Looking to bring a taste of the coastal seafood shack to your own backyard? Our shrimp boil foil packets are about to make you the captain of your culinary ship.
We’ve taken the classic seafood boil and given it a convenient twist that’s perfect for any occasion. No massive pots or messy cleanup required – just perfectly seasoned shrimp, tender potatoes, and sweet corn all wrapped up in a tidy foil package. Hello, easy street.
Table of Contents
- The no-fuss way to have a traditional southern shrimp boil
- Ingredients for shrimp boil foil packs recipe
- How to Make Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
- Girl Carnivore Tips for Perfect Foil Packets and Tender Shrimp
- How to Serve Shrimp Foil Packs
- Leftovers and Storage
- More Epic FOil Pack Recipes
- Shrimp Boil Foil Packets Recipe Recipe
Want to elevate your camping recipes? This is the ticket. But they’re also perfect if you’re cooking for a crowd or just want to jazz up a Tuesday night because these packets deliver big flavor without fuss and virtually no clean-up. And… who isn’t game for a seafood feast?
The no-fuss way to have a traditional southern shrimp boil
Shrimp boil foil packets bring together all the traditional flavors of a seafood boil with the convenience of individual servings.
This recipe combines juicy shrimp, spicy sausage, tender corn, and hearty potatoes, all drenched in a flavorful Cajun butter sauce. It’s similar to our fan favorite, New Orleans BBQ shrimp, but brings home the quintessential whole boil without needing a giant pot.
The foil traps in all the flavors and juices, steaming the ingredients together so every bite is infused with the spicy, buttery seasoning. It’s virtually a mess-free, flavor-packed meal that’s perfect for any outdoor gathering.
Camping tip: We always serve our seafood on the first night of camping to avoid any risks of the cooler not staying cold enough. Get our tips for setting up the perfect camp kitchen to make whipping this up a breeze.
Ingredients for shrimp boil foil packs recipe
- Cajun seasoning or Old Bay seasoning
- garlic
- unsalted butter
- white wine, use a dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking
- corn on the cobb
- little red potatoes
- large shrimp, thawed, deveined and peeled
- smoked sausage or andouille sausage
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon wedges and minced parsley
How to Make Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
- Make the Cajun Butter:
- In a skillet over low heat, melt the butter with Cajun seasoning.
- Add minced garlic and simmer for 1 minute.
- Stir in the white wine and let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes; set aside.
- Prep the Corn and Potatoes:
- Boil the corn for 2 to 3 minutes in a large pot of water.
- Add potatoes and continue to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Drain and let cool. When manageable, cut each corn cob into thirds.
- Preheat the Grill:
- Preheat your grill to 350 degrees F, setting up for indirect heat.
- Assemble the Foil Packets:
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, corn, shrimp, and sausage.
- Drizzle with the melted butter mixture and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange large sheets of foil on a work surface, and divide the mixture among the sheets, placing it in the center.
- Fold the foil over the ingredients, sealing the edges to form packets.
- Grill the Foil Packs:
- Place the packets on the cooler side of the grill, seam side up.
- Close the grill lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, the potatoes are tender, and the sauce is bubbling.
- Serve:
- Carefully transfer the hot foil packets to a baking sheet.
- Let rest for a few minutes before opening—be cautious of steam.
- Open the packets, and serve directly with lemon wedges, a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, minced fresh parsley, and extra hot sauce if desired.
Girl Carnivore Tips for Perfect Foil Packets and Tender Shrimp
- Double up on Foil: For extra security against leaks, double-layer the foil, especially if you’re using ingredients that can pierce through. And splurge on Heavy Duty Foil!
- Even Sizes: Cut the corn into thirds and the potatoes into even pieces to ensure they cook evenly.
- Don’t Overpack: Avoid overfilling the foil packets to help them cook easily and make getting them on and off the grill easy.
How to Serve Shrimp Foil Packs
Enjoy these shrimp boil foil packets on their own or with crusty bread to soak up the delicious Cajun butter sauce.
For a hearty meal, serve them with cast iron French fries, a big green leafy salad, or smoked potato salad. Bonus points if you add some hush puppies. It’s the perfect casual backyard feast or a unique twist on your next camping trip meal.
Leftovers and Storage
These packets can be tricky to store as leftovers. Divide any leftovers up by ingredients, putting the potatoes in one pile, corn in another, and so on. Wrap each individual component in foil or store it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge.
To reheat: You could assemble new foil packs to reheat over the campfire or grill. We advise reheating everything for 10 minutes and only adding the shrimp for the last few minutes to reheat to help avoid overcooking them.
We use up the leftover sausage in scrambled eggs or on sandwiches. Serve the leftover shrimp as a cold appetizer the next day and use the potatoes in campfire frittatas or make cheesy campfire potatoes.
Shrimp boil foil packets are a fun, easy way to enjoy the flavors of a traditional boil with minimal cleanup. This method keeps ingredients moist and flavorful, making it a foolproof choice for any seafood lover.
More Epic FOil Pack Recipes
Seafood
Grilled Salmon in Foil
Campfire Recipes
Foil pack Sausage and Potatoes
Campfire Recipes
Campfire Baked Potatoes
Side Dish Recipes
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
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Shrimp Boil Foil Packets Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cajun butter:
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning or Old Bay Seasoning
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup White wine
For the Shrimp Boil Packs
- 4 ears of Corn
- 1 lbs Little Red Potatoes cut into quarters
- 1 lbs large shrimp thaawed, deveined, and peeled
- 1 lbs Smoked sausage or andouille sausage, sliced into ¼” thick slices
- Salt and pepper
For Garnish
- Lemon wedges
- minced parsley
- hot sauce
Instructions
Make the cajun butter
- Prep the cajun butter by playing a skillet over low heat.
- Add the butter and cajun seasoning.
- As the butter slowly melts, stir to combine.
- Add the garlic and let it simmer for 1 minute.
- Carefully stir in the white wine and let the cajun butter simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Prep the Corn and Potatoes
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the diced corn and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then, carefully add in the potatoes and let it all boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and strain.
- See our notes about prepping this ahead of time.
- Let cool.
- When the corn is cool enough to handle, carefully cut each cobb it into thirds.
Preheat the grill
- Preheat your grill for 350 degrees F. See our notes below for gas grills, charcoal grills, oven or campfire instructions.
Make the Foil packets:
- In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, corn shrimp and sausage.
- Drizzle the cajun butter over top and toss to combine.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Arrange a 6 to 8 large sheets of foil (about 12” each) on a clean work surface.
- Divide the shrimp and potato mixture evenly among the sheets of foil, arranging small piles in the center of each sheet.
- Carefully fold the long edges up over the ingredients and then fold the short edges up twice, pinching the seam to seal it.
Grill the Foil Packs
- Place the foil packs on the cool side of the grill, seam side up.
- Close the lid and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, the potatoes and fork tender and the butter is just starting to bubble, about 15-20 minutes.
Serve:
- Using a spatula, carefully lift the foil packs off the grill grates and transfer them to a large baking sheet for easy maneuvering.
- Let the packets sit for 3 to 5 minutes and use caution when opening them, as the steam can be very hot.
- Fold back the foil and serve each packet individually.
- Serve with lemon wedges, minced parsley, and additional hot sauce on the side.
Notes
- If you don’t want to wait for the water to boil, you can instead place the diced potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add ¼ cup of water, cover it with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes until they are just starting to soften.
- This can be done before you leave for a camping trip.
- Let them cool, and place them in a ziplock bag in the fridge until ready to use.
- Prep the recipe as directed.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Ignite all the burners and let the grill preheat for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- Clean and oil the grill grate.
- Turn off 2 of the 4 or 2 of the 3 burners to create a cool side and hot side for grilling.
- Close the lid and preheat the grill until it’s around 350 degrees F.
- When ready to cook, place the foil packets on the cool side of the grill and cook according to the recipe card.
- Prep the shrimp foil packs as directed.
- Preheat the grill by pouring lit coals on one side of the grill.
- Nestle the grill grate back in place, clean and oil it.
- Cover with the lid and adjust the air vents.
- Allow the grill to preheat to around 350 degrees F before proceeding with the recipe as directed.
- Prep the foil packs as directed.
- Preheat the pellet smoker to 350 degrees F.
- Arrange the shrimp packets on the grill grates. Because most pellet grills don’t have an option for a cool or hot side of the grill, rotate the packs often to help with even cooking. They may cook faster over direct heat, so check after 10 minutes.
- Build a campfire with your desired method.
Once the flames have died down, and there is a good bed of embers, arrange a grill grate about 4 to 5 inches above the heat. - Prep the shrimp boil packets as directed and place them on the grill grates, on the cooler side of the grill. If your heat source (embers) is piled in the center, arrange the foil packs around the edge of the grill grate so they will be over indirect heat.
- Rotate them every 5 minutes for even cooking.
- Depending on the elements, and heat of your campfire, you may need to adjust cooking time.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prep the shrimp packets as directed.
- Arrange the foil packs on a baking sheet and place them in the oven to cook.
- Because of the ambient temp of an oven and that there isn’t a ‘cool side,’ the packets may cook faster. Check them at about 12 to 13 minutes for doneness.
Nutrition
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