Lowcountry Boil Skewers Recipe

Soak skewers

If using wooden skewers, place them in water to soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. If using metal skewers, skip this step.

Rinse potatoes and cut any larger potatoes in half so pieces are roughly uniform (about 1 to 1½-inch pieces). Slice kielbasa into 1/2-inch thick diagonal rounds. Husk corn and cut each ear into 3–4 pieces. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/2 tsp Old Bay (from total) and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Fill a large pot with 8–10 cups (about 2 liters) of water. Add the juice of half the lemon (reserve remaining half for serving), 1 tbsp Old Bay, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Add the potatoes to the boiling, seasoned water. Cook for 8–10 minutes until just tender when pierced with a fork but not falling apart.

Add the corn pieces and kielbasa to the pot with potatoes. Continue boiling 4–5 minutes to heat the kielbasa and finish the potatoes and corn.

Add the shrimp to the pot and boil 1–2 minutes until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through (avoid overcooking). Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer ingredients into a large colander to drain briefly.

While components drain, pat them dry on paper towels to remove excess surface moisture so aioli adheres and nothing slips on skewers.

Assemble skewers: thread potato piece, kielbasa slice, shrimp, and a corn piece onto each skewer. Aim for 3–4 pieces per skewer depending on skewer length (for example: potato → kielbasa → shrimp → corn). Repeat until components are used, making approximately 8 skewers.

Arrange skewers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp Old Bay, chopped parsley, and a light dusting of smoked paprika if desired. Squeeze reserved lemon half over skewers and add lemon wedges on the side.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup mayonnaise, minced garlic, 2 tbsp lemon juice, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, hot sauce if using, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust salt, lemon, or hot sauce to preference.

Transfer aioli to a small serving bowl. Chill briefly if you prefer a cooler dipping sauce, or serve immediately at room temperature.

Serve skewers warm with garlic lemon aioli on the side and lemon wedges. Provide extra Old Bay and coarse sea salt for guests to sprinkle to taste.

Leftovers: refrigerate skewered or unskewered components in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or briefly in a skillet; avoid overcooking shrimp.