Where there’s American coastline, there’s a regional seafood boil: the clam bakes of New England, the crab boils of Maryland, the whitefish boils of the Great Lakes, the crawfish boils of Louisiana…we could go on. Most iterations comprise fresh shellfish and hearty veg, spiced with proprietary seasonings in a festive, crowd-ready, one-pot feast. This particular rendition, brimming with plump shrimp, halved cobs of fresh corn, smoked sausages, and baby red potatoes, is a nod to the Low Country boils (a.k.a. Frogmore stews) of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. In the author’s home state of Texas, it’s known as a farmer’s seafood boil.
Your local grocer may stock a single seafood boil spice blend or many. Old Bay seasoning boasts a smoky, peppery profile and is our top choice for this dish, while Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp, and Crab Boil seasoning will make a spicier Louisiana-style alternative. Can’t find either? Make your own homemade “Old Bay” seasoning mix.
As for the seafood, this one uses just shrimp, but you should feel free to toss in whatever you like, including crab legs, mussels, clams, lobster tails, scallops, or whatever shellfish looks freshest at the market. Similarly, any precooked sausage will work here: kielbasa is traditional, but using andouille sausages brings a Cajun flair via a little extra spice. Adding the ingredients in graduated stages allows each to cook to its optimal doneness. If your pot’s not big enough to hold everything, cook the elements in batches (use a spider or mesh skimmer to remove each ingredient as it’s done) and keep everything warm in a 200° oven until ready to serve. The most important rule of a great seafood boil is to have fun and embrace the mess—serve the whole affair, drained and scattered on a newspaper-covered table with homemade cocktail sauce and a lemon-butter sauce for dipping—and maybe sidle a bowl of coleslaw alongside.