![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/750x400p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/3/60/147259420.jpg)
Danny Hooks/iStock/Getty Images
For almost a century, freed slaves and their descendants lived isolated on the barrier islands of the American Lowcountry, situated along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. A favorite meal consisted of native foods boiled in a large kettle and served community style, similar to Northeastern clam bakes. Cooking a Lowcountry boil is a simple, one-pot technique that produces a bounty of flavor. Try different ingredients each time you make a boil to keep your boils interesting.
Cut corn ears into two or three pieces, depending on whether the ears are long or short. Quarter onions, preferably Vidalia sweet onions local to the Lowcountry. Halve new potatoes or quarter medium potatoes and cut the sausage into 2-inch or 3-inch portions.
Devein the shrimp. Cut a slit in the shell along the back of the shrimp from top to bottom. Do not remove the shell or break off the tail. Make a slit in the back of the shrimp from top to bottom and remove the black vein.
Fill the pot with enough water to more than cover all of your ingredients and turn on the heat. Just before the water boils, stir in half the boil seasoning mix. Add the potatoes and let boil for approximately 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a steady, rolling boil and add the corn and sausage. Season to taste. Boil for approximately five minutes, then add the onions and crab legs or crabs. Cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crab turns red. Turn off the heat and add the shrimp. Boil until the shrimp turns bright pink or orange, no more than three to five minutes.
Drain the water as soon as the shrimp changes color. The shrimp will continue to cook in the shell, and overcooking shrimp makes it grainy and tough. Pour the contents of the pot onto a long table covered with newspaper or aluminum foil.
Serve with or without utensils, depending on how authentic you want to be.
Related Articles
Seafood Boil Menu
How to Make a Low Country Boil for Two ...
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/178/16/87669341.jpg)
How to Cook Crab Legs in a Cajun Style
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/142/162/78036847.jpg)
How to Cook Shrimp in Beer
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/farm3.static.flickr.com/2001/2451264615_757ce58e49.jpg)
Food Ideas for a Nautical Party
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/129/36/71086980.jpg)
How to Cook Langostino Tails
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/190/68/179219000.jpg)
How to Cook Steak & Shrimp in a Skillet
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/cpi.studiod.com/www_ehow_com/i.ehow.com/images/a04/sh/fs/cook-crawfish-800x800.jpg)
How to Cook Crawfish
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/contentlab.studiod/getty/cache.gettyimages.com/a4da947d83e0438aa400e2dbf6e47496.jpg)
How to Cook Littleneck Clams
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/s3.amazonaws.com/photography.prod.demandstudios.com/a7cc0a23-7c7c-4f23-a9d5-d90663c0de98.jpg)
How to Cook Shrimp Scampi in a Crockpot
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/184/107/86479548.jpg)
How to Cook Fresh Conch
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/199/243/100611981.jpg)
How to Cook Jonah Crabs
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/184/107/86479548.jpg)
How to Boil Conch in the Shell
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/110/34/92572264.jpg)
How to Salt Pig Tails
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/contentlab.studiod/getty/cache.gettyimages.com/f93e3455295b425ea44269f0bc2386ea.jpg)
How to Boil Lobster at Home
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/64/83/458921891.jpg)
How to Cook Benihana Shrimp
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/contentlab.studiod/getty/cache.gettyimages.com/32bf9248bfdd4f32ae441cf39598789c.jpg)
How to Prepare Live Shrimp
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/write.demandstudios.com/upload/image/c3/ed/a052c473-8f0b-4f28-8df2-8610a002edc3/a052c473-8f0b-4f28-8df2-8610a002edc3.jpg)
How to Make Shrimp Cocktail
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/175/12/med321021.jpg)
How to Cook Frozen Jumbo Butterfly ...
![Royal Reds Shrimp](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/contentlab.studiod/getty/cache.gettyimages.com/24f113eb491148388e8fcd0b9cb0625c.jpg)
How to Cook Easter Sausage
References
Tips
- Serve with corn bread, peach cobbler and sweet tea for authentic additions.
- Offer hot sauce on the side to further spice up the various ingredients.
Writer Bio
Sam Ashe-Edmunds has been writing and lecturing for decades. He has worked in the corporate and nonprofit arenas as a C-Suite executive, serving on several nonprofit boards. He is an internationally traveled sport science writer and lecturer. He has been published in print publications such as Entrepreneur, Tennis, SI for Kids, Chicago Tribune, Sacramento Bee, and on websites such Smart-Healthy-Living.net, SmartyCents and Youthletic. Edmunds has a bachelor's degree in journalism.
Photo Credits
Danny Hooks/iStock/Getty Images