Friends and Fish come together – with a traditional seafood boil. Find out more about how they are done and why they’re so special.

At these anything-but-fancy events, spread out on long tables, you can eat with your hands, but relax. It’s all about the camaraderie, and those fabulous flavors.

Whether it’s crab, crawfish, shrimp, whitefish, or any combination of seafood, seafood boils are celebrations. Maybe it’s time for Mardi Gras, Fridays during Lent, summer festivals, seafood harvesting time, fundraisers, or simply a delicious excuse for getting together with friends, family and neighbors. Sure, the melding flavors, simmered together, are succulent, but boils are truly social events, all across the nation.

In door County, Wisconsin, seafood boils are cooked over a roaring bonfire.

They all start with an enormous kettle, (think 60-80 quarts!) along with plenty of room for all those goodies. Some ‘boilmasters’ cook indoors on stoves, while others boil up everything outdoors on grills or propane-fueled burners. In Door County, Wisconsin, where Lake Michigan whitefish boils are a beloved tradition, they’re done over a roaring bonfire, while a circle of hungry onlookers warms up, fuels their appetites and enjoys the blazing spectacle.

Boils include all sorts of sides and spices, but some of the most common fixings are ears of corn, small red potatoes, onions, celery, bay leaves, pepper, whole lemons, thyme, garlic, Kosher salt, smoked or Andouille sausage, and, if making a Southern-style boil, most likely some Zatarain’s Crab Boil spices or Old Bay seasoning. Some add mushrooms, oranges, whole artichokes or even tamales! Each recipe has its own boiling sequence, but the fish and seafood are always added last to maintain tenderness.

Whitefish is a favorite ingredient for seafood boils in Wisconsin.

When that heady mix is boiled and ready, take it off from the heat, let it all sit for a while to meld flavors and use a large colander to strain it. Now, dump everything! Where? You’ve heard right – most likely onto a large picnic table covered with newspaper (or onto large platters.)  Everyone, grab a cold beer, lemonade or sweet tea and dig in! – Story and photos by Irene Middleman Thomas

Please note, this article contains links to Amazon for specific products mentioned as a way to offer convenience to the reader and a very small source of revenue to the website.

Hungry for more? Learn more about Fish Boils in Door County, Wisconsin in this article. Get a perfect 3-day itinerary to go there. Paella is another group cooking and feasting experience. Learn more about that in this article.

Pin this article about Fish and Seafood Boils to Pinterest so you’ll remember it next time you want to entertain the gang.