I used to think of slow cooker meals as stews and soups, and the comfort foods that is best enjoyed in the winter and autumn months. However, this summer, my slow cooker is now one of my favorite kitchen appliances due because it can crank amazing meals, without heating the kitchen.
It’s particularly pleasing that the slow cooker is able to help me transform a recipe with a lot of effort to one that requires virtually nothing to do — which is precisely the case with the shrimp boil in this slow cooker.
What Is a Shrimp Boil?
Many coastal towns are able to enjoy their own versions of seafood boilingone that is found in a few regions referred to as Frogmore stew. It is also known as a Lowcountry boil. Though the ingredients could differ, the concept remains the same: Seafood like crab, shrimp, clams or crawfish is cooked in large quantities of spiced water, then washed and served outdoors, poured on paper with butter that has been melted, hot sauce and many lemon wedges. And don’t overlook the beer.
Seafood boils are typically served as a part of a larger crowd gathering, and prepared in a large outdoor cooker that is heated by propane. Smaller batches of recipes are usually modified to fit into the inside of a stockpot and usually will require the addition of ingredients in sections.
In the scorching heat of summer, we tend to use the slow cooker. It cooks the majority of the ingredients in one go and spares us from sweating on the stove. The recipe we have created is based on an South Carolina shrimp boil, that typically includes potato, smoked sausage and corn.
The Best Shrimp for a Shrimp Boil
Large tail-on, deveined shrimp are the best choice for a seafood boil. Why? The dimensions (16 up to 20 shrimp for each pounds) helps them not get dispersed among other ingredients. Additionally, the tails of shrimp add flavor to the broth.
Additionally, since you eat the entire dish using your hands and it’s not difficult to cut the shrimp into pieces when you’re done (in the actual sense, I believe it helps to enjoy the dish). It doesn’t matter if you’re using frozen or fresh shrimp are great and all you need to do is to let the frozen shrimp thaw completely prior to mixing it in.
If you decide to use smaller tail-off shrimps, be aware that they cook quicker.
3 Smart Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
1. Utilize a 6 quart or bigger slow cooker of at least 6 quarts. If you’re cooking a shrimp boil, it’s likely that you’re serving a small number of people. This recipe can serve six people. Only the larger slow cooker can accommodate every ingredient.
2. The ingredients are layered. Layering ingredients strategically inside the slow cooker ensures that you don’t need to add them in a sporadic manner and it’s the ultimate set-and-forget recipe. Making the potatoes first (which require the longest time to cook and require moist water to cook) will allow them to absorb the water and become soft.
Then you’ll add the corn, sausage and garlic, then and then add then the Old Bay seasoning. The corn only requires water to steam cook it, and it’s fine if it’s not completely submerged by the liquid. Only thing to need at the close of cooking are the shrimp that take just 10 minutes to cook.
3. Make sure you use just enough liquid. It’s best to add sufficient water that covers the ingredient but not enough that it dries out the flavor (we found that six cups to be the ideal amount). Make sure to keep it in the pot until is time for serving the boiling. After you’ve removed all the ingredients using a spoon that is slotted, pour some of the cooked water into bowls that you can dip.
How to Serve Your Shrimp Boil
If you’re dining outside or in a restaurant then transfer the contents of your slow cooker onto the table covered with butcher paper using an elongated spoon. If you’re eating inside at the dining table it is possible to serve the dish in bowls that are shallow. Whatever you decide to do, top the dish by adding cut fresh chopped parsley freshly grounded black pepper, as well as even more Old Bay. Hot sauce, melted butter and lemon wedges ought to be all within reach.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 poundsSmall potato skins with red (about 15) and then quartered
- 1 poundSmoked andouille sausage or kielbasa that is smoked and then chopped into pieces of 1-inch
- 3 earscorn shucked, cut in thirds across the cross
- 6 clovesgarlic, peeled and mashed
- 1/4 cupOld Bay seasoning
- 1medium lemon, cut in half, as well as wedges for serving
- 6 cupswater
- 2 poundsLarge huge raw seafood (16 to 20 shrimp per pounds) cleaned and peeled with tails still on the shrimp, frozen and then thawed.
- Serving suggestions:chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves fresh ground black pepper butter that has been melted and hot sauce
EQUIPMENT
- Cutlery knife and cutting board
- Cups for measuring
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker of 6 quart or larger
- Liquid measuring cup
- Slotted spoon
INSTRUCTIONS
- Incorporate the potato mixture into your slow cooker. Arrange the potatoes in a single row in a larger slow cooker, such as a 6-quart cooker.
- Add the corn, sausage as well as garlic. Layer the sausage over the potatoes, then the garlic and corn.
- Spice up your meal with Old Bay. Sprinkle the Old Bay evenly over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Include the juice of the lemon. Squeeze the lemon halves in the slow cooker, and then add the squeezed pieces.
- Pour in the water. Sprinkle the water on top of the Old Bay so it incorporates throughout the slow cooker. The water should reach approximately halfway through the corn. Don’t stir.
- Cook at High for 4-5 minutes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
- Incorporate the shrimp. Add the shrimp and stir until they are submerged and boil until they are translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. (If your slow cooker isn’t large enough to allow the shrimp to be incorporated easily remove the corn prior to placing the shrimp in.)
- Serve and strain. With a spoon that is slotted to transfer food items from your slow cooker onto an unlined newspaper or table. (Alternatively pour the contents onto shallow plates.) Sprinkle the corn on top and garnish with the parsley as well as additional Old Bay, and black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges, butter melted hot sauce, reserved cooking liquid for dip.