John Madewell’s Low Country Boil Recipe

Southern So-Fish-Tication

Every good home cook has a few recipes in their arsenal for fish and seafood lovers. The right meal can make for an elevated date night in or impress the pickiest of pescatarian eaters. With coastal flavors that incorporate a Southern spin, these dishes are off the hook!

Photography by Rich Smith

“I discovered this dish when I lived in Savannah, Georgia, and it’s incredibly versatile. It’s hearty and is always a crowd pleaser. The spices soak into the corn, kielbasa, and seafood for a wonderful flavor. It’s simple to prepare and almost always produces leftovers, which are fantastic warmed in the oven. I’ve cooked this for as few as two people and for as many as 50. It can be prepared on a stovetop, but using a propane boiling pot allows the water to tumble faster and disperse the spice more effectively. Make sure you have crab crackers on hand for those who need them, along with plenty of
paper towels!”

John Madewell’s Low Country Boil

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Seafood, Southern

Servings 8 people

Equipment

1 large stock pot

Ingredients

2 (6 oz.) Old Bay seasoning tins
5 lbs. medium red potatoes
24 (2 ½-inch) cobs of corn
4 lbs. kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 lbs. crab legs
4 lbs. shrimp, shell on

Instructions

Fill a large stock pot 2/3of the way full and pour in seasoning.
Begin to bring water to a boil, and add red potatoes before the water starts boiling. This helps soften the potatoes and reduce cook time.
Once your water has come to a boil, let the potatoes cook for 12 minutes before adding corn.
Allow dish to cook 10 more minutes before adding kielbasa.
Cook mixture an additional 5minutes before adding crab legs. Use a large spoon to submerge the crab legs, adding more water if necessary.
Cook crab legs for 3 minutes before adding shrimp, and maintain heat until they turn pink.
Check potatoes to make sure they are tender, and if so, drain pot.
Return food to pot and leave lid on, but slightly cracked, until ready to serve in order to steep in flavor.
For a traditional serving method, line table, kitchen island, or large butcher block with paper and dump contents of pot onto the surface.
Serve with melted butter, cocktail sauce, and garlic bread.

Keyword corn on the cob, Crab, kielbasa, low country boil, old bay seasoning, potatoes, shrimp

Back to Annual Southern Gentleman Issue

You Also Might Like

[related_post post_id=""]