I’ve Lived In Wisconsin My Entire Life And I’ve Never Had A Door County Fish Boil

When I was young, the smell of burning kerosene was never far away. I grew up in northern Door County, near restaurants that serve scores of visitors an iconic Wisconsin meal - the Door County fish boil. It’s a beloved tradition, and for many, it's a great way to spend a summer evening on the peninsula. As a resident of Door County, fish boils were all around me, but I never joined the fish boil crowd, and I never wanted to. Let’s just say I have my reasons.

First off, I want to say I really have nothing against people who enjoy a fish boil. It’s a tradition that’s been around for more than a century, when early Scandinavian settlers boiled their catch over an open fire.

Today, there are a lot of good people making good money by holding summer fish boils for the county’s many visitors.

It’s something that thousands of tourists enjoy every summer. If you’ve never been to one, this is basically how it works: Chunks of whitefish and potatoes are boiled in an open pot of salty water until a boil master throws some kerosene on the fire - it makes the cooking more entertaining for the gathered crowd. The flames soar, sending dark smoke into the air, the pot boils over, and everyone eats.So why haven’t I embraced this tradition? While I do have a little Scandinavian heritage, my family never lit a pot of fish on fire.

Also, like most kids who grew up in Door County, I was very busy at work during the fish boil season.

On most summer nights, you could find me in a restaurant - and none of the places I worked held a fish boil. But they did serve some great things that were not boiled!

If this tradition involved another food, or perhaps fish cooked in a more appealing way, I would feel differently.

But here’s the thing: While I’ve never been much of a fish eater, if I was going to eat fish, I can think of a hundred better ways to cook it than boiling it in a pot of water with some potatoes.

If I was a hungry pioneer fisherman who only had a metal pot, some water, and the fish I just caught, I’d probably see things little differently.

But as long as I have options, I’ll take a pass on the fish boil.

Judging by the crowds that keep showing up for Door County’s fish boils, I think I’m in the minority on this one.

Actual busloads of people attend these events. I’ll just have to sit alone with my Door County pizza!

What do you think? Am I missing out by avoiding this iconic Wisconsin meal? Over the years people have told me that this is really tasty if you add plenty of butter, but I’m still skeptical about the underlying dish. What food doesn’t get better with a lot of butter? If you’re planning on hitting the road to Door County this summer, here are some fun finds for your trip.