Shrimp Boil Foil Packs

By
Milena Perrine
Chris and Milena Perrine
Milena Perrine
Chris is an executive chef with over 20 years of culinary experience and is an avid home brewer. He and Milena own the a popular lifestyle blog called Craft Beering.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/21/21
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Shrimp boil foil packs recipe

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Shrimp boil foil packs are an enjoyable option for a fuss-free weeknight dinner or a weekend backyard grill party. It's everything great about a quintessential low country shrimp boil neatly wrapped in individual packets and without the mess. This might even be the most stress-free and tantalizing summer meal you can prepare.

The recipe is easily scalable to serve more people and can become your go-to to feed larger parties during the summer. It practically ensures that you can be part of the fun. Aside from minimal prep work, which you can do in advance, it all boils down to assembling the packs and throwing them on the grill or in the oven for a few minutes. The key is to precook the potatoes and corn, ensuring everything is perfectly done when you open up the foil.

"An amazing recipe and full of flavor for a BBQ get-together or camping trip! It can be prepared a day ahead. You just need to keep everything in the refrigerator and you're good to go. Also if you prefer one ingredient over another, you can simply adjust the recipe to your taste." —Tara Omidvar

Shrimp Boil Foil Packs
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shrimp (31 to 35 count), peeled and deveined

  • 1 pound small red or gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes

  • 2 ears corn on the cob, husked, cleaned, and chopped into small rounds

  • 1 (12-ounce) smoked sausage such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces

  • 1/2 medium yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning, plus more for garnish

  • 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

  • 2 lemons, sliced (about 12 wedges), for garnish

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F or the grill to medium-high (about 400 F). If using frozen shrimp place the package under cold water for 10 minutes to thaw.

    Ingredients for shrimp boil foil packs
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Bring 2 quarts of water to a roaring boil and add the potatoes and corn. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes on simmer and drain into a colander. Set aside.

    Vegetables in strainer
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  3. While the potatoes and corn are cooking, prepare 4 sets of 12-inch by 24-inch long aluminum foil sheets. Fold each in half, forming a square. If using industrial aluminum foil simply prepare sheets measuring 12-inches square. Slightly fold up the edges of the sheets.

    Aluminum foil packets
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  4. In a large bowl, combine the drained potatoes and corn, sausage, thawed shrimp, onion, and garlic. Drizzle with the 4 tablespoons of melted butter, season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix very well to coat all of the ingredients.

    Mix ingredients in bowl
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  5. Divide the shrimp boil ingredients between the four aluminum foil sheets.

    Shrimp boil in foil packets
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  6. Neatly fold into packets, ensuring a good seal.

    Fold foil packets
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  7. Place them onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. If grilling, place the packets directly onto the grill surface and cook for 15 minutes, flipping once after about 8 minutes.

    Shrimp boil
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  8. Serve the packets slightly opened up, garnished with chopped parsley, a pinch of Old Bay seasoning, and a few lemon wedges. Serve the 1 stick of melted butter on the side for optional drizzling over the shrimp boil or for dipping.

    Shrimp boil foil packet
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Recipe Variation

How Far in Advance Can Shrimp Foil Packs Be Made?

You can make the shrimp boil foil packs in advance as long as you employ good food safety measures. According to the USDA, raw shellfish should not be left at room temperature longer than two hours once thawed. You can assemble the foil packs and refrigerate them for up to two days. If you are taking the foil packs camping, be sure that they remain on ice (refrigerator temperature is 40 F and below), and plan to cook them within one day.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
655 Calories
38g Fat
37g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 655
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 16g 79%
Cholesterol 322mg 107%
Sodium 3126mg 136%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 14%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 14mg 71%
Calcium 157mg 12%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 1347mg 29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. How Can I Prepare Seafood? AskUSDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17 July 2019