Southern Boil

This Southern-style Low Country Seafood Boil is the ultimate backyard feast loaded with tender potatoes, smoky sausage, sweet corn, juicy shrimp, and hearty crab.

Inspired by coastal gatherings in Georgia and South Carolina, this one-pot meal is perfect for feeding a hungry crowd at cookouts, beach weekends, family reunions, or summer parties.

The beauty of this seafood boil is in its simplicity and bold flavor.

Everything cooks together in a large seasoned pot, allowing the rich seafood flavors to soak into every bite.

Once drained and poured out onto a newspaper-covered table, it becomes a fun, hands-on meal everyone can dig into together.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 15

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay), plus more to taste
  • 5 pounds new potatoes
  • 3 (16-ounce) packages cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 ears fresh corn, husked and cleaned
  • 5 pounds whole crab, broken into pieces
  • 4 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

  1. Fill a very large stockpot with water and place it over an outdoor cooker or stovetop burner set to medium-high heat. Stir in the seafood seasoning and bring the water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add the potatoes and sliced kielbasa sausage to the pot. Cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften.
  3. Break each ear of corn in half and add the corn and crab pieces to the pot. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
  4. Add the shrimp once the potatoes are nearly tender and the crab is heated through. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.
  5. Carefully drain the pot and discard the cooking liquid.
  6. Spread newspaper or butcher paper over a picnic table and pour the seafood boil directly onto the table for serving. Enjoy hot with plenty of napkins and your favorite cold drinks.

Chefs Notes

  • For extra flavor, add sliced lemons, garlic cloves, or a few dashes of hot sauce to the boiling water.
  • Serve with melted butter, cocktail sauce, or extra seafood seasoning on the side.
  • This recipe works best outdoors with a large propane seafood boil setup, but it can also be made indoors using a large stockpot.
  • Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as they can become rubbery very quickly.
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