My Dad’s 50-Year-Old Sausage Boil Recipe Is Now My Son’s Thanksgiving Go-To

My dad and son had a special relationship. They spent many Saturdays in my parents’ backyard working on Dad‘s latest DIY project. PawPaw, as my father was known to his grandkids, taught Sam to split wood and winch a tree stump. But much of their relationship revolved around food. 

Dad passed on his quirky penchant for mayonnaise on a hot dog and introduced Sam to sawmill gravy and boiled peanuts (Sam’s favorite snack). At many family dinners, Sam shadowed PawPaw as he prepared his signature corn boil meal decked out in his apron and floppy chef’s hat. The recipe had been featured in Southern Living magazine in the late ’80s and Dad beamed with pride every time he made it.

Two years after my dad passed away, Sam said he wanted to try PawPaw’s Corn Boil for an upcoming family gathering scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving. Though it was Sam’s first attempt, the end result was as good as we all remembered. Sam has made it every year since and it’s the highlight of the Thanksgiving weekend. PawPaw would be proud!

What Is a Corn Boil?

I’ve never seen another corn boil recipe like my dad’s. Every one I’ve found is made with seafood, but Dad’s is not. Similar to a lowcountry boil (but without the shrimp), PawPaw’s Corn Boil is a one-pot meal of red potatoes, sweet onions, sausage, and—of course—ears of corn. The ingredients simmer together in a broth created from their own juices.

Tips for Making PawPaw’s Corn Boil

• To prepare the corn, remove the outer, dark-green husks of the corn but leave the inner husks intact. Trim both ends of the corn to create a flat surface for standing the ears on their ends. Once trimmed, the ears will form a shelf for layering the sausage and vegetables. 
• You’ll need a container that has a hole in the top for steam to escape. Daddy used an old lard can with a hole punched in the lid but those cans are nearly impossible to find these days. Sam bought a 40-quart stockpot and drilled a hole in the top. That size holds about 20 to 24 ears of corn. Adjust your ingredient amounts to suit the size of your pot.
• Since the pot and lid aren’t see-through, it may be hard to tell when the water begins to boil. My dad placed a clear glass over the hole in the lid. When steam condensed on the glass, he knew the mixture was boiling.
• The corn boil is best served family style. Once everything is cooked, drain the pot and transfer the contents to a large serving dish or table lined with butcher paper. 

PawPaw’s Corn Boil Recipe

Ingredients:

• 20 ears of fresh corn with outer husks removed and ends trimmed
• 30 small new potatoes
• 20 medium yellow onions
• 3 (1-pound) packages smoked sausage, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 6 cups water

Directions:

1. Stand corn, small end up, in bottom of pot.
2. Place the potatoes and onions on top of corn, then put the sausage on top of the vegetables.
3. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot.
4. Place the pot over medium-high heat. When water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until onions are tender. Serve with butter.