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

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)

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)

  1. 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.
  2. Add the potatoes and boil until a paring knife slides in with slight resistance, 12-14 minutes.
  3. Add the sausage and boil 5 minutes to heat through and season the broth with its fat.
  4. Add the corn and boil until bright yellow and just tender, 5-6 minutes.
  5. 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.
  6. While the shrimp poach, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, 2 minutes, and stir in the parsley.
  7. 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.
  8. Drizzle with half the parsley butter and serve immediately with lemon wedges and the remaining parsley butter on the side.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.