Oven Baked Shrimp Boil With A Spicy KC BBQ Rub

Oven-baked shrimp boil means everything goes into one Dutch oven and comes out ready to eat in under an hour. Sausage, corn, potatoes, and shrimp all cook together in a KC BBQ rub-spiced corn stock, and the pot liquor-style sauce that builds at the bottom is better than anything you'd get from a traditional boil. You will want to mop up the buttery sauce with crusty bread. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• The sauce at the bottom of the pot is the best part.
• One Dutch oven for minimal cleanup.
• Everyone picks what they like: shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes.
• You control the heat by adjusting how much rub you sprinkle on at the end.

Why This Recipe Is Different

Most baked shrimp boil recipes spread everything on a sheet pan and roast it. This one takes a different approach.

• Corn stock replaces plain water in a shrimp boil, creating a pot liquor-style sauce at the bottom of the pot similar to what you get from braised collard greens, but with sweet corn and spice.
• Everything steams together in a covered Dutch oven. The lid traps the moisture and builds flavor the whole time it cooks.
• A homemade Spicy KC BBQ rub seasons the cooking liquid, finishes the dish, and doubles as a spice blend you'll use again.
• The shrimp go in last and cook in just 5 minutes from the residual steam.
• This is a corn season recipe. Frozen or out-of-season corn works, but it won't give you the same result.

Spicy KC BBQ Rub Ingredients

This rub does double duty. One tablespoon goes into the cooking liquid. Two tablespoons finish the dish after it comes out of the oven. The recipe makes just over ⅓ cup, so you will have extra for grilling season.

• Brown Sugar: Sugar is just as important as salt in Kansas City-style BBQ rubs. Many include brown sugar rather than granulated sugar. It balances the salt and heat from the cayenne.
• Smoked Paprika: Adds a gentle smokiness without a grill.
• Cayenne Pepper: This is where the heat comes from. The recipe has a real kick. Reduce the amount you sprinkle on at the end if you need it milder.
• Ground Coriander: Adds a citrusy, floral note that keeps the rub from tasting flat.
• Ground Cumin: Just a slight amount of cumin is included, so it doesn't become too overpowering.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements. The weight measurements are included if you prefer to weigh your spices, which makes building the rub very fast.

Shrimp Bake Ingredients

Here are the ingredients needed for the oven-baked shrimp boil.

• Corn Stock: This is what separates this recipe from every other shrimp bake you've tried. If you have homemade corn stock in your freezer, this is exactly where to use it. Plain water works, but the sauce is not quite the same.
• Sausage: Use what your family likes. Andouille adds smokiness and extra heat. Kielbasa is milder and works well for mixed crowds.
• Baby New Potatoes: They work best because they have a creamy texture, hold their shape well after cooking, and do not need to be peeled. Look for medium potatoes around 2 inches in diameter. Red new potatoes, fingerlings, or small Yukon Golds are all excellent choices. Leftovers reheat beautifully in a skillet the next morning for breakfast.
• Corn on the Cob: Fresh only. This is a summer recipe for a reason. Halved ears fit the Dutch oven and are easier to serve. Frozen or out-of-season corn won't contribute flavor the same way.
• Shrimp: Use large, shell-on, tail-on, uncooked shrimp. The 13/15 count means 13 to 15 shrimp per pound, which is a generous size. Keep the shells on while they cook because they add flavor to the sauce.
• Butter, fresh lemon juice, and more of the rub go in right after the pot comes out of the oven.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

Variations

This recipe is flexible. Here are ways to make it work for your family or your crowd.

• Cooking For A Crowd: When I doubled this recipe in one pot, it did not work. The ratio of corn stock to ingredients is specific, and scaling up in a single Dutch oven throws off the steam and the sauce. Use a second Dutch oven and run two pots simultaneously. Everything else stays the same.
• Spicy KC BBQ Rub: If you don't want to make the rub, substitute a Cajun seasoning like Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning.
• Sausage: Use Andouille for heat, Kielbasa for a milder crowd, or smoked chicken sausage as a lighter option.
• Shrimp: If someone at the table doesn't like shrimp, just add more sausage. You could also substitute crab. This recipe is built for picky eaters and mixed crowds.
• Heat level: The rub has cayenne, and this dish has a real kick. Cut the cayenne in half or omit it when building the rub if you need it mild. You can also skip the final sprinkle of rub on the platter.
• Corn Stock: If you don't have corn stock on hand, plain water works. The sauce won't have the same depth, but the dish is still great. My creamy corn soup is another recipe that shows what corn stock can do.
• Corn: Fresh and tender cobs only in my opinion. This recipe is worth saving for corn season.

Equipment

• 6-8 quart Dutch oven with a lid
• Instant-read meat thermometer
• Tongs

Step-by-Step Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 400℉.

Step 1: In the Dutch oven, bring the corn stock and 1 tablespoon of the Spicy KC BBQ rub to a boil on the stovetop. Add the sausage, potatoes, and then the corn.

Step 2: Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are just soft when pierced with a fork.

Step 3: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Add the shrimp on top of everything. Cover and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Check the shrimp with a thermometer. You're looking for an internal temperature of 135-140℉. The shrimp on top will cook faster than those tucked in below. If they need more time, toss with tongs, replace the lid, and cook 2-3 minutes longer.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and take off the lid. Add the butter, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the Spicy KC BBQ rub. Toss gently with tongs to coat everything and melt the butter into the sauce.

Step 5: Dump it onto a large serving platter. Use a spoon to scoop up the sauce from the bottom of the pot and pour it over everything. Sprinkle more rub over the top. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Make Ahead Instructions

The Spicy KC BBQ rub can be mixed weeks in advance and stored in a sealed container at room temperature and out of sunlight.

The shrimp bake itself comes together quickly and is best made start to finish just before serving. Shrimp don't hold or reheat well, and the corn is best right out of the pot.

Storage & Reheating Information

Leftovers: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheating: Microwave in 20-second increments just until warmed through. Stop before they're hot, or the shrimp will overcook.

Freezing is not recommended.

FAQ

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