Seafood boil! A traditional Southern dish that boils together delicious corn, sturdy potatoes, aromatic sausage, and soft shrimp. A simple, mouthwatering classic!
A Delicious Recipe for Shrimp Boil that Never Fails!
Shrimp Boil has packed to the gills with a flavorful mixture of spices, including an intoxicating blast of fire. And the overall flavor combination is perfectly excellent!
You have the distinct and alluring flavor of the shrimp, the richness of the sausage, the seasoning pops from the celery salt and sweet paprika (in the Old Bay blend), the nice hints of bright lemon, the decadent and rich butter, the vibrant herbs, and then you get plenty of freshness throughout with all the veggies.
It truly is the ideal summer lunch all in one, and it’s great fun as well.
A hearty treat to look forward to over the weekend or a dish appropriate for a straightforward evening meal.
If you ask me, this is a recipe that should be prepared at the very least once each summer.
Shrimp Boil (Pinterest)Ingredients for a shrimp boil and potential alternatives
- Water: I prefer to start with hot water because it will boil more quickly.
- Yellow onion is also great in this dish. Even an onion from Vidalia will do.
- You’ll need a full head of garlic for this recipe. Dry is not a good substitute because it won’t have nearly as much flavor.
- Old Bay seasoning: For details on the various varieties, see below.
- Thyme: You can use 2 tsp of dried thyme instead.
- Yukon Gold potatoes also work well in place of red potatoes. Any size is acceptable, but you must cut them into pieces that are roughly 1 1/2 inches across. You can leave Petite entire.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, but keep in mind that the spice blend already contains salt.
- Corn: For this recipe, corn on the cob is essential; do not use sliced kernels. Frozen and thawed cobs can be used if necessary.
- Andouille sausage: If you are unable to locate andouille sausage, any other smoked sausage will serve.
- Shrimp: For the finest flavor, I like to use frozen, recently thawed shrimp. Nothing compares to being freshly caught, of course.
- Salted butter will work, but keep in mind that it will add a bit more salt (almost 1/4 tsp).
- Lemon: A lime will also do if that is all you have.
- One tablespoon of dried parsley can be substituted. You can omit it, but it’s mostly for a wonderful pop of color.
Potential Changes
- Along with the water, one beer can may be added.
- Shrimp can be peeled or left unpeeled, as desired.
- Include more herbs in the water combination, like parsley or bay leaves.
- When serving, add spicy sauce to the mixture.
- Make your seasoning for fish at home (in place of the Old Bay).
- You can include more seafood like crab, lobster, or clams.
- Include some asparagus, okra, or any colorful vegetable like green beans.
- A collage of four steps demonstrates how to cook shrimp in a pot, drain them in a strainer, and then top the mixture with butter to serve.
How Do You Boil Shrimp?
- Boiling water with seasonings requires 4 quarts of water in a big stockpot. Add the thyme, onion, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add potatoes and season with salt to par-cook them (I use 1 Tbsp). Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are almost soft.
- Sausage is already cooked; add corn and simmer for an additional three minutes. Cook the sausage for a further 4 minutes.
- Shrimp needs to be cooked quickly; add shrimp and toss gently until just opaque and pink.
- Drain: Drain the mixture, reserving 1/4 cup of the broth for serving. Spread it over a baking sheet or a very large serving plate.
- Add spice, butter, and lemon juice for the finishing touch. Add to taste the pepper, Old Bay spice, and parsley.
Shrimp Boiling Time
You’ll see that boiling the Shrimp Boil just takes a couple of minutes in this method. Shrimp cooks quickly, so take care not to overcook it or the texture will be ruined.
Kitchen Variations
Skillet: Try my skillet variation here, it adds a nice browned flavor.
Slow Cooker: Here are the directions you’ll use to cook in a crock pot:
- Add 14 oz sliced sausage, 1 1/2 lbs diced potatoes, 3 corn cobs halved, 1/2 onion, and 6 garlic cloves to a large slow cooker.
- Add 5 cups water and 1/4 cup Old bay seasoning and 2 tsp fresh thyme.
- Cook on high heat for 3 hours or until potatoes are tender. Remove corn to make room for shrimp if needed.
- Add 1 1/2 lbs shrimp and cook until just opaque, about 10 – 13 minutes.
- Drain then finish with 6 tbsp melted butter, 2 tbsp lemon, 2 tbsp parsley, and more old bay seasoning.
Oven: Shrimp boil can also be scaled down and baked on a sheet pan in the oven, try this variation.
Grill: To cook it on the grill try my foil packets
What is Shrimp Boil Served With?
It’s a complete dinner, but you can certainly add a warm side to go with it.
Good choices consist of:
- Coleslaw
- Cornbread
- Never knead bread
Additional Southern Delights to Try
- Soupe au corn
- Jambalaya
- French fries
- Rice with Red Beans
Shrimp Boil (Pinterest)Ingredients
- 4 quarts of hot water
- 1 large red onion or yellow onion, sliced into 4 – 6 wedges
- 1 garlic bulb (whole head), halved horizontally
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 1/2 lbs medium red potatoes, cut into fourths
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ears of corn, husked, cut onto fourths or broken into halves
- 14 oz. andouille sausage, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces
- 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, deveined, peeled if preferred
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Fill a large pot (approximately 12 quarts) with 4 quarts of water. Add the thyme, onion, garlic, and Old Bay seasoning. Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add potatoes and season with salt (I use 1 Tbsp) (I use 1 Tbsp). Let cook until potatoes are approximately nearing soft, around 10 – 15 minutes.
- Add corn and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Cook the sausage for a further 4 minutes.
- Gently toss in shrimp and cook until slightly opaque and pink, about 1 – 2 minutes.
- Drain mixture (you can retain 1/4 cup of the broth if you’d like for serving).
Spread it over a baking sheet or a very large serving plate. - Drizzle with butter and lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley, Old Bay spice, and pepper to taste, and serve warm.