This Foil Packet Shrimp Boil Is Perfect for Your Next Camping Trip

Meal planning is essential for a successful camping trip. The perfect campfire dinner can be prepared ahead, requires minimal cleanup, and tastes as good as something cooked over a stove. Foil packet meals are a popular go-to for these reasons, and this fast-cooking shrimp “boil” is an easy and delicious example of the genre.

To make this recipe from Fresh Off the Grid, you’ll need shrimp, cooked andouille sausage, zucchini or squash, and corn on the cob. The seafood packet is seasoned with a classic mix of garlic, Old Bay, Cajun spices, parsley, and lemon. You can also add potatoes to make it closer to a classic shrimp boil, but because they take longer to cook than the rest of the ingredients you’ll need to par-cook them before adding them to the foil.

To make your packet, take 18 inches of aluminum foil and place a 16-inch layer of parchment on top of it. You’ll want to place the ingredients that take the longest to cook (the corn and zucchini) at the bottom, as they'll receive the most heat. Then add the sausage and shrimp to the pile and top it off with the garlic, butter, and spices.

Now, roll the packet up, ensuring there are no openings, and place it over the heat source. It can be a campfire, but this recipe works just as well on a gas or charcoal grill. You’ll eventually see the packet puff up and hear the steam leak out. The ingredients should be ready to eat after about 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully open the packet and add about a handful of chopped parsley and a small amount of lemon juice. That’s all there is to it, and you don’t even have to wash dishes. 

The YouTube cooking channel Smokin’ & Grillin With AB offers its own version of a foil shrimp boil that includes red potatoes. You can follow along with the recipe in the video below.

You can get a little fancier with the Food Network’s take on a campfire shrimp boil. It calls for sprinkling the finished product with grated lemon zest or a splash of white wine. It also calls for microwaving potatoes and corn with garlic and butter before packaging them together with the shrimp.

If you’re an outdoorsy person who lives in California, Texas, or Arizona, you’re in luck. They make up the top three spots in this list of the best states for campers. 

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