Ingredients
– 4 quarts hot water for flavorful boiling broth base
– 1 large red or yellow onion, sliced into 4 to 6 wedges for sweetness and savory depth
– 1 whole garlic bulb, halved horizontally for rich garlic flavor
– 1/2 cup seafood boil seasoning (or homemade blend) for classic seafood boil seasoning
– 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme) for herbal aromatic note
– 1 1/2 pounds medium red potatoes, cut into fourths for hearty and tender boil
– Salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tablespoon salt recommended, adjust due to seasoning salt content) for balancing flavors
– 4 ears corn, husked and cut into fourths or halves for natural sweetness and classic boil texture
– 14 ounces smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces for smoky flavor and protein
– 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, deveined and peeled if preferred (frozen, freshly thawed preferred) for star protein
– 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (salted butter can be used but will add extra salt) for rich buttery boil taste
– 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (lime juice can substitute) for brightening and cutting richness
– 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley (can substitute 1 tablespoon dried parsley or omit) for fresh color and herbal finish
Instructions
1-First Step: Build the boil base Fill a large pot with 4 quarts of hot water. Stir in onion, garlic, seafood boil seasoning, and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
2-Second Step: Cook the potatoes Add potatoes and season with salt. Cook until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. This matters because potatoes finish cooking later with the corn, sausage, and shrimp.
3-Third Step: Add corn Add corn and continue cooking for 3 minutes. The corn should be bright and starting to soften, not mushy.
4-Fourth Step: Add sausage Add smoked sausage and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Stir gently so the sausage heats evenly.
5-Fifth Step: Cook shrimp just long enough Gently stir in shrimp and cook until just opaque and pink, about 1 to 2 minutes. Avoid overcooking shrimp to maintain texture. When shrimp is done, it should look like a loose C-shape and feel tender.
6-Sixth Step: Drain and prep for serving Drain the mixture, reserving up to 1/4 cup of the broth if desired for serving. Spread the contents on a large serving platter or baking sheet. This helps steam escape so the shrimp doesn’t keep cooking in the hot pot.
7-Final Step: Finish with butter, lemon, and herbs Drizzle melted butter and lemon juice over everything. Sprinkle with parsley, additional seafood boil seasoning, and pepper to taste. Serve warm and enjoy right away.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
💧 Start with hot water to reduce boil time.
🦐 Cook shrimp only 1-2 min for tender juicy texture.
🍺 Add beer to boiling water for deeper flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Southern American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 boil
- Calories: 589 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 826 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 372 mg