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A close-up of a Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil featuring shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes in a pot with a wooden spoon.
Daniel

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

All the bold flavors of a classic Southern shrimp boil without the giant pot of boiling water - your slow cooker does the work while you relax.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Broth
  • 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning plus more for serving
  • 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 lemons halved, plus extra for serving
For the Boil
  • 1.5 lbs baby red potatoes halved or quartered if large
  • 13 oz andouille sausage sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ears corn on the cob cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 1.5 lbs large shrimp peeled and deveined, tail-on
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted, for serving

Equipment

  • 6-quart Slow Cooker
  • Large Bowl
  • Tongs

Method
 

Prep
  1. Pour chicken broth and water into your slow cooker. Stir in Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, and smashed garlic. Squeeze the juice from both lemons into the pot, then drop the squeezed halves right in - this builds serious flavor.
  2. Add potatoes and sausage to the slow cooker, pushing them down into the liquid. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
  3. Nestle the corn pieces into the pot, submerging them as much as possible. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 45 minutes.
  4. Add shrimp on top - do not stir them in or they will overcook. Cover and cook just until shrimp turn pink and curl into a C shape, 15-20 minutes. Check early; overcooked shrimp get rubbery fast.
Serve
  1. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer everything to a large platter or spread newspaper on the table and dump it right out the traditional way. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with extra Cajun seasoning. Serve with lemon wedges and plenty of napkins.

Notes

For extra heat, add 1 teaspoon of cayenne to the broth or serve with hot sauce on the side. If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them completely in cold water before adding - frozen shrimp will water down the broth and cook unevenly. No andouille? Kielbasa or smoked sausage work fine, though you will miss that spicy Louisiana kick.