If you hadn’t guessed, I am from the south. Most of my life I lived in other parts of the world, but North and South Carolina have always been “Home”. I love southern food, from collard greens to shrimp and grits, love, love, love it. A classic coastal South Carolina thing to do is put a lot of good stuff into a big pot of seasoned water and boil the crap out of it. The below recipe is for the actual “Low Country Boil” but you can pretty much put whatever you want in these and so long as you time all the items to be done at the same time, it’ll work out just fine.

The first photo is not very good quality but it is from a charity event we attended last summer. Traditionally low country boils are done out side over fire in HUGE boilers with large quantities. When the next batch is done you dump the whole thing on the table with either a picnic cloth or newspapers. Then it is a dash to get the goodies, if you are last you’ll pretty much be eating potatoes and corn.

Whenever I crave a low country boil and don’t have a function to go to, I make this recipe. It is super easy and to be quit honest is even better then the big traditional boil for several reasons. One, you can put as much or as little as you want of whatever you want. Two, no fighting over the sausage and shrimps. Give this a try, tweak it and let me know what you think.

INGREDIENTS

• Crab boil (to taste)
• Old Bay
• 12 New red potatoes
• 6 Smoked sausage cut in large chunks
• 6 Ears of corn cut in half
• 3 Pounds large peeled shrimp (fresh if you can get them but frozen work)
• 1-2 Lemon

DIRECTIONS

1. Season shrimp with Old Bay Seasonings.
2. Fill your larges pot with enough water to cover all ingredients. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the water. I don’t strain it or anything, also I just throw the two lemon halves in the water.
3. Add crab boil. You can find this in most stores, you don’t have to have it, but it definitely makes a difference. How much depends, but error on the side of less because its spicy. Generally 1-2 teaspoons per quart of water.
4. When the water begins to boil add the potatoes and sausage. Cook for approximately 20 minutes.
5. Add corn and cook another 10 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and cook through. This happens very fast and if you over cook them they will be rubbery. Don’t do that. The shrimp will literally be in done in 2-3 minutes.
7. Drain and dump into a large bowl (or newspaper on the table) and enjoy. We served it with grilled garlic bread.