*Best* Classic Shrimp Boil!

How to cook the best shrimp! This easy corn, potato, and shrimp dish is perfect for a crowd. No plate required!

Here’s a meal that’s special every time you serve it: a Boil the shrimp! This classic American seafood cookout is one of our favorite dishes that we serve up in front of a crowd because everyone has always done it Love The. Boil potatoes, corn, onions, and shrimp in a flavorful broth, then toss them on a parchment-lined table. No plates, no silverware: just you, your hands, and a box of Old Bay condiments. There is something magical about the experience: and it is a success every time. We do this in the lake house in the summer and at the campsite in the fall. It’s perfect for eating outside when the light is fading and the fire is roaring. But you can also do it in your kitchen! Here’s everything you need to know about how to cook shrimp.

First things first: what is shrimp broth?

A shrimp broth, also known as seafood broth: an American tradition that originated in the South and Northeast. Seafood cookouts can include all types of seafood: shrimp, crayfish, clams, etc. Usually, corn and red potatoes are cooked with the seafood in a broth flavored with lemon and bay leaves. The best part? There are no plates or utensils for cooking shrimp. It’s traditionally served on a paper-lined table, often with Old Bay spices (more on that below!).

What you need for a shrimp boil

It’s easy to cook a shrimp at home! If you have never done it, we will explain the method to you. You can cook a shrimp on your stove as the main method, but we also have a campfire variant. What you need to cook a shrimp:

• Big glass: Size matters here! For the standard method, use an 8-quart pot, the large type you use for pasta. You can also use a 4-5 gallon saucepan and double the recipe.
• Shell on shrimp: When shrimp are cooked in their shell, they become beautifully tender and juicy.
• Red potatoes: The most common is the red potato: use other waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, if desired. Avoid red potatoes: they get too floury.
• corn on the cob: Be sure to find fresh corn on the cob.
• Yellow Onion: This backup character steals the show with his delicate, sweet flavor.
• Kielbasa sausage (optional): Typically, we don’t include sausage because we eat a pescetarian diet. If desired, substitute 1 pound of sausage for the 2nd pound of shrimp.

How to cook a shrimp on the stove

The method of cooking shrimp is as follows: you prepare a tasty broth with water and spices, and then cook each of the components separately. Why separately? Here’s the important thing to note. The largest stock pot most cooks have is an 8 quart stock pot. You have to cook each component separately, since you cannot fit the volume of all the food and broth in the pan at once. That’s enough for 4-6 servings. (Well, if you have a very large 5-gallon pot, you can cook it all at once: head to the section below!) Here are the basic steps for cooking shrimp in an 8-gallon pot:

• Boil broth: Boil water to make a broth with the shrimp mash spices: coriander seeds, celery seeds, Old Bay, bay leaves, a whole clove of garlic, and lemons.
• Add potatoes and onions: Bake for about 20 minutes until tender.
• Remove and add the corn: Boil the corn for 5 minutes.
• Remove and add shrimp: Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes.

Alternate Method: Use a 5 gallon pot!

Got a giant 5 gallon pot? You can use it to prepare the basic recipe for 4 people and cook everything at once. Or you can use it to cook a shrimp for a crowd! Double this recipe to serve 8-12 people. This method works on the stove or even over a campfire. How to cook shrimp on the fire! Here are the alternate directions for cooking shrimp in a large 5 gallon pot:

• Boil the broth as indicated above.
• Cook the potatoes and onions for 8 minutes.
• Add sausage and cook 6 minutes (if using).
• Add the corn and cook for 4 minutes
• Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.

What is Old Bay? What is a deputy?

The better Part of a shrimp boil is Old Bay seasoning (at least in our humble opinion!). This spicy spice is famous for its use in seafood broths. Don’t even think about leaving it out when cooking these shrimp! It brings the classic flavor traditional to this particular dish. Here’s what you need to know:

• Old Bay is an American spice blend invented in Maryland and used to flavor shrimp, crab, clam chowder, and other seafood dishes. The main ingredients in Old Bay are paprika, sea salt, celery, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Of course you can use it for almost anything!
• Where can I find the old bay? In the United States, you can find Old Bay in the condiment section of your grocery store. Or buy Old Bay online.
• What can replace Old Bay? You can do it at home! Try our Old Bay House condiment.

Serve shrimp porridge!

The best part about cooking a shrimp is serving it! Here’s what you need to know:

• Line a table with parchment paper or white paper. No plates allowed! Toss the drained vegetables and shrimp on the table and let everyone go. You might want a bowl for the discarded shrimp shells.
• Season with Old Bay. Place your Old Bay container on the table for everyone to shake.
• Bonus: It makes washing up easier! Cleaning up a shrimp cookout is so easy: just pull the paper off the table and toss everything in the trash.

Side dishes served with shrimp broth

Shrimp porridge is such a unique meal that it can be difficult to know what to serve with it. You don’t eat off plates, so there’s really no point in eating a salad or coleslaw. But you can pull out small side dishes if you want to serve traditional side dishes! Here’s what we recommend for serving with shrimp broth:

Do you have any shrimp left? A great way to use up leftovers the next day is with this Creamy Shrimp Salad (like a tuna salad, but with shrimp!). You will be surprised how satisfying it is.

This shrimp porridge recipe is…

Pescetarian, dairy free and gluten free.