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

    or
    • Redden

      If I added snow crab legs, when would I add them to the pot and how long should they cook?

      I did a quick google search and it appears they only need about 5 minutes to boil.

    • Jenn

      This was SUCH A FUN meal to prepare and eat!

      Thanks Jenn, glad you had a good time with it!