Paula Deen Low Country Boil

Paula Deen Low Country Boil is a one-pot Southern seafood dinner with shrimp, smoked sausage, red potatoes and sweet corn that comes together in 50 minutes. Save this easy shrimp boil recipe for a cookout, game day or Sunday dinner, because it all cooks in a single pot.

Add the shrimp last and cook them for no more than 3 minutes, because that's all it takes to turn them pink. Leave them in longer and they go rubbery while the potatoes and corn sit fine.

Paula staggers the ingredients so each one finishes at the same time: the potatoes and sausage go in first, the corn follows, and the shrimp come last. She also leaves the shells on, which keeps the shrimp juicy and holds the seasoning, so it all lands on the table together.

Paula Deen Low Country Boil

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

33

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Tender potatoes, snappy corn and smoky sausage soak up a peppery crab boil broth while the shell-on shrimp stay juicy. You drain it all in one go and pile it high for serving with warm bread.

Ingredients

• 6 cut in half ears of corn
  

• 6 (4 inch) links smoked sausage
  

• 12 cut in half if large baby red new potatoes
  

• 3 lbs unpeeled fresh shrimp
  

• 2 teaspoons per quart of water crab boil seasoning
  

Directions

• Season the water: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all the ingredients, then stir in 2 teaspoons of crab boil seasoning per quart of water. Bring it to a boil, and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
• Cook potatoes and sausage: Add 12 baby red potatoes, cut in half if large, and 6 four-inch links of smoked sausage once the water boils. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the corn: Add 6 ears of corn, cut in half, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. The kernels turn bright yellow and tender while the potatoes finish.
• Cook the shrimp: Add 3 pounds of unpeeled fresh shrimp and cook for no more than 3 minutes. Pull the pot off the heat as soon as they turn pink, since overcooking makes them tough.
• Drain and serve: Drain everything well, then pile it onto a table or platter. Serve with warm bread to soak up the seasoning.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, ThermoPro digital kitchen timer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Do I have to leave the shells on the shrimp?

Paula uses unpeeled shrimp, and the shells protect the meat so it stays tender and picks up the seasoning. If you'd rather peel them first, cook them for the same short time, since peeled shrimp overcook fast.

Can I use a different sausage?

Any smoked sausage works, and andouille adds more heat if you like a kick. Since the sausage cooks in the pot for the full 30 minutes, pick a firm one that holds together.

How much crab boil seasoning should I use?

The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons per quart of water, so measure your water first and scale from there. Paula says to adjust it to suit your taste, so you can add a little more for a spicier broth.

Can I make low country boil ahead of time?

This one is best eaten straight from the pot, because the shrimp turn rubbery when reheated. If you want to prep ahead, cut the corn and halve the potatoes earlier in the day, then do the cooking right before serving.

What's the most common mistake with a low country boil?

Overcooking the shrimp is the big one, since 3 minutes is all they need. Adding everything at once is the other, because the potatoes need a full 20 minutes and the shrimp need almost none.