I know this didn’t make it in time for your July4th shindig, but we had it for ours and it was amazing. Have you ever tried one of these shrimp boils/low country boils/whatever boils? So easy and so much fun to eat. No plates or utensils required. Easy-peasy clean up and easy to double or triple, depending on the size of your hungry crowd. And kids even like it–have pizza delivered if there are a few hold-outs. This was the first time that I have ever personally been in charge of making the boil–usually my sister Amy prepares it–but she wasn’t staying at the beach for the 4th and my Dad really wanted to have it for a big family meal. He calls it a “Shrimp Dump.” As you can see from the picture above, that is a good description.
Here are a few time-saving tips if you can spare a few more dollars–and it is well worth it:
- Buy the mini frozen ears of corn–I got store brand.
- The mini red or white potatoes that are already washed and ready to cook work great
- This can be cooked on your stove, but we have a propane-powered turkey fryer and it was so great being able to do this instead of having two large stock pots on the stove at the same time.
- Have your Dad pay for and pick up the shrimp fresh the morning of your meal–ours was caught the night before and they were so fresh and tasty.
- Use plastic, disposable tablecloths because when you are done with the meal and have put away any small amount of leftovers, you just roll those tablecloths up and toss them in the garbage can, shells and all.
- I purchased some cute cardboard food trays that were displayed with the tablecloths and these were perfect for guests to put their shrimp shells into.
Get at it!
- 1/2 cup Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 T. salt
- 1/2 c. minced onion (you can use large Vidalia onions cut in quarters)
- 4 quarts water
- 1-2 pkgs. of ready-to-cook baby white or red potatoes, skin on
- 2 lbs. Hillshire Farms Turkey Kielbasa, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 pkgs. (6 each) mini frozen corn cobs
- 4 lbs. medium shrimp, in shells
- In an 8-qt. stock pot, bring Old Bay, salt and water to a boil.
- Add potatoes and onions; cook over high heat for 8 minutes.
- Add kielbasa; continue to cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Add corn and boil another 7 minutes.
- Add shrimp, shells on, and cook for about 4 minutes. Once they turn pink they are ready. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- Drain your liquid from the pot and pour contents onto your table--make sure the tablecloths are on. You could also use newspaper.
- Original recipe calls for 1 (12-oz.) can of beer, but we don't drink so we just left it out and added a little more water.
- We use Crosse & Blackwell Cocktail Sauce and just pour it right onto the tablecloth in as many "piles" as you need.
- Also good to melt several sticks of butter and put into small bowls on the table so that guests can either dip their corn in it or maybe their shrimp. Or why not the spuds?