When I was a kid, every summer we’d always go campin’ and fishin’ down to the Apalachicola River. After a long day of fishin’ the river nobody really wanted to spend time cookin’. So, while the menfolk were cleanin’ the day’s catch for tomorrow’s supper, I’d help my Aunt Betty pull out her big ol’ 24 quart stock pot, throw it onto my Uncle Henry’s rigged up outdoor “Bayou” gas burner. Then, me and my little brother would send out word to the other campers that Aunt Betty was makin’ some of her famous one-pot Lowcountry Boil.
Well, the next thing you knew, folks from all over the campsite were bringin’ on the food! Mister Floyd brought the shrimp. Mister Jones brought his crawfish and crabs. Others brought their fresh corn and potatoes and hot sausage. Miss Delafay brought her fresh biscuits, cornbread and chocolate pound cake (yum!). And, Uncle Bert and his boys brought coolers full of iced tea, cold beer, as well as, Grapette and Dr. Pepper for the kids.
While supper was cookin’, me and all the kids had a lot of fun coverin’ the picnic tables with old newspapers and layin’ out bowls of soft butter and hot sauce that Mama made, while sneakin’ us a few of the fresh biscuits that Miss Delafay had brought. Once the tables were set, Uncle Henry would drain off the water and then pour out onto each news papered table the bounty of Aunt Betty’s Lowcountry boil. We all had ourselves a complete supper in a pot! Wow! I’ll tell you what, nuthin’ says LOVE like sharin’ a little Lowcountry Boil with others.
Lowcountry Boil
Recipe by: Bobbi Jo Lathan
Recipe type: Entree/Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Serves: 6
PREP TIME
30 mins
COOK TIME
30 mins
TOTAL TIME
1 hour
INGREDIENTS
5 quarts of water
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons of Zatarain’s Liquid Crab Boil (or one box of bagged crab boil)
2 fresh lemons (cut in half and squeezed a bit)
3 medium-sized onions (peeled and quartered)
3-4 pounds of red potatoes
2 pounds of andouille sausage (cut into 2 inch pieces)
6 ears fresh corn (shucked and peeled)
3 fresh crabs (rinsed and broken in half)
3-4 pounds fresh raw shrimp (unpeeled)
INSTRUCTIONS
Git yourself a 7 quart pot and fill it with water.
Add the Old Bay seasoning, crab boil and lemons and bring water to a rollin’ boil.
Add the potatoes, onions, and sausage and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the corn and crab and boil up for another 5 minutes.
Throw in the shrimp and let boil for only another 3-4 minutes ‘til they’re pink.
Now, drain off water and cover your picnic table with yesterday’s newspaper and just pour out the bounty onto the papers and dig in!
Oh… and don’t forget to add around the table a few bowls of melted butter, my Daddy’s Hot Sauce, and my Sister Linda’s Fresh Angel Flake Biscuits! OMG! My mouth’s waterin’ just thinkin’ about it! YUM! And, by all means, don’t forget the ice cold beer!
NOTES
I like to use a removable drain basket inside the pot for easier drainage at the end. But, you can use a colander. If you don’t have a big 7 quart pot, then use 2 four- quart pots and divide ingredients in half into each pot. Also, we kept everything in a glass bowl for the picture, but it is really fun to toss everything on a picnic table covered in newspaper!