Shrimp Boil Summer

A little full, but it turned out just fine.

Somehow, this has turned into the summer of the Shrimp Boil. Or Crab Boil. Or Low Country Boil. Whatever you want to call it, it is a great way to feed a crowd without having to spend your whole party in the kitchen.



There is no consensus on what goes in a boil, or how long to cook everything, or how to season it. This year alone I've done a simple one with just shrimp, corn, and potatoes, traditional ones with andouille sausage, and even one for Father's Day that had clams and crab legs thrown in.

The bread was extraneous. The beer was not.

One thing that I've learned is that the potatoes are much better if they have been cut. Even if they are just cut in half, they pick up a lot more flavor from the boil than if you just leave them whole. Also, it seems like the corn can cook for as long as you want, or as short as you want. I can't stand an overcooked ear of corn, but I haven't had any trouble using the guidelines below.

As far as the seasoning goes, there are plenty of ready-made options in the grocery, and the ones I've had are pretty good. I like to make my own, but I keep big containers of spices around for dry rubs and the like, so it isn't a big deal to throw one together. Whether you make your own or buy one, the biggest question is how much to use. I've seen directions that call for using as much as a pound per boil. I guess that helps sell product, but personally I think it is way too much. It ends up masking all of the other flavors. I use about half that amount for my 30 quart pot, and it is enough to get some seasoning on everything without overpowering. 

Basic Shrimp Boil

Serves 3-4

2-3 lbs shrimp, deveined but shells still on

2-3 lbs potatoes, cut in half or quarters

1 lb Andouille sausage

4-5 ears of corn, cut in half or thirds

3 lemons, cut in half

8 oz or so of Shrimp Boil Seasoning, or more too taste

Bring a stockpot full of water to a boil. I use a 30 qt propane turkey fryer (outside, of course) filled about half way up. Add seasoning, potatoes, corn and sausage. After about 8 minutes, squeeze the lemons into the water, drop in the squeezed halves, and add the shrimp. Return to a boil, and cook until shrimp are pink and potatoes are just tender. The whole process, start to finish, shouldn't take longer than about 15 minutes, depending on your heat source and how full the pot is. Drain everything and dump on a paper-covered table. Sprinkle a little more seasoning on top, and serve with cold beer. Also, don't ignore those lemon-halves you just boiled. You can squeeze the liquid out of those to get a great little kick on anything else in the boil.

Anything else you want to add (crab legs, clams, crawfish, onions) can go in at the same time as the shrimp. 

Shrimp Boil Seasoning

I don't have a real recipe for this, though I try to keep it consistent. It is mostly salt, with a lot of bay leaves and cayenne. I add in some black pepper, coriander and paprika in, plenty of garlic, and - if I'm not putting onions in the boil - onion powder. Next time I make up a batch, I'll try to measure everything, but usually I just go by taste and smell to make sure it is balanced out right.