A Lowcountry Boil (also known as Frogmore Stew)is perfect for feeding a crowd or a simple weeknight dinner! Packed with delicious shrimp, spicy sausage, corn cobs, and potatoes, this iconic dish can be made on the stovetop in just 30 minutes!
Have you visited Charleston, South Carolina? I was born there and while I grew up mostly in Virginia Beach, I moved back to the Lowcountry as an adult and it's where I met my husband while in graduate school. There's something magical about that area- majestic live oaks draped in Spanish moss, a slower pace of life, and don't get me started on the food!
Love southern food? Check out my recipes for Shrimp and Grits, Southern Potato Salad, Collards, Hoppin' John, and Boiled Peanuts!
Lowcountry eating is an art form and one of my very favorite regioinal dishes is a Lowcountry Boil. Also called a Shrimp Boil or Frogmore Stew, a Lowcountry Boil is a hearty yet healthy and easy to make dinner that is perfect for serving a crowd! Give it a try and I guarantee you'll be hooked!
What is a Lowcountry Boil?
The lowcountry is the coastal area of South Carolina where this recipe originated.
The Low Country boil is a one-pot meal for the masses and was originally called Frogmore Stew. Its origin is credited to Richard Gay, a National Guardsman who had the challenging job to cook a meal for over 100 soldiers and made the decision to utilize an old family recipe. The meal was an instant hit! The dish was named Frogmore for the town that Richard grew up in - as the soldiers would tease him about his hometown’s name. Eventually, when the postal service eliminated the name Frogmore, the dish was renamed Low Country Boil.
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Ingredients
- Andouille sausage
- red potatoes
- fresh corn
- yellow onion
- lemons
- Old Bay seasoning
- bay leaves
- peeled and deveined shrimp
Step by step
- Chop your corn into halves and quarter the potatoes.
- Slice sausage into 1" pieces.
- Throw all ingredients except the shrimp into a LARGE pot and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook an additional 3 minutes or until they are bright pink and firm.
Tips for best results
- When making this recipe for large crowds, it's convenient to cook in a large fryer and the basket makes draining very easy!
- Traditionally the Lowcountry Boil is drained and spread directly onto paper or a plastic tablecloth in the middle of the table for all to share.
- Adding extra potatoes can help extend extra helpings on a budget
- Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days and can be served cold or reheated in the microwave
- some recipe versions add in crabs, mussels, boiled eggs, crawfish, etc so don't be afraid to experiment!
Serving suggestions
- serve with melted butter and salt and pepper if desired
- add a toasted baguette or cornbread/muffins to make the meal even more filling
I like to serve my Lowcountry Boil with corn muffins on the side to round out the menu. My husband LOVES this meal by the way...he's from Michigan and the first time I made it for him he said "They don't make meals like this where I'm from!"
Have you tried a Lowcountry Shrimp Boil or Frogmore Stew? Have you visited the Lowcountry before? Let me know in the comments!
If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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Lowcountry Boil Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
A Lowcountry Boil is perfect for feeding a crowd or a simple weeknight dinner! Packed with delicious shrimp, spicy sausage, corn cobs, and potatoes, this iconic dish can be made on the stovetop in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Smoked Sausage cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 large red potatoes, quartered
- 6 ears of fresh corn, husked and cut in half
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 2 lemons, halved
- 2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1.5 lb frozen peeled and deveined shrimp
Instructions
- Combine sausage, potatoes, corn, onion, lemon and 5 cups of water in a large pot.
- Stir in Old Bay and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes and corn are tender.
- Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes or until pink and firm.
- Serve in a large dish or spread on a table covered in paper.
Notes
- 5 cups of water is my go-to amount but your water needs may vary by your pot or how the ingredients fit, add more as needed but be sure to increase the amount of Old Bay as well
- When making this recipe for large crowds, it's convenient to cook in a large fryer and the basket makes draining very easy!
- Traditionally the Lowcountry Boil is drained and spread directly onto paper or a plastic tablecloth in the middle of the table for all to share.
- Adding extra potatoes can help extend extra helpings on a budget
- Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days and can be served cold or reheated in the microwave
- some recipe versions add in crabs, mussels, boiled eggs, crawfish, etc so don't be afraid to experiment!
Keywords: lowcountry boil
Melissa says
turned out great, we doubled it for a party!
★★★★★
Susan Morosko says
Your Lowcountry Boil is the ABSOLUTE BEST, Melissa. I live in Charleston, SC too and have prepared this dish many, many times over the years. However, I had never made it using onion and/or lemons until now. -- boy, I sure was missing the boat!! Thank you! By the way, I tried to subscribe and to tried to request your ecookbook, but there seems to be a glitch, May I ask you to subscribe me and send the ebook, please?
★★★★★
Melissa says
Oh you made my day with that comment Susan, thank you so much. Now I'm craving it, I'll have to put it on my meal plan for next week! Have a great day, Melissa
jack says
Better check the recipe for typos. I made this over the weekend and we enjoyed it but had to adjust a few things. The recipes states 5 cups of water. Its more like 4 to 5 quarts of water. The basic ingredients are good but I found similar recipes on-line that I think are much better and just as easy.
★★★
Melissa says
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the recipe Jack. I always use 5 cups of water for mine-it's not a typo. This is one of our family's favorite meals-we have it at least once a month, I'm glad you've found an alternative that works for your family.
Marla says
This looks delicious. Do you thaw the shrimp or throw them in frozen?
easypeasy says
We'll have to give lowcounty food a try! It looks tasty! 🙂
Meg says
Yum! Lowcountry boil is one of my all-time favorite meals.