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Slow Cooker Low-Country Boil + VIDEO

Slow cooker low-country boil is a classic Southern recipe with shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage. Fun to eat & full of flavor, you can also make this low-country boil in the Instant Pot. 

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Ingredients For A Low-Country Boil

There are several ingredients that are pretty standard in a low-country boil:

  • Shrimp
  • Potatoes 
  • Corn 
  • Sausage 
  • Lemon
  • Old Bay Seasoning

ingredients for slow cooker or instant pot low country boil

What Is A Low-Country Boil?

A low country boil is a Southern one-pot meal that consists of shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage. Sometimes I like to add celery. The celery, corn, potatoes, and sausage cook together or boil in a large pot along with lemon and Old Bay seasoning. Shrimp is added at the end, then you drain the water and eat.

adding shrimp to the slow cooker for low country boil

add shrimp

How To Make Low-Country Boil In The Slow Cooker vs Instant Pot

Making a low-country boil in the slow cooker Instant Pot is very easy but there are a few things to note. If you use the slow cooker, add enough water to cover the food. That should be between 5-7 cups. With the Instant Pot, only use 3 cups of water.

In both cases, all the ingredients EXCEPT the shrimp cook together. For the slow cooker, you add the shrimp the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Using the Instant Pot, add the shrimp I find that adding the shrimp and letting them cook on the WARM setting (or off) with the lid on does the trick. You can also cook them on high pressure for 1 minute.

Slow Cooker

Add all ingredients EXCEPT the shrimp to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6. Stir in shrimp gently and cook 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain water & serve.

Instant Pot

Add all the ingredients to the pressure cooker EXCEPT the shrimp. Close and seal vent. Select high pressure for 4 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick-release the pressure. Open the lid. Add shrimp. Place lid back on the pressure cooker and let is on the WARM setting for 3-5 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain water and serve.

shrimp cooked in slow cooker for low country boil

ready to drain water

How To Serve Low Country Boil

After the food has finished cooking, drain the liquid through a colander.  You eat a low country boil by pouring the food what out on a table lined with newspaper. It’s fun plus it makes clean-up a heck of a lot easier.

serve on newspaper

Tips For This Low Country Boil

  • Get creative with this low country boil. A shrimp & crab combination would be great in this recipe.
  • In place of water use broth or even beer.
  • Yes, you can use frozen shrimp, stir them in at the end of cook time same as you would raw.
  • If you don’t want to use my homemade old bay seasoning, you can use 2 tablespoons of store-bought.

serve on a platter

Other boil recipes you might enjoy:

Cajun Shrimp Boil

Crawfish Boil

I used a  6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.

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Low Country Boil

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound uncooked shrimp, shells on
  • 1 pound red potatoes, quartered
  • 14 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 ears of corn, shucked and cut in half
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning (see below for homemade)
  • 57 cups water for slow cooker, 3 cups water for Instant Pot

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger

Instructions

SLOW COOKER

  1. Add all ingredients EXCEPT the shrimp to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
  2. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
  3. Add shrimp and cook an additional 15-30 minutes or until shrimp are no longer pink.
  4. Drain water and serve.

Instant Pot

  1. Add old bay seasonings and water to the pressure cooker. Stir to mix well.
  2. Add all other ingredients EXCEPT the shrimp.
  3. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 4 minutes. Quick-release pressure when cook time is completed.
  4. Add shrimp. Place lid back on the pressure cooker and let is on the WARM setting for 3-5 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
  5. Drain water and serve.

Notes

You will need a large 6-quart slow cooker or pressure cooker for this recipe

  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours

 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on one of the product links, I might receive compensation. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”nO1nC3jt” upload-date=”2019-08-22T03:58:25.000Z” name=”Slow Cooker Low Country Boil” description=”Shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage cook together in this fun southern recipe. Make this low country boil in your slow cooker or Instant Pot.”]

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Amanda

Friday 28th of August 2020

This was super easy and delicious! I didn't think that I liked Old Bay seasoning, but I definitely liked this home made version. I made it in my instant pot and went overboard on the corn and it still worked out perfectly.

Erin V

Thursday 25th of June 2020

I made this in my instant pot tonight, it was so quick and easy. But most importantly it was SO yummy!

Wendella Southers

Sunday 17th of May 2020

I have never had a low country boil but my husband has, so I was very excited to find this recipe! Besides boiled eggs, this is the first recipe I cooked in my instant pot and loved it! I used 2 lbs of potatoes, 4 small ears of frozen corn, and 2 T. of Old Bay Seasoning. I also used 2.5 lbs. of frozen shrimp, so at the end, I cooked it for 1 minute longer. So good and so easy! Will definitely be making this again and again!

Fit SlowCooker Queen

Thursday 28th of May 2020

Fantastic! I'm so glad to hear you all enjoyed it!

Larissa Meyer

Thursday 22nd of August 2019

I love Cajun boil! I will try this one soon.