Shrimp Boil Seasoning Bundle Recipe

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

5 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

1/2 cup

Making a spice bundle is a mess-free way to use shrimp boil seasoning. The simple technique involves placing a flavorful combination of dried herbs and spices, such as bay leaves, allspice, coriander seeds, and red pepper flakes, in a piece of cheesecloth, then tying the fabric shut with kitchen string.

When it's time to make the shrimp boil, simply add the spice bundle (also known as a spice sachet or packet) to the water, along with your other aromatic ingredients like onions and garlic cloves. Once the cooking process is over, it will be easy to fish out the spices while ensuring a flavorful seafood meal. Use this seasoning bundle to make our One-Pot Shrimp Boil with Corn and Potatoes.

One-Pot Shrimp Boil with Corn and Potatoes

Why Use a Bundle Instead of Loose Spices

While it's entirely possible to toss a handful of loose spices into your cooking liquid when making a shrimp boil, we find that using a bundle makes it so much easier to fish them out after the fact, leaving you with seafood that's free of large chunks of hard herbs and spices.

Tools for Making a Shrimp Boil Spice Bundle

Cheesecloth: Cheesecloth is our preferred fabric for making a spice bundle. To ensure the cheesecloth doesn't rupture while boiling, we like to use a double layer. If you don't have cheesecloth, you can also use muslin, a type of plain unbleached cotton fabric. Coffee filters and empty tea bags also work in a pinch, though you may need to use more than one.

Rolling pin: Crushing the spices with a rolling pin before tying up the bundle helps them better impart their flavor throughout the cooking liquid. In place of a rolling pin, you can use the bottom of a heavy skillet.

Make Ahead

You can prepare the bundle ahead of time so it's ready whenever the mood for a shrimp boil strikes. Store it in an airtight container to keep the spices tasting fresh.

Directions

Prepare cheesecloth:

Lay a 10-inch (double-layer) square of cheesecloth on a clean work surface.
Add spices:

Spoon spices into the center of the cheesecloth.
Crush spices:

Pressing firmly, roll a rolling pin over spice mixture until most of the seeds are cracked.
Tie cheesecloth shut:

Gather edges of cheesecloth together in the center, twist tightly, and tie securely with kitchen string. Trim ends with scissors, if necessary.

Variations

You can customize your shrimp boil seasoning bundle with favorite spices and herbs. Some ingredients you might want to include are smoked dried chiles, celery seeds, or peppercorns.