Tide To Table: Lowcountry Classic Mixed With Maryland Flair - Shrimp, Crabs & Oysters

In this episode of Tide To Table, we’re diving into one of the South’s most iconic communal meals: the Lowcountry boil. But this isn’t just any seafood spread. Chef Eric Greenwood is bringing a little of his Chesapeake Bay influence to the table too, combining two regional seafood traditions into one unforgettable coastal feast.

South Carolina’s Lowcountry boils and Maryland’s steamed crab feasts might come from different waters, but they share the same spirit—casual, hands-on, and centered around family, friends, and flavor. So we figured, why not throw them all in the pot together?

Here’s how we merged these coastal cultures, creating a dockside experience that honors both traditions.

We kicked things off the Southern way, with a good old fashioned boil. You'll find different types of boils across the South but here in the Lowcountry it's a Lowcountry Boil with the main protein being the local delicacy, shrimp. Mix in the potatoes, corn and sausage with a seasoned broth, picking up layer of flavor every minute it's in the pot and you've got a delicious meal that will feed everyone and have them leaving satisfied. But, we didn't stop there, why not leave everyone feeling stuffed and smelling of Old Bay?

Now, speaking of Old Bay, here’s where the Chesapeake comes in. Maryland is famous for its crab feasts—bushels of blue crabs, steamed with vinegar and beer, dusted in a heavy coat of Old Bay. Instead of boiling, they steam the crabs, letting the seasoning permeate the shell while preserving the sweet meat inside. Some may argue it's too much work but it's tradition and the work is what makes the feast so much greater!

Lastly, we couldn't forget that staple golden brown cluster found on the muddy low-tide banks of the Lowcountry. Before everyone arrived for our Goat Island feast Eric and Captain Jim took off into the marsh to locate and harvest a bushel of fresh oyster clusters from the pluff mud in the Masters 227. These oysters clusters are great and what makes them even better is knowing you went out and picked them yourselves. They're simple, salty, and meant to be eaten standing up with a shucking knife in one hand and a drink in the other.

What’s so special about this combined boil is how naturally these traditions fit together. In the Lowcountry, seafood is boiled in big pots, steeped in spice, and shared around the table. In Maryland, crabs are steamed with precision, picked with patience, and savored over hours of conversation.

When you bring the two together, you get a feast that’s both abundant and intentional. It’s spicy sausage and sweet crab meat. It’s shrimp dipped in butter and oysters eaten straight from the shell. It’s coastal cooking without borders—flavorful, communal, and completely at home whether you’re on a dock in South Carolina or a pier in Annapolis.

This episode of Tide To Table celebrates what happens when cultures and coastlines come together. The result is a table full of steam, spice, and stories.

Keep watch for the next episode of Tide To Table, where we continue exploring the flavors that connect us to the water—from the back of a Sportsman boat to the heart of your kitchen.