Benny Hudson’s Lowcountry Broil
There are three unwritten rules of Southern cooking. First, no self-respecting Southerner uses instant grits. Second, Grandma’s recipe is law, no questions asked. And third, always make enough to share. Perhaps the third rule is the reason why the Lowcountry boil has been at the heart of local gatherings for generations; this dish has a way of bringing people together.
The big one-pot meal was allegedly invented by Richard Gay, the owner of a seafood company from a small town called Frogmore, who needed to make dinner for 100 of his fellow National Guard soldiers. That’s why the dish is sometimes called “Frogmore Stew,” though it’s not a stew at all: Lowcountry boil is made by simmering a combination of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes together, then seasoning the mixture and serving it alongside cornbread and iced tea. While the ingredients are simple, the process of boiling such a large meal can be time-consuming, which is why we’re partial to making this dish a Lowcountry broil.
While broiling is an unconventional cooking method, it’s more efficient and every bit as delicious. So, call your friends and roll out the newspaper: whether you boil or broil it, this Lowcountry classic always tastes better when it’s enjoyed together.
Ingredients: Serves 4
1 ½ lbs. Small red potatoes, halved
1 ½ lbs. Andouille sausage, sliced ½” and
pre-cooked
4 ears of corn, cut in half
2 lbs. fresh shrimp, shell on or off
4 tablespoons of Benny Hudson’s shrimp
and crab boil
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine potatoes with 2 tablespoons of shrimp and crab boil and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread evenly on a lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through.
Pour 2 tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of shrimp and crab boil onto the corn haves and arrange around potatoes. Place back in oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Use remaining butter and shrimp and crab boil to baste onto shrimp and sausage. Add shrimp and sausage to corm and potatoes and stir all together. Return to oven and cook an additional 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are done and potatoes are crispy. Add some of Benny Hudson’s homemade cocktail sauce for dipping!
Tonya Hudson is owner of Hudson’s Seafood Market, known far and wide for selling the freshest and best seafood for over 5 generations.
Find them at 175 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, 29926
