low country boil
Once a year, in August when it's hot, we dig out our biggest stock pots and throw together a low country boil with crab legs, shrimp, corn, sausage, and potatoes. Plenty of Old Bay. It's a mess and it's fun.
If you love seafood, this is a perfect weekend party. Invite your friends. It's practically foolproof. And with 5 or 6 of these under our belts, we can also say with certainty that the best part is what you can do with the leftovers the next day.
I'm talking about a perfect breakfast frittata with crab, sweet corn, and spicy sausage. Chives and swiss cheese on top. Hash browns on the side. Shrimp and leftover sausage with bell peppers and onions in a cream sauce over cheesy grits.
It's time for a low country boil, y'all. Here are the recipes for the main event and the delicious leftovers that follow.
Low Country Boil
2 1/2 pounds crab leg clusters
2 pounds shrimp
1 16-oz package kielbasa or andouille sausage, cut into chunks
4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed, halved
10 small new potatoes, whole
4 lemons, halved (plus wedges for serving)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
Find the largest pot you have. If you can't fit everything, use two or more pots and divide the ingredients equally between them. Follow the same instructions for each.
Fill pot 1/3 of the way up with water. Add lemons, lots of seasoning (about half a small container Old Bay), and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Add sausage and potatoes, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Add corn and crab clusters and cook 5-7 minutes. Finally, add the shrimp and cook 3-4 more minutes until shrimp are opaque and potatoes are fork tender. Drain and serve on a huge platter or a clean and covered outdoor table.
Serve with drawn butter, crusty bread, and lemon wedges.
Leftover Breakfast Frittata and Hash Browns (for 4-6 people)
Leftover seafood, sausage, and corn
Leftover potatoes
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk or half and half
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup grated swiss cheese
chopped chives, for serving
The night of the low country boil, roughly chop leftover crab meat and shrimp, picked free of shells. Chop sausage into bite-size piecces. Cut corn kernels off the cob. Store together in the refrigerator until ready to use. Store whole potatoes separately.
In the morning, whisk together 8 eggs and milk or half and half.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle. Pour in the egg mixture, then top with leftover seafood, sausage, and corn. Sprinkle with shredded swiss cheese if desired.
Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes until puffy and golden.
Meanwhile, grate cold potatoes for hash browns. In another skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until very hot but not smoking. Fry the shredded potatoes in batches until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
When frittata is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slide onto a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve warm with chopped chives and hashbrowns.
Leftover Shrimp and Grits (for 2-4 people)
1/2 cup stoneground grits (not quick cooking)
2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup water
1 cup half and half or cream
4 tablespoons of butter, divided
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons heavy cream
In a medium pot, bring 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup water, 1 cup half and half or cream to a boil. Whisk in 1/2 cup of stoneground grits, stirring vigorously. Turn down the heat to medium low. Simmer until grits begin to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow to cook 5-10 more minutes, until grits are thick and no longer cruncy. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or swiss or whatever you have).
Meanwhile, saute 1/2 cup diced bell peppers, 1/2 cup diced yellow onion, and a handful of chopped green onions in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat until soft. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme and sprinkle with 2 heaping tablespoons of flour. Turn down heat to medium and stir. Add diced leftover sausage pieces. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken quickly. Add more chicken stock if needed to thin the sauce to create a creamy consistency. Continue to stir. Add 3 tablespoons heavy cream and leftover seafood. Cook just long enough to heat through, stirring often.
Serve a bowl of grits with seafood sauce on top. Hot sauce on the side.
I'm talking about a perfect breakfast frittata with crab, sweet corn, and spicy sausage. Chives and swiss cheese on top. Hash browns on the side. Shrimp and leftover sausage with bell peppers and onions in a cream sauce over cheesy grits.
It's time for a low country boil, y'all. Here are the recipes for the main event and the delicious leftovers that follow.
Low Country Boil
2 1/2 pounds crab leg clusters
2 pounds shrimp
1 16-oz package kielbasa or andouille sausage, cut into chunks
4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed, halved
10 small new potatoes, whole
4 lemons, halved (plus wedges for serving)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
Find the largest pot you have. If you can't fit everything, use two or more pots and divide the ingredients equally between them. Follow the same instructions for each.
Fill pot 1/3 of the way up with water. Add lemons, lots of seasoning (about half a small container Old Bay), and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Add sausage and potatoes, cover, and cook 10 minutes. Add corn and crab clusters and cook 5-7 minutes. Finally, add the shrimp and cook 3-4 more minutes until shrimp are opaque and potatoes are fork tender. Drain and serve on a huge platter or a clean and covered outdoor table.
Serve with drawn butter, crusty bread, and lemon wedges.
Leftover Breakfast Frittata and Hash Browns (for 4-6 people)
Leftover seafood, sausage, and corn
Leftover potatoes
8 eggs
1/4 cup milk or half and half
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup grated swiss cheese
chopped chives, for serving
The night of the low country boil, roughly chop leftover crab meat and shrimp, picked free of shells. Chop sausage into bite-size piecces. Cut corn kernels off the cob. Store together in the refrigerator until ready to use. Store whole potatoes separately.
In the morning, whisk together 8 eggs and milk or half and half.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet with an ovenproof handle. Pour in the egg mixture, then top with leftover seafood, sausage, and corn. Sprinkle with shredded swiss cheese if desired.
Transfer pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes until puffy and golden.
Meanwhile, grate cold potatoes for hash browns. In another skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until very hot but not smoking. Fry the shredded potatoes in batches until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
When frittata is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slide onto a cutting board and cut into wedges. Serve warm with chopped chives and hashbrowns.
Leftover Shrimp and Grits (for 2-4 people)
1/2 cup stoneground grits (not quick cooking)
2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup water
1 cup half and half or cream
4 tablespoons of butter, divided
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons heavy cream
In a medium pot, bring 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup water, 1 cup half and half or cream to a boil. Whisk in 1/2 cup of stoneground grits, stirring vigorously. Turn down the heat to medium low. Simmer until grits begin to thicken, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow to cook 5-10 more minutes, until grits are thick and no longer cruncy. Stir in 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or swiss or whatever you have).
Meanwhile, saute 1/2 cup diced bell peppers, 1/2 cup diced yellow onion, and a handful of chopped green onions in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat until soft. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme and sprinkle with 2 heaping tablespoons of flour. Turn down heat to medium and stir. Add diced leftover sausage pieces. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken quickly. Add more chicken stock if needed to thin the sauce to create a creamy consistency. Continue to stir. Add 3 tablespoons heavy cream and leftover seafood. Cook just long enough to heat through, stirring often.
Serve a bowl of grits with seafood sauce on top. Hot sauce on the side.
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