Shrimp Boil with Corn and Potatoes

The Story

A low country boil — also called a shrimp boil or Frogmore stew — is anti-restaurant food. It's served on a table lined with newspaper, eaten by hand, with cold beer and paper towels. The seasoning goes into the water, permeates everything, and comes out on the table as a communal meal that requires no plates, no silverware, and no formality.

Instructions

1. Build the Boil. Fill a very large pot (20+ quart if you have it) with enough water to cover everything. Add Hammer Blend, garlic head halves, lemon halves (squeezed in first), bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes first — they take the longest: 15 minutes. Add andouille and corn, cook 8 more minutes. Add shrimp and cook just until they turn pink and opaque, 3–4 minutes. Do not overcook the shrimp.
2. The Butter Finish. Drain everything and dump onto a newspaper-lined table. Melt butter with Hammer Blend and pour over the entire boil immediately. The steam will carry the Creole spice through everything one final time.
3. Serve. Provide hot sauce, lemon wedges, and extra butter. Serve with crusty French bread for sopping. This is a feast best eaten standing, with strangers becoming friends over the work of peeling shrimp.

Pro Tips

• Dump everything at once. The staging on the table is half the experience. The food is the event, not just the meal.