Culinary Curiosity: The Door County Fish Boil

Fish boils are a legendary culinary tradition in the tourist destination of Door County, Wisconsin

Door County, Wisconsin is a tourism powerhouse. It is a peninsula and islands between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. It is known for incredible natural beauty.

At a Door County fish boil, Lake Michigan whitefish are cooked in a cast iron cauldron along with potatoes and onions.

The outdoor fire used to cook at a Door County fish boil is fueled by wood.

The climax of a Door County fish boil is the "boil over." Kerosene is tossed on the fire. It is an impressive display and helps flavor by boiling off the fish oil.

The fish, potatoes, and onions are usually served with coleslaw and rye bread.

Fish boils have become a tourist attraction, but they have an authentic history. They were used to feed large groups of hungry lumberjacks and sailors in times past.

Learn more about Door County Fish boils at HelloDoorCounty.com

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Media Credits

"Fish Boil" by Splent via Wikimedia. Used by permission (CC BY-SA 3.0). ""The Steaming Cauldron" by LearningLark via Flick. Used by permission (CC BY 2.0). "Fish Boil" by Mark Baylor via Flicker. Used by permission (CC BY 2.0). "Fish Boil" by Mark Baylor via Flicker. Used by permission (CC BY 2.0).

Media Credits, cont.

"Fish Boil" by Splent via Wikimedia. Used by permission (CC BY-SA 3.0). "Fresh Cut Stacked Wood for Fish Boil" by Richie Diesterheft via Flickr. Used by permission (CC BY-SA 2.0).