Low Country Boil
Low Country Boil is the ultimate crowd-pleasing meal for summer get-togethers, backyard cookouts or any time you’re craving a laid-back seafood feast.
This one-pot meal, also known as frogmore stew in South Carolina, is packed with flavor and made to feed a hungry crew. It’s everything we love about Southern cooking — bold flavors, big portions and no-fuss serving.
Our boys have been trying to talk us into making a seafood boil for ages and we finally did it. The flavor combination is undeniably delicious and it was a huge hit! All, except our granddaughter was pretty skeptical about the crawfish! We will be making this often, it’s such a great way to feed a crowd.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for feeding a crowd – Whether it’s a backyard party, family reunion or weekend at the lake, Lowcountry Boil makes entertaining easy and fun.
- Packed with flavor – The combination of beer, Old Bay and fresh lemon brings out the best in the seafood, sausage and veggies.
- We got everything you need for this from Walmart – You don’t have to live on the coast to enjoy an amazing seafood boil at home.
Ingredients for Low Country Boil Recipe
- Water
- Beer – use your favorite
- Old Bay Seasoning – all of the spices for any seafood dish
- Onions
- Lemons
- Garlic cloves
- Potatoes – baby red potatoes or yukon gold
- Smoked sausage – we used andouille sausage, kielbasa works too
- Corn on the cob
- Crawfish
- Crab legs or whole crabs
- Shrimp – large or jumbo shrimp
How to Make a Low Country Boil
- In a large stock pot or outdoor cooker, add water, beer, quartered onions, halved lemons and a generous amount of Old Bay seasoning. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Add potatoes, whole garlic cloves and sliced smoked sausage. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes start to soften.
- Add the corn on the cob pieces. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add crawfish and crab legs. If they’re frozen, let them cook a few extra minutes. Otherwise, 3 to 4 minutes is plenty. If it seems like you don’t have quite enough broth when you add the crab legs, just cover and they will steam enough to heat through.
- Toss in the shrimp last and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes, until they turn pink and are cooked through.
- Reserve a cup of the broth if desired for serving. Drain the mixture and serve straight on a table lined with newspaper or butcher paper.
Serving Suggestions
Set out small bowls of cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. We love to add garlic butter and extra lemon wedges and don’t forget the sides! Jalapeño cheddar cornbread or hush puppies and homemade coleslaw round out this Southern-style feast. Be sure to have plenty of paper towels or napkins and cold drinks ready!
Recipe Variations & Notes
- Crab Boil: Swap the beer for chicken broth or all water if preferred. Use Zatarain crab boil seasoning in place of Old Bay.
- Seafood Options: Add mussels or clams for even more seafood variety.
- Spicy: Make it as spicy as you like by adding extra cayenne or a bit of hot sauce in the broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat in a steamer basket or large skillet with a splash of broth or water. Avoid microwaving — it can overcook the seafood.
More Seafood Recipes to Try
- Fried Shrimp – Crispy, golden and perfect with cocktail sauce.
- Easy Clam Chowder – Creamy, comforting and so simple to make.
- Crawfish Pie – A Louisiana classic full of bold Cajun flavors.
- Shrimp Boil Packet – An easy recipe to make on the grill!
Make This Low Country Boil Recipe the Star of Your Next Get-Together
If you’re looking for a fun, easy way to feed a group and make memories around the table, this Low Country Boil has your name on it. It’s flavorful, filling and guaranteed to impress — no fancy table settings required. Don’t forget to snap a picture and tag us when you serve it up!
Tried it? Leave a comment and rating below and let us know how your boil turned out!
Low Country Boil
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 12 ounces beer
- ⅓ cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 onions quartered
- 2 lemons sliced, plus more for serving
- 4 garlic cloves sliced in half
- 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
- 1.5 pounds andouille sausage or smoked sausage
- 4 corn on the cob cut into halves or thirds
- 1.5 pounds crawfish
- 1.5 pounds crab legs
- 1 pounds jumbo shrimp
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or outdoor cooker, add water, beer, quartered onions, halved lemons and a generous amount of Old Bay seasoning. Bring to a rolling boil.
- Add potatoes, whole garlic cloves and sliced smoked sausage. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes start to soften.
- Add the corn on the cob, broken into halves or thirds. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add crawfish and crab legs. If they’re frozen, let them cook a few extra minutes. Otherwise, 3 to 4 minutes is plenty.
- Toss in the shrimp last and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes, until they turn pink and are cooked through.
- Reserve a cup of the broth if desired for serving. Drain the mixture and serve straight on a table lined with newspaper or butcher paper.
Notes
- Crab Boil: Swap the beer for chicken broth or all water if preferred. Use Zatarain crab boil seasoning in place of Old Bay.
- Seafood Options: Add mussels or clams for even more seafood variety.
- Spicy: Make it as spicy as you like by adding extra cayenne or a bit of hot sauce in the broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat in a steamer basket or large skillet with a splash of broth or water. Avoid microwaving — it can overcook the seafood.