Frogmore Stew
intro
Iconic one-pot Lowcountry seafood stew brimming with shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes, seasoned with zesty Old Bay for casual, flavorful communal feasting.
Ingredients
Steps
Build the boil base
Pour 3.8 liters (16 cups) of cold water into a 12-quart stockpot set over high heat. Add 4 tablespoons Old Bay, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, quartered onion, crushed garlic, and halved lemons (squeeze lemon juice into the water before adding the rinds). Bring to a rolling boil over high heat (8-10 minutes), then reduce heat to medium-high to maintain a steady, vigorous boil.
Cook the potatoes
Carefully add the scrubbed, halved new red potatoes to the boiling seasoned water. Maintain medium-high heat, and cook uncovered for 12 minutes, until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork but hold their shape. Avoid overcooking, as potatoes will continue to soften in the hot liquid as other ingredients cook.
Add sausage and corn
Once potatoes have cooked for 12 minutes, add the cut smoked sausage pieces and 2-inch corn rounds to the pot. Stir gently to submerge all ingredients, keep heat at medium-high, and cook for 5 minutes. The sausage will release smoky flavor into the broth, and corn will turn a bright, saturated yellow as it cooks.
Cook the shrimp
After the sausage and corn have cooked for 5 minutes, add the shell-on raw shrimp to the pot, stirring once to distribute evenly. Cook for exactly 3 minutes over medium-high heat, until shrimp turn opaque pink and curl into tight C-shapes. Do not cook longer than 3 minutes, as shrimp will turn rubbery if overcooked.
Drain the mixture
Turn off the heat immediately once shrimp are done cooking. Carefully pour the entire pot contents into a large colander set in a kitchen sink, draining all seasoned cooking liquid completely. Do not rinse the ingredients, as this will wash off the flavorful spice coating on the food.
Serve family-style
Transfer the drained hot Frogmore Stew directly onto a newspaper-covered outdoor picnic table or large platter for communal serving. Pair with melted unsalted butter for dipping, extra lemon wedges, and a light sprinkle of additional Old Bay if desired. Serve immediately while piping hot, as the dish loses texture and flavor if held for more than 10 minutes.
Tips
2.For an extra layer of flavor, swap 473ml (2 cups) of the boiling water for a light lager beer; the subtle malty sweetness pairs perfectly with Old Bay’s spicy, savory notes.
3.Authentic Frogmore Stew does not include crab, clams, or lobster—those add-ins are for broader Lowcountry boils. Stick to the core four ingredients (potatoes, corn, smoked sausage, shrimp) for the traditional Frogmore experience.
OMG I made this for our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were begging for the recipe! It was SO easy to throw together even with a crowd, and the Old Bay + corn + sausage combo is unbeatable. 10/10 will be making this all summer long.
My kids are super picky and they went back for SECONDS. I was worried the seafood would be too fishy for them but the seasoning is perfect, not overpowering at all. I used pre-peeled shrimp to cut down on mess at the dinner table, game changer for busy weeknights!
Grew up eating Frogmore Stew on family trips to the Carolina coast and this recipe tastes exactly like what my granddaddy used to make. No fancy frills, just simple, hearty, flavorful food. Don’t skip the hot sauce on the side, trust me.
Threw this together on my Weber last weekend for a guys’ fishing trip and it was chef’s kiss. I added a little extra cayenne for a kick and paired it with cold beer, can’t ask for a better weekend meal. Cook time was way shorter than I expected too, which was a win.
This is my new go-to potluck recipe! I made it for my office potluck yesterday and even the folks who say they don’t like seafood were raving. It’s so easy to transport in a big insulated cooler and serve straight out of the pot, zero fancy serving dishes needed.
Full transparency, I’ve never boiled anything more complicated than ramen before, and this recipe came out perfect first try! The steps were so straightforward, no weird ingredients I couldn’t find at my regular grocery store. I felt like an actual cook serving this to my roommates. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish I’d added more sausage, totally my bad though.
Y’all know I don’t post reviews often but this recipe deserves all the hype. I’ve made Frogmore Stew dozens of times over the years and this version is the most authentic I’ve found online. I served it at my family’s Fourth of July cookout and my grandma asked for the recipe, that’s how you know it’s good.
Wait why didn’t I think to meal prep this earlier? I made a big batch on Sunday and portioned it out for lunches all week, it reheats so much better than I thought it would. The potatoes and sausage hold up perfectly, and the shrimp doesn’t get rubbery if you reheat it low and slow in the microwave. Total weekday win!
As someone who spent 20 years cooking in lowcountry restaurants, I can confirm this is the real deal. No weird add-ins like bell peppers or wine that a lot of online recipes throw in for no reason, just the classic combination of potatoes, sausage, corn, shrimp, and Old Bay. Excellent work on this recipe.
I know it’s called Frogmore Stew and there are no frogs, which I was very relieved about. Made this for taco Tuesday as a fun switch-up and my whole crew loved it. Dusted it with extra Old Bay and served with lime wedges, 10/10.
Made this in my dorm’s communal kitchen for my floor last night and it was so cheap to make for a group! Split the cost of ingredients between 8 of us and it came out to like $3 per person, way better than ordering takeout. 10/10 would make again for late night study sessions.
I made this for my grandkids’ visit last weekend and even my teenage grandson who only eats pizza and chips had two helpings! It was so nice to all sit around the table and peel shrimp together, made for such a fun family memory. I added a little extra butter to the broth like I do with all my seafood boils, it was perfect.
Made this on my car camping trip last weekend using a big camp stove and it was the perfect post-hike meal. Hearty, filling, packed with protein, and minimal cleanup since everything cooks in one pot. I pre-chopped all the potatoes and sausage at home before the trip to make camp cooking even easier.
I was a little skeptical that a seafood stew would be this easy, but wow, it delivered. I picked up all the ingredients on my way home from work and had it on the table in 40 minutes flat, exactly like the recipe says. Served it with crusty sourdough to soak up the broth, chef’s kiss.
I’ve had Frogmore Stew at tons of seafood shacks around Florida and this recipe is better than most restaurant versions! I added a handful of crawfish tails I had in the freezer to make it a little extra, and it worked perfectly. Can’t wait to make this for our next pool day.
I smoked the sausage first before tossing it into the pot and it added such a great deep, smoky flavor to the whole stew. If you’ve got a smoker, I highly recommend giving that a try. Whole family was raving, even my Texas BBQ purist brother-in-law said it was great.
Used fresh wild shrimp from Pike Place Market for this and it was absolute perfection. The simple seasoning lets the quality of the seafood shine instead of covering it up, which I love. This is going to be a regular in our dinner rotation all summer long.