Low Country Shrimp Boil with Garlic Butter
Not rated yet. Be the first.
Potatoes go in first, then sausage and corn, then the shrimp for two short minutes, so everything finishes at the same moment. Drain it, pour garlic butter over the pile, and let the table reach in with both hands.
The short version
Simmer water with Old Bay, lemon, onion and garlic for 10 minutes, then add potatoes, then sausage and corn, then shrimp for just 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steep for 3 minutes, drain, and pour garlic butter over the pile.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
-
Simmer the broth before anything goes in. Ten minutes with lemon, onion, garlic and seasoning makes a boil that tastes of something. Food dropped into plain seasoned water ends up bland inside.
-
Add things in stages. Potatoes need 15 minutes, sausage and corn about 6, shrimp only 2. Adding them in order is what keeps the shrimp tender and the potatoes cooked through.
-
Steep the shrimp off the heat. Shrimp cook fast and go rubbery just as fast. Killing the heat and letting them sit 3 minutes finishes them gently and lets them soak up the broth.
-
Pour garlic butter over the top. Hot butter with garlic, Old Bay and lemon clings to everything the broth left plain, and it's what you'll be dipping corn into.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Old Bay seasoning⅓ cup
- Lemons2 large
- Yellow onions2 large
- Head of garlic1 large
- Small red potatoes1½ pounds
- Smoked sausage1 pound
- Ears of corn4 large
- Large shell-on shrimp2 pounds
Broth
The boil
Garlic butter
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
-
Build the broth
Fill a 12-quart pot with 5 quarts of water. Add the Old Bay, salt, onions, garlic and bay leaves, and squeeze in the juice of the lemons, dropping the rinds in as well. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Taste the broth. It should taste like well-seasoned soup, since that's what seasons the food.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Cook the potatoes
Add the potatoes and return to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until a knife slides in with a little resistance. They'll finish cooking in the next step.
About 12 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Add the sausage and corn
Add the sausage and corn and bring back to a boil. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the corn is bright yellow.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Make the garlic butter
While that cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the Old Bay and lemon juice and take it off the heat.
-
Add the shrimp
Add the shrimp to the pot, stir once, and let it return to a boil for 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and curled loosely. Turn off the heat and let everything sit in the broth for 3 minutes.
A tight C shape means overcooked. A loose C is right, so pull them early.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
-
Drain and serve
Drain through a large colander, discarding the lemon rinds, onion and bay leaves. Pile everything onto newspaper or a big platter, pour the garlic butter over it, scatter with parsley, and eat with your hands.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- For a crowd, double everything and use two pots, or cook in batches. Overfilled pots take too long to come back to a boil.
- Frozen shrimp are fine. Thaw them in cold water for 10 minutes and add them straight from the colander. Shell-on shrimp stay juicier than peeled.
- Crab legs, mussels or clams can go in with the shrimp. Crab legs need about 5 minutes, and clams are done when they open.
- Serve with cocktail sauce, extra lemon wedges and crusty bread to soak up the butter.
- Storage. Peel leftover shrimp and refrigerate everything in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth or eat the shrimp cold.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
What is a low country boil?
It's a South Carolina and Georgia coastal dish of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and potatoes boiled in one seasoned pot, also known as Frogmore stew. It's served spread across a table.
How long do you boil shrimp for a shrimp boil?
Two minutes at a boil, then 3 minutes off the heat in the hot broth. Large shell-on shrimp should be pink with a loose C curl when done.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw them in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes and add them just as you would fresh. Don't thaw them in hot water.
Do I peel the shrimp first?
Leave the shells on. They protect the shrimp from overcooking and add flavor to the broth. Peeling at the table is part of the fun.
Can I make a shrimp boil ahead?
Not really. The potatoes and corn can be boiled ahead, but add the shrimp just before serving. Leftovers are good, so don't worry about extra.
What can I use instead of Old Bay?
Any crab or seafood boil seasoning works. Use the same amount, but check the salt on the label and adjust the salt in the pot.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
one star means we talk. five means I tell Dad.
Tap a star
- No reviews yet. Yours would be the first, and I’d read it twice.
Find it in
Published October 29, 2026.