If you’ve ever vacationed in Maine or down along the Gulf Coast, the chances are you’ve gone to a “Boil”, a feast of seafood and veggies all boiled in one big pot. Here in Maryland, there is no reason we can’t do the same thing, and Chef Jerry Pellegrino has figured out what it takes to do your own backyard boil.
Seafood boils are a tradition all along our coasts, where shellfish and sausages are boiled (outdoors, of course) in a large pot of flavorful broth, and served to hungry hordes. Let’s bring this summertime specialty to your home kitchen with shrimp, lobster tail, hard crabs and spicy Italian sausage.
If you want to go the whole nine yards, you’ll want to throw in fresh corn on the cob, red potatoes and lots of golden drawn butter for dipping. And as with a Maryland crab feast, you’ll want to spread lots of newspapers on your picnic table.
Backyard boils have become so popular that several companies will send you a box with all the ingredients, ready to go. You’ll need to supply a big old pot (we mean really big) and a strainer basket for pulling out the goodies. As for a heat source, propane burner kits are widely available, and work very quickly.
Here’s a run-down and recipe for throwing a backyard boil.
A MARYLAND BACKYARD BOIL
Ingredients:
1 gallon of chicken broth or beers (128 ounces)
6 pack of Binkert’s Weiss Wurst sausage
2 cups of Old Bay seasoning
4 lemons, cut lengthwise in half
2 pounds red potatoes
4 corn cobs, shucked and broken in half
2 dozen pearl onions
1 lb. shrimp
1 lb. scallops
1 lb. mussels
4 blue crabs, top shell removed, broken in half
4 lobster tails, split in half lengthwise
Directions:
1. Place your cooking pot on your burner, grill or stove top. Add the liquid and most of the seasoning. Cook over high heat.
2. While the water is heating, sear the sausage in a skillet. When done, set aside.
3. Add the lemons, potatoes, onions and sausage into the pot. When the water begins to boil, set a clock for 15 minutes.
4. Add the corn into the pot, which will cook quickly.
5. After a few minutes, add the seafood, which ideally will be sitting on top of the other ingredients, out of the broth. You want the seafood to steam.
6. When the seafood has steamed, you are ready to serve. If using a boiling basket, simply lift it out of the pot and fish out the ingredients. If you are cooking directly in and over the broth, pour it all through a strainer (this will take several batches) and arrange the food for serving.
Serves 4 to 6 people
