# Low Country Boil



## JasonF

I've been asked to do a low country boil for 50 people next month and wanted some opinions as to weather I've figured enough ingredients for the party.  
The way I see it, I'll need:

6lbs new potatoes
4lbs corn on the cob
4lbs sausage
5lbs shrimp
10lbs crab legs??
Old Bay to taste...

Does this sound about right or do I need more of this or that? 
Thanks!


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## sureshot375

I'm not sure thats enough for 50 people, but i'm no expert.  I think you need more shrimp.  Maybe that's just because I like shrimp.  

I also like to put an onion and some lemon in mine.  Lousiana liquid crab boil works pretty good too if you are loking something other than old bay.


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## Twenty five ought six

Pretty light for 50 people.

At least 1/4 lb. shrimp per person.

1/4 lb sausage per person (more is better, this goes in a hurry).

One full ear of corn per person (I use the frozen half ears, easier to eat and cook). Don't know how you would figure corn by the pound but I'm thinking 4 lbs. is way light.

1/4 pound of spuds per person, which will be about 3 new potatoes.

Crab legs are not standard, and present logistics problems in eating.  Every thing else is pretty much finger food.

I too like to throw in some whole peeled onions, and they will be eaten.


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## Mako22

Remeber the ingrediants must go in at seperate times and for vaired lengths of time in order to get it right. I love a good low country boil, good luck.


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## JasonF

Well it's a good thing I asked...now that I'm looking at it 5lbs of shrimp is definately not going to be enough.
Thank you both for your input!


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## JasonF

Woodsman69 said:


> Remeber the ingrediants must go in at seperate times and for vaired lengths of time in order to get it right. I love a good low country boil, good luck.



Thanks Woodsman!
I've got the timing down so we're all good there.


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## sureshot375

I forgot to mention, if you need any help with the tasting and or eating of this low country boil, for purely quality control purposes of course, I would be willing to help out. I'm just that kind of guy.


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## Browtine

That won't be nearly enough if even half of 'em eat LCB like I do when it's a good one!


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## lovette

I use large amounts of Zatarain's ProBoil, it comes in big plastic cannisters, along with extra ground cayenne pepper.  I like mine hot.
Throw in some whole mushrooms too.  They soak up the spice and burn your lips good.

I'm with the others about needing more for 50.  +1 on halved squeezed lemons.

Wish I could get live crawfish up here, one of the things I miss from the MS coast.


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## Beartrkkr

50 people is a lot to cook for with a LCB if you do not have enough equipment. You are going to need a very, very large pot or 2-3 smaller ones (turkey fryer sized).  I've never used crab legs in a boil, but you are certainly short on scrimps.  I'd be a little more comfortable with at least 1/2 pound of shrimp per person (I could send over about 5-7 guys that would clean you out even with the crab legs).

If it were me, and we were only serving the boil, I'd plan on:

20-25lbs. shrimp (after all it is the "heart" of a LCB and I love shrimp)  Slightly less if you add crab legs. Get wild-caught US shrimp if you cannot get local stuff. 
10 lbs kielbasa or smoked sausage cut in 1 1/2" sections
15-18lbs. small red potatoes (the smaller the better in my opinion)
30 ears of corn cut in half (or 60 of the pre-cut frozen type)
10-12 lemons quartered
10-15 onions cut in half (depending on size, I prefer smaller)
At least 4 bags of crab boil (more if you like)
about half a can of Old Bay seasoning (or more if you like)
About 4 cans of cheap beer (add to pot)


DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT overcook the scrimps. Rubbery shrimp has ruined many a crab boil. Any more than 3-4 minutes (depending on size) will begin overcooking the shrimp.

I also like to liberally sprinkle Old Bay after the LCB is dumped onto the serving table.

Boil seasonings, beer, lemon and onions in pot for about 5 minutes, then add potatoes into boiling water for 15 mins., then sausage for 5 minutes, then corn for another 5 minutes (making sure potatoes are done already before adding shrimp!!!!), then add the shrimp for three minutes (maybe 4 minutes if pretty large shrimp). 

Remember you must be able to either pull a strainer basket out of the pot or have a way of draining off the water when you are done.  With this much food you will need a lot of water and the whole setup (if in one pot) will be very heavy and very hot!.


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## doublelungdriller

sounds good lets eat!!!


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## JasonF

Good info here yall...thanks!!!
I've got two gas burners and some large pots.
Probably do about 15-20lbs shrimp...
Thanks again!!


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## JasonF

All this talk about food made me hungry so I called some family over this afternoon and treated them to a low country boil myself.  
After all, no thread is complete without pics. 
Thanks again for yalls help!


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## Paymaster

Now that's eat'n!!!!!!!!!!!


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## StriperAddict

That looks great !    It's time I make one of these !

Would you mind sharing your final recepie (a p/p breakdown ok, not necc.), especially the time to cook the different ingredients?


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## T_Fish

jason when i do my annual crawfish cook out we cook 300 pounds of crawfish,   150 people and nothing is left,with all the fixins,, you dont have enough to feed 10 people on your list,, if you want my help pm me ill do my best to help


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## Twenty five ought six

> Remember you must be able to either pull a strainer basket out of the pot or have a way of draining off the water when you are done. With this much food you will need a lot of water and the whole setup (if in one pot) will be very heavy and very hot!.



If you have a strainer basket, I would break it down in at least two "seatings".  I've cooked a low country boil for 200 people and try to break it down into fourths.

First, it's just a whole lot easier to measure out and handle smaller portions.  You will have less temp fluctuations in your cooking liquid.

Secondly, and this is important, constantly bringing out "fresh" hot food creates more of a party atmosphere.  Even if you have the equipment, it's hard to serve 50 people and keep the food good and hot.


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## JasonF

Twenty five ought six said:


> If you have a strainer basket, I would break it down in at least two "seatings".  I've cooked a low country boil for 200 people and try to break it down into fourths.
> 
> First, it's just a whole lot easier to measure out and handle smaller portions.  You will have less temp fluctuations in your cooking liquid.
> 
> Secondly, and this is important, constantly bringing out "fresh" hot food creates more of a party atmosphere.  Even if you have the equipment, it's hard to serve 50 people and keep the food good and hot.



Now thats a great idea...I think I just might do that...thanks!

T_Fish, thanks for the offer, if I need anything I'll let you konw.


Striper, there were 6 of us on Sunday and I used the following:

Red potatoes (not quite sure how many - cut in quarters)
4 cobbs of corn (broke in half)
2lbs beef kabassa (sp?)
3lbs shrimp

I used Zatarain's boil seasoning (didn't have much flavor) 2lemons quartered, 1 onion and 4 cans of beer to get it started...sprinkled Old Bay everything once it was finished.

Cook times I used (in order):
I boiled the seasoning mix, lemons, & onion for about 15 min...then,
Potatoes - 10min
Kabassa - 5 min
Corn - 5 min
Shrimp - 2 min tops

Everything was perfect.   We even had enough left for about one other person.
I'm gonna have to try another seasoning though...the Zatarain's was nothing special.


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## StriperAddict

Sounds good; thanks 4 the recipie... that'll prolly be enough for us TWO ! 

I like the idea of adding some crab legs, I also saw this done with hard shell crabs. Don't know if I'll add either, depends on the market I'll shop this week.


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## Twenty five ought six

> I'm gonna have to try another seasoning though...the Zatarain's was nothing special.



Try these two suggestions:

1.  Add sausage first thing and let it boil as part of the first seasoning.  A lot of good flavor will come out of that sausage.

2. When you get ready to add shrimps and crabs and crawfishes and what not, reduce heat to barest simmer, lay seafood on top of mix, cover liberally with Old Bay, cover, and steam seafood.  In other words, never really "boil" the seafood.  I think you will be surprised at the intensity of the flavor, and you don't risk seafood becoming waterlogged.


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## Buster

Try making 1/3 to 1/2 of the liquid spicey V8 juice--leave everything else the same


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## bat

It's easy to figure out how much of everything you will need.  Just consider if you are fixing it for one person (yourself)... now how much of each item do you feel you can eat.  Multiple the answer by the number of adults eating like yourself, then for each child maybe add a 75% of an adult portion for each child that will be eating.  When you add this up, just add a little more to be on the safe side.  

Adult..
2 potatoes
A full ear of corn (we use two halves)
A couple of pieces of saugage about the size you are showing in the above picture.
A good sized Onion, Vidalia type 
1/2 lb. shimp 

This should be close.


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## shortround1

sureshot375 said:


> I'm not sure thats enough for 50 people, but i'm no expert.  I think you need more shrimp.  Maybe that's just because I like shrimp.
> 
> I also like to put an onion and some lemon in mine.  Lousiana liquid crab boil works pretty good too if you are loking something other than old bay.


onion, lemon and sometimes okra!4lbs of shrimp is going to make 34 people mad, figure at least 1/4 lb of shrimp per person. also add bout 10lbs of kilbasa (mild) or anduie.i just want to see the boiling pot that will hold all the ingredience!


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## Browtine

Ya'll are really makin' me miss my ex-wife's family! They live on the river down in McIntosh County, Georgia and every time I've been down there, they've cooked up a BUNCH of fresh outta the river grub that just made me not even like restaurant food anymore... 

The best LCB I had down there had potatoes, onions, sausages, SHRIMP, and blue crabs and a TON of Old Bay... Man, I tried to HURT myself on that stuff!!! 

The LCB and when they would take a homemade "pan" that was maybe 2' X 4' and maybe 4" deep, put it on a rack over a pit fire with an inch or so of water and steam fresh from the river raw oysters until the shells just started to crack open.... God, I miss her family!!!


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## waterdogs

Try using Louisiana Shrimp and Cab boil. Its better than OLd Bay. You can get it at Kroger or Publix


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## StriperAddict

Twenty five ought six said:


> Try these two suggestions:
> 
> 1. Add sausage first thing and let it boil as part of the first seasoning. A lot of good flavor will come out of that sausage.
> 
> 2. When you get ready to add shrimps and crabs and crawfishes and what not, reduce heat to barest simmer, lay seafood on top of mix, cover liberally with Old Bay, cover, and steam seafood. In other words, never really "boil" the seafood. I think you will be surprised at the intensity of the flavor, and you don't risk seafood becoming waterlogged.


 

Good advice.  I've made up some lobster meals that way, and while Maine lobster is great boiled, it sure is fantastic if steamed with the seasonings!


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## BBQBOSS

I like to do as 25-06 said and add the sausage in there.  I put 2:1 mild to hot link sausage in there.  I cut it all in about 1-2" lengths but the hot i make a slit down one side so 1) people know the difference in the mild and hot and 2) because it helps flavor the water better cause it opens up.  

I like to use andouille sausage.


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## marknga

BBQBOSS said:


> I like to do as 25-06 said and add the sausage in there.  I put 2:1 mild to hot link sausage in there.  I cut it all in about 1-2" lengths but the hot i make a slit down one side so 1) people know the difference in the mild and hot and 2) because it helps flavor the water better cause it opens up.
> 
> I like to use andouille sausage.



The andouille makes a big difference to me. I think that it added about as much flavor as any other seasoning did.
Good stuff.


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