Southern · Lowcountry · main
Low Country Shrimp Boil
Low Country Shrimp Boil reads citrus 6.7, sourness 6.4 and fruity 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern · Lowcountry main, about 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 4.8 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 5.0 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 8.7 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 3.6 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 3.2 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Citrus 6.7 · Sourness 6.4 · Fruity 4.3 · Richness 4.2 · Salinity 4.1 · Umami 4.1 · Smoke 3.3 · Marine & Briny 3.2 · Allium 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.3 · Sweetness 2.2 · Heat 1.7 · Earthy 1.3 · Nutty 1.2 · Floral 1.2 · Bitterness 0.8
What's in it (12)
- water — 3785 g
- bay seasoning — 79 g
- salt — 30 g
- lemons — 130 g
- garlic — 3 g
- red potatoes — 680 g
- andouille sausage — 340 g
- corn — 100 g
- shrimp — 907 g
- unsalted butter — 109 g
- parsley — 7 g
- lemon — 65 g
Time & effort: about 40 min · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 51.6 kcal, 3.7 g protein, 3.6 g fat, 4.7 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (8 steps)
- Fill a large stockpot (8 quarts or more) with the water. Squeeze the lemon halves into the water, then drop in the rinds along with the Old Bay, salt, and garlic; bring to a rolling boil over high heat, about 10 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and boil until a paring knife slides in with slight resistance, 12-14 minutes.
- Add the sausage and boil 5 minutes to heat through and season the broth with its fat.
- Add the corn and boil until bright yellow and just tender, 5-6 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the shrimp, and stir once to submerge. Let stand off the heat until the shrimp are pink and opaque throughout, 4-5 minutes — the residual heat poaches them gently so they stay tender instead of turning rubbery.
- While the shrimp poach, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, 2 minutes, and stir in the parsley.
- Drain the boil in a large colander, discarding the lemon rinds and garlic head, and pile the potatoes, sausage, corn, and shrimp onto a newspaper-lined table or a large platter.
- Drizzle with half the parsley butter and serve immediately with lemon wedges and the remaining parsley butter on the side.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon — American
- Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Foil Packets — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
- Crispy Cajun Fried Shrimp with Remoulade — Cajun/Creole
- Kedgeree (Smoked Fish and Rice, the Colonial Descendant of Khichuri) — Indian · Anglo-Indian
- Tandoori Shrimp Skewers — Indian
Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.