Quickly learn how to make one of our two recipes for a Shrimp Boil. The first recipe is for an authentic Shrimp Boil popular from North Carolina to Texas and everywhere in between. The second recipe is for making a delicious Keto-Friendly Shrimp Boil. 

What is a Shrimp Boil?

So, what is a shrimp boil? Traditionally a Shrimp Boil is a seafood dish often cooked outdoors and usually features shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, and red potatoes seasoned with Old Bay.

The Cajun Shrimp Boil uses Andouille Sausage instead of smoked sausage and Zatarain’s Seasoning in place of Old Bay.

The Keto-friendly version eliminates most of the starches. Most of the starches are found in the potatoes and corn on the cob.

Usually, Shrimp Boils are cooked outdoors using a large pot containing a strainer basket on a propane burner. The strainer basket removes the ingredients from the pot easily. Some cooks like to prepare the ingredients separately since each ingredient has a different cook time.

For instance, potatoes will take twenty minutes or more, and the shrimp will only take a minute or two to finish cooking. Therefore, cooking the ingredients separately ensures nothing is overcooked or undercooked. However, it is perfectly OK to cook all the ingredients together and remove everything at the same time.

Cooking on the Stove or Outdoors

You can use either one of the recipes for a Shrimp Boil on the stove in your kitchen too. Especially if you are making dinner for the family, since smaller pots usually don’t have a strainer basket, use a slotted spoon to remove the ingredients. If you are cooking everything for the Shrimp Boil together, you can use a colander to separate the ingredients from the water.

Generally, Boils are cooked for ten or more people outside and can easily be served on a table covered with newspaper or butcher’s paper. Family and friends can socialize around the table while enjoying this delicious seafood meal.

Since all the ingredients are cooked in one pot, you can serve it all on one table, so clean-up is easy!

Other Names

Shrimp Boils are enjoyed from North Carolina to Texas, and anywhere else, the ingredients are available. So, you might hear it called a Cajun Shrimp Boil in Louisiana. Many people call it Frogmore Stew or a Low Country Boil in South Carolina or Georgia. 

What are the best Shrimp Boil Sides? Learn the answer to that question, and we also have some suggestions for desserts for a Shrimp Boil too!

Try both of our recipes for a Shrimp Boil and find out which one you like the best.

Best Shrimp Boil Seasoning

The two best shrimp boil seasonings are Old Bay Seasoning or Zatarain’s Seasoning. Old Bay Seasoning is great for a traditional Shrimp Boil and the more commonly used. However, Zatarain’s Seasoning and Andouille sausage can make it a Cajun Shrimp Boil!

If you want to make a keto-friendly shrimp boil, we have a recipe for that too! Make a few ingredient changes and add melted butter or a keto-friendly cocktail sauce for dipping. Following these steps, you can make a Crawfish or Crab Boil Keto-friendly.

Try our easy Shrimp and Grits recipe.

Traditional Serving-Style

To serve a large Boil in the traditional style, cover a table with newspaper, or butcher’s paper, and put your boil right out on the table! Therefore, clean up is easy since there isn’t a need for plates or forks. You can eat everything thing right from the table. Cold beverages, cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and paper towels are all you will need on the table.

Other Seafood Recipes and Helpful Cooking Tips

Be sure to try our easy cocktail sauce recipe and our keto-friendly cocktail sauce recipe.

Visit our FAQs page for more answers on cooking and serving a shrimp boil. Learn how long to boil shrimp, what seasonings I should use, types of seafood boils, and more. How many shrimp are in a pound, and what is the count?

What are the best sides for a shrimp boil? Would you like to know is a seafood boil keto-friendly?

Easily learn how to make fried fish.

Also, try some Mediterranean Diet Recipes or learn more about the Mediterranean diet. Learn how to steam mussels.

Try our recipe, with a few changes, to make a Seafood, Crawfish, or Crab Boil! This dishes can be made keto-friendly also.

We have provided recipes for other classic seafood favorites like Blackened Mahi Mahi, Sautéed Shrimp, Deep Fried Shrimp, Garlic Olive Oil Shrimp, How to Steam Oysters, and more. Learn how to shuck oysters.

How many cups in a quart, how many pounds in a quart, and other important measurements.

About our How to Cooking Videos

This website’s how-to videos are courtesy of Coastal Caterers in Charleston, SC. Please visit their Cooking with Coastal Caterers YouTube Channel for more cooking-related videos.

Also, the shrimp boil experts at Coastal Caterers have provided the recipes and information on this website to prepare this delicious dish and many other seafood favorites. Coastal Caterers has 25 years of expertise in preparing shrimp boils for thousands of customers. We thank them for sharing their tips with visitors to our website.

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