Deep South Eats: Low Country Boil

This weekend was full of celebrations in honor of my dear husband's birthday. The peanut and I packed up and headed out on the road on a business trip with him to Florence, AL. Saturday night, our group of friends from church came over to enjoy a feast of Low Country Boil. Sunday, we rounded up the celebrating with an after church lunch with family. I catered Smoke Jack ribs and chicken which were simply amazing accompanied by Boursin Cheese Potatoes and Romaine Crunch Salad. Simply delicious and simply stuffed.

***(in the haste of celebrating I forgot to take a picture of my own boil)

Low Country Boil was one of my husband's requested birthday dinners. It is a meal to be shared with friends and family because there is SO much food to go around. I use this Paula Deen recipe from this cookbook as my guide but definitely adapt it to our own tastes. 

Ingredients:

Crab Boil (I prefer Old Bay)

3 lbs red potatoes, washed but unpeeled

1 lb good quality Andouille sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 lb smoked sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces

6 ears of corn, cut in half

2-3 lbs. shrimp unpeeled

Directions

Fill a large pot or two with enough water to cover ingredients. Add two teaspoons of crab boil per quart of water and bring to a boil. Adjust crab boil to suit your taste. When the water boils, add potatoes and sausage. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Next add corn and cook for another 10 minutes. Finally, add shrimp and cook for no more than 3 minutes. Drain and serve on newspaper covered tables (or platters for the OCD at heart).

This is great served with warm, sourdough bread and a crisp, tossed salad. I am not good at guessing how much it will serve, but I would say around 10 people easily. I often will slice the Andouille sausage slanted and the smoked straight so that those who are less fans of spicy (loser) will avoid eating the wrong sausage. I also will make one pot with shrimp and one without for parties to avoid a whole epi pen disaster!

with Belles and Beauxs

(my spell check wasn't working so I apologize for my lack of spelling abilities)