Southern Low Country Seafood Boil (Instant Pot)

Lowcountry boil made in an instant pot on a large tray with butter melted in bowls and crab crackers

Southern Low Country Seafood Boil (Instant Pot)

Hungry for a flavor-filled low country seafood boil, but find yourself short on time? This Instant Pot recipe for Southern-style low country boil needs only 10 minutes of prep time! Loaded with snow crab legs, fresh corn on the cob, and fork-tender potatoes, it's an impressive — but terrifically easy to make at home — one pot dinner that's great for feeding a crowd.

Course Dinner, main course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword one-pot, seafood

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 460

Author Gina Dickson

Equipment

Instant Pot - 6 Quart

Ingredients

3 ears corn husked, washed, and snapped in half.
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes a variety of small red and yellow
3/4 cup pearl onions peeled with root tips cut off
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning. depending on how spicy you want your crab boil to be you can add more or less
3 pounds snow crab legs thaw in refrigerator overnight before cooking
1/2 cup butter for the love of good food, only use real butter for this recipe

Instructions

Begin by placing the baby potatoes, pearl onions, and fresh corn that has been snapped in half into your Instant Pot.
3 ears corn, 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, 3/4 cup pearl onions
Add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot
2 cups water
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Old Bay Seasoning over the vegetables.
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning.
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and set it to manual for 5 minutes. Once cooking is complete, release the pressure quickly.
Remove the lid and add the crab legs to the Instant Pot. You might need to bend them some to get them tucked into the pot. Ensure the crab sits on top of the vegetables, not submerged in the liquid.
3 pounds snow crab legs
Sprinkle one tablespoon of the Old Bay seasoning over the crab legs.
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to manual for another 5 minutes. Then, use the quick-release option once again.
Prepare the butter by melting 8 tablespoons in the microwave or a small pan on the stove. Divide the melted butter between two small bowls for serving. *Set aside 2 tablespoons of butter to drizzle on cooked crab legs and veggies.
1/2 cup butter
Note* Another option would be to make garlic lemon butter to dip the crab in and pour over the corn and potatoes. See notes for the ripe link.
After releasing the pressure, stir the contents of the crab boil. Drain the juices from the seafood and veggies into a large bowl. Drizzle two tablespoons of butter over the mixture and toss everything together. Sprinkle on some more Old Bay seasoning.
Serve the low country boil in the bowl, or for a more traditional approach, spread it out on newspapers for a fun and casual dining experience.

Notes

Crab Cooking Tip: It's best to defrost the crab legs before cooking them in the Instant Pot. This ensures even cooking and helps to preserve the texture and flavor of the crab meat.

Dipping Sauce Option

Garlic Lemon Butter: intentionalhospitality.com/how-to-make-lemon-garlic-butter-sauce/

Storage and Leftovers

Storage: To store leftovers of the low country boil, you should first transfer the food to an airtight container and promptly refrigerate it. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Reheat: To reheat, place the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a few pieces of damp paper towel, and heat in the microwave until it’s heated through. Be careful not to overheat because the crab and corn will become tough. Serve with a drizzle of melted butter.

Nutrition