I spent this holiday weekend in beautiful Isle of Palms with a group of friends from DC including trip planner extraordinaire Cat. It was her great idea to stay in one night and cook a traditional Charleston supper: The Low Country Boil.
One of the girls started calling this Viking Stew, a great name so from now on, Low Country Boil is Viking Stew to me.
It was a group effort to get dinner on the table especially after I forgot to boil the shrimp and we had to improvise with grilled shrimp (this is what happens when you sit in the sun all day and drink one too many glasses of wine!)
Low Country Boil is a great meal when you need to feed a crowd and spend minimal time in the kitchen. It is easy to make and is meant to be messy and eaten with your hands while you sit outside. All you need is a very large stock pot and a hot stove. We added in bacon (again Cat’s good idea) because bacon makes everything better.
What to buy: (this fed 10)
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning
- 3 pounds red potatoes, quartered
- 1 package kielbasa sliced into chunks
- 4 ears corn, halved
- 2 1/2 pounds shrimp
- 10-12 asparagus stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 package, 10-12 strips, of bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
What to do:
- bring Old Bay and 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil
- add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes
- add the kielbasa, asparagus and corn
- boil for 10 more minutes
- cook the shrimp for 3 minutes until they’re pink (I forgot to add them so our shrimp were grilled on the side – still delightful!)
- when the shrimp are cooked, strain the liquid from the pot and pour everything into a bowl, adding bacon crumbles and tossing gently (you don’t want the potatoes to mash)
- add salt and pepper (or more Old Bay) to taste
- enjoy with good friends on a table covered in newspaper!
U pdate: I made this for the family over the 4th of July and it was a big hit. 
[…] Isle of Palms outside of Charleston. Cat found us a massive house on the beach where we cooked a low country boil, played yard games in our football field-sized back yard and intense battles of catchphrase and […]
[…] Recipes this week: https://sallycooks.com/2013/05/30/roasted-spiced-cashews/https://sallycooks.com/2013/05/27/viking-stew-or-how-to-make-a-low-country-boil/https://sallycooks.com/2013/05/29/coco-loco-shrimp/https://sallycooks.com/2013/05/28/butter-toffee/ […]
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This recipe is the best one I’ve come across. Planning on making my first low country book this Forth of July. I’m loving the bacon idea but I’m not sure about the asparagus 😉 Can’t wait to try this! Thank you for a great recipe! Mandy.
Hi Mandy! Thanks for reading. This is a great recipe for the 4th – just don’t forget to add the shrimp like I did. I’d hold the asparagus -I think the corn is the best part! Hope you have a great holiday! Sally
Sally,
We have made this meal several times since the 4th, and Labor Day tomorrow brings me back to refreshen my memory on cook times. I am feeling brave and I am finally adding the asparagus this time…it will be my husband, children and myself’s first time trying asparagus(ever). My entire family LOVES doing low country boils, as well as our guest. Thanks again!! ~Mandy
[…] as Sally prepared a Low Country Boil for dinner, I asked Joe if he would like a blueberry crisp or a blueberry cobbler, and he opted […]
Hi again Mandy!
I’m so glad y’all are enjoying the low country boils! It is such a fantastic summer meal.
Happy Labor Day!
Sally
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[…] as Sally prepared a Low Country Boil for dinner, I asked Joe if he would like a blueberry crisp or a blueberry cobbler, and he opted for […]