Poor Man's Shrimp Boil

Mike and I went to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning and got some new potatoes and a bag of My Dad's Sweet Corn. We decided to do a shrimp boil. The shrimp boil bag busted, but it came out delicious. It's rainy here today or we would have eaten outside on newspaper just like a real New England shrimp boil.



Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• Water
• 2 lemons, halved, plus more for serving
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup crab boil seasoning
• 1/2 bunch thyme, tied together
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 serrano chiles, split in 1/2 lengthwise
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 1 pound 5 ounces red new potatoes, medium to large cut in 1/2
• 3 ears sweet corn, halved
• 3 pieces smoked sausage, like andouille or kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound 5 ounces)
• 12 clams, scrubbed (about 1 pound 4 ounces) optional
• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp

1. Fill a huge stockpot, with about 4 quarts of water. Don't fill the pot up more than half way.

2. Squeeze the lemons into the water and add the halves too.

3. Add the bay leaves, salt, seasoning, thyme, onions, chiles and garlic. Bring the broth to a boil over medium high heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. The broth should be aromatic with lots of salt and spices. You want the potatoes and other ingredients to absorb the broth. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

5. Add the potatoes to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Add the corn and sausage and cook another 5 minutes, making sure everything is covered in the liquid.

7. Add the clams if using (we didn't) and boil for 8-10 minutes until they open. If you don't add the clams, still cook for 8-10 minutes.

8. Add the shrimp and shut off the heat. Cover the pot and let the shrimp steep for 15 minutes.

9. Drain and serve with lemons and lots of napkins.