Low Country Boil
Not much to this recipe. If you can boil water you are skilled enough to pull off a good Low Country Boil. Down here on the coast we almost get overwhelmed with “Boils” or “Frogmore Stew” (same thing as far as I am concerned), we just eat them too often…boo-hoo right?. But……if you want to feed a lot of people, if you want an easy way to make a lot of people happy, if you don’t want to prep food, or have a lot to clean up……..this is your jam.
After going to a LOT of parties…where we ate a Low Country Boil, I have found that it is what you put into the pot that makes your “Boil” unique. My good friend introduced me to adding artichokes and asparagus (so awesome). Some people add whole crabs (100% awesome). Others add crayfish…………(200% awesome….too bad I can’t get live crayfish here…..maybe Amazon can hook me up). Anyway, there are no hard and fast rules. Just remember your timing, add your ingredients to the boil at different times so not to overcook each one. I don’t think you can go overboard on seasoning either. Spice it up, make it your own, and most importantly, serve with ice cold beer…….really…this is important….not “fridge cold beer” you need beer in a big cooler covered with ice. I am not really sure why….but a cooler full of beer and ice will make this recipe taste better.
What you need:
- 5-8 pounds of new potatoes.
- 1 ear of fresh corn per person.
- 1 package of Kielbasa per 4 people eating (smoked sausage is fine too).
- Shrimp….head on or off. I go with medium to large shrimp and I like to have at least 10 shrimp person.
- Fresh whole crab, crayfish (or craw-fish….), clams, and/or anything you want to add.
- 2-4 artichokes.
- 1 or 2 bundles of asparagus.
- A few lemons (cut in half).
- Cocktail sauce (click here for recipe).
Boil it up:
- Big pot, propane burner, or a side burner on a grill. Fill pot ½ to ¾ full of water depending on size of pot and how many people you are cooking for. Just try not to bubble over.
- I use Zatarain’s Crab Boil and Old Bay Seasoning as my “base” for the boil (I like a LOT of Old Bay……). I also add a few lemons (cut in half), a bunch of salt and pepper, and a few bay leaves. Really you can add anything you want here. If you are partial to a certain kind of seasoning….add it. I like to add Tabasco here as well….about 6-8 shakes will add a bit of flavor to the water. Add all of your seasonings and bring the pot to a rolling boil. Don’t be shy here…..you want that water really good and seasoned.
- Get your new potatoes. Rinse and add to the pot after the water comes to a boil. I turn the temp down enough so the water is still boiling but not coming over the top. Boil for 10 minutes.
- Shuck your corn, rinse, and break each ear of corn in half. Add the corn and boil for about 2-3 minutes.
- Trim the ends off the asparagus, rinse, and add to boil at same time as corn. Trim the outer leaves off the artichokes, trim the top of the artichokes, and add to boil at same time. I keep the rubber bands on the asparagus……..just seems to make it easier. If you are not sure how to trim an artichoke…check out this link or see the video below.
- Slice Kielbasa and add.
- If you have crabs you want to add them right after the vegetables. Crabs cook quickly, but still need about 4 minutes.
- Last…Turn off the burner\heat and add the shrimp. Your shrimp will cook in about 1-2 minutes. It is super important to turn off the burner and make sure you do not overcook the shrimp. Add those shrimp, watch them turn red, and drain that boil after about 2 minutes.
- Alright….so most folks will lay out newspaper on a table to serve The Boil. If you are eating inside you can use a cookie sheet, a big serving dish, or anything you want. There are no rules here…..but the newspaper looks pretty cool. If you don’t have a pot with a built in “strainer insert” you can use a slotted spoon or a colander here.
- Get some good cocktail sauce, ice it down, and separate into a few bowls so your guests don’t have to hover around one area.
- I like to melt a few sticks of unsalted butter and add some Crystal hot sauce. This is a must for dipping the artichoke leaves. It is also awesome for the shrimp, potatoes, and asparagus. Do this. This is a game changer…
- Spread the boil out and shake some more Old Bay Seasoning over it all. Make sure you have that icy cooler close, and have plenty of napkins/paper towels. That is it.
- Oh….do not forget!!!! Left over potatoes make AWESOME potato salad. Same with shrimp….shrimp salad. My left-over corn and sausage will make a wonderful breakfast hash.
Please leave a comment below, let us know how you did, and what you suggest.
Thanks for reading, come visit us at www.huntfishcook.com
~Chris
How to trim an artichoke:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o6AaCs4sAw