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Door County fish boil
Lake whitefish, potatoes and onions boiled outdoors with a flare-up
On the Door County peninsula of Wisconsin, Scandinavian fishermen cooked their catch in a cauldron over a wood fire, and summer 'fish boils' are still a show for visitors: when the fish is done, the boil master throws kerosene on the fire and the pot boils over, carrying off the fish oils. At home, a big pot and a skimmer do the same job. Lake whitefish, potatoes and onions are boiled in very salty water and served with melted butter, lemon and, for dessert, cherry pie. Chef's tip: the salt is high, so don't cut back; it raises the boiling point and seasons the fish without making it salty.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 25 cups water
- 9 oz coarse salt
- 2 ⅝ lb small waxy potatoesends trimmed
- 6 small onionspeeled
- 2 ⅝ lb whitefish, cod or haddock steaks, skin on5 cm thick
- 4 oz buttermelted
- 2 lemonsin wedges
- 2 tbsp fresh dill (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring the 25 cups water to a rolling boil in a very large pot and add half the 4 ½ oz coarse salt. Add the 2 ⅝ lb small waxy potatoes and boil 18 minutes.
25 minStep 2: Add the 6 small onions and boil 4 minutes more.
4 minStep 3: Add the rest of the 4 ½ oz coarse salt, then lower in the 2 ⅝ lb whitefish, cod or haddock steaks, skin on in a wire basket or steamer insert. Boil 8–10 minutes until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes easily from the bone.
10 minStep 4: Skim off all the oily foam from the top with a ladle, or let the pot boil up and over briefly in an outdoor setting. A common mistake is leaving the foam, which makes the fish taste oily.
2 minStep 5: Lift out the fish and vegetables and drain. Serve with the 4 oz butter, 2 lemons and 2 tbsp fresh dill.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does door County fish boil take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of small onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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