Easy Shrimp Boil Recipe

Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp Boil

September 4, 2009

To kick-start your Labor Day weekend, look to Louisiana and make this finger-licking good shrimp boil. You don't need to live near the shore to enjoy this classic combination of boiled corn, potatoes, and shrimp. All you need is an oversize pot and half an hour.

Don't skip the spicy horseradish dipping sauce; it pairs perfectly with the small potatoes and succulent shrimp. Do serve with icy cold beer. Check out the recipe and read more.

From Gourmet

Shrimp Boil

Ingredients

1 lemon, quartered
5 tablespoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne, divided
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
4 garlic cloves
8 small boiling potatoes (about 2 inches)
4 ears of corn, shucked and halved
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp in shell
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons bottled horseradish

Directions

Squeeze lemon juice into 4 qt water in a 6- to 8-quart pot, then stir in lemon quarters, Creole seasoning, 2 teaspoon cayenne, bay leaves, garlic, potatoes, and 2 tablespoons salt (omit salt if it is the first ingredient in seasoning).
Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Increase heat to high, then add corn and simmer, partially covered, 4 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together ketchup, mayonnaise, horseradish, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.
Drain shrimp, potatoes, and corn and serve with sauce.

Serves 4.

9 Comments

syako 3 years 37 weeks

:woohoo: Geaux Tigers!

aphill4 3 years 37 weeks

SYAKO IS MAH NEW BEST FRIEND.

syako 3 years 37 weeks

Heck yes! It all starts tomorrow! :dance:

aphill4 3 years 37 weeks

@Syako- Is that an LSU shirt I see?? Gooooo Tigaaaaas!!! El Ess You, Babay!

syako 3 years 37 weeks

Well if we're going to be honest here, I think it's ridiculous to do any kind of boil in such a short amount of time. But last time I said that about an "easy" cajun recipe it was obviously not welcomed on the post... so I refrained this time... until now, that is.

jmorri26 3 years 37 weeks

Wrong wrong wrong for a shrimp boil! You want to do it like we really do in Louisiana listen (kinda) to syako. Zatarain's crab boil. Comes in powder, liquid and baggies. Outside of LA Ive found the liquid and the powder, but never the baggies of spices. Most people I know who have the most successful boils mix. I usually always do a baggie (its full of spices and bay leaves and things) and way more powder or liquid than the label tells you. Til the water is frothy deep redish orange. The liquid I find makes it go right to hurt your lips HOT as opposed to the powder where you get more spice flavor but its a personal preference. As for what goes in the pot- Shrimp (I do them without heads. Many leave them on (The best flavor is in the heads) but let me tell you, 1.5lbs of shrimp is enough to feed a kid. Most seafood places will tell you to shoot for 2lbs per person. WAY more potatoes and corn than they have here. Shrimp are good but these are the stars, especially the potatoes. Cram as many of those babies as yo can in the pot. 4 garlic cloves. You kidding? Try 4 HEADS of garlic. slice them in half across so all the cloves are cut in half and dump that in the pot. The garlic soaks up the spice and cooks down and you can squeeze or scoop the cooked garlic out to eat. Many people add smoked sausage to the mix too. Cut it into chunks and toss it in. Up the lemon too. Cut em in half and squeeze and dump it in. Can't overthink this. Its so easy its literally just boiling water. But if you come down here and ask somebody to whip out cayenne and some Tony Cachere's to boil shrimp they'll laugh in your face and pull out their assortment of Zatarain's boil mixes. Oh, this same setup works for crawfish and crabs. Just obviously do both those whole. (No peeling the heads off the crawfish!)

syako 3 years 37 weeks

You mean it's head? I would use unpeeled shrimp that have been deveined