This Charleston chef shows us the tricks behind the South’s best Lowcountry boil
Lowcountry boil, Beaufort stew or frogmore stew? While the famous dish can go by more than one name in the South, you can rest assured that no matter which name you hear, each will taste just as good.
For those who are new to the oddly-named cuisine, the concoction is less like your normal soup-like stew. Rather, it’s a mixture of well-steeped Southern favorites: sausage, corn, shrimp, and potatoes.
On The Food Boat, Chef Colin first shows us that all good cooking begins with a well-made cocktail. He whips up his version of Ernest Hemingway’s Papa Doble— a daiquiri that holds up to its name with twice the liquor and half the sugar. The drink begins with a hefty pour of rum which is mixed with lime juice, a splash of grapefruit, Luxardo (an Italian Maraschino cherry liqueur), orange bitters, simple syrup, and a pinch of Kosher salt.
After the Dobles start flowing, it’s on to the boil. Chef Colin starts by prepping the smoked sausage, potatoes, corn, and fresh, head-on shrimp. While you could keep your stew simple with just these four components, Colin decides to spice it up a bit more with mushrooms, lemons, onions, garlic, and fresh lobsters.
Chef Colin’s Shrimp Tips:
- For the best flavors, use head-on shrimp
- Head-on shrimp usually last for only 2 days, so make sure to get them fresh
- You can tell if a shrimp is starting to go bad if you see black around the head or tail
- A perfectly cooked shrimp should look like a “C”
He notes that adding acid to the brine helps the shells come off easier– making the messy eating process a bit smoother for guests. He adds in a few beers which he assures us you can’t over pour. The same is true for the Old Bay– the more, the merrier. Since the ingredients are just going into the broth for the rest to seep in, it’s difficult to overdo it with the add-ins.
To the brine, he adds the rest. He boils the fresh lobsters first, giving them some extra flavor before removing them to make room for the other goods. He chooses to toss in Derek’s own Cooper River Farm Andouille Sausage for the dish. Much better, he notes, than your typical grocery store finds. Then comes the corn, potatoes, and (of course) the local shrimp.
After boiling, the delicious combination gets poured out onto the table for proper eating. If you know anything about a Lowcountry boil, then you know that the only good way to eat it is from a pile on a table made for sharing with plenty of guests. The family eating style makes it the perfect choice for parties or group dinners- just dive in with your hands and take what looks good. And don’t be afraid to get messy. This meal is surely one for a fork and knife.