Frogmore Stew

[FraidKnot]

Okay, it's not really a stew. It's more like a big boil of stuff. But it's called Frogmore Stew. My parents live in what used to be called 'Frogmore', South Carolina. It's now called (again) St. Helena, just south of Beaufort. I still call it Frogmore

So, in a very large stock pot, boil for 7 minutes 1 lb. smoked link sausage; preferably fresh sausage but the old standby kielbasa or polish sausage will work. 3 lbs. new potatoes covered well with water and add some beer.

Add 1 large chopped onion, a bell pepper and 3 ribs of diced celery, 2 Tbs. seafood seasoning, salt & pepper. Boil 10 minutes.

Add 6 fresh blue crabs, 6 ears corn on the cob, halved. Boil 10 minutes. Add 3 lbs. of fresh large unshelled shrimp; boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain the mix and serve with butter for the corn, cocktail and tarter sauce for the shrimp and crab. Provide a bucket to dump the remnants (shells and cobs) into.

Fraidy

[Half Baked]

Take me home, FraidKnot! We make this in Maryland, too. Sometimes with the sausage, most times without. Toss a couple of lobsters in....mmmmmm.

btw, welcome to DC. It's a bit quiet this evening but will perk up. Make sure you stick around.

Whoa, wait a minute, we use vinegar and Old Bay for our crab. No cocktail or tartar sauce.

[Chopstix]

Fraidnot, I checked out your ingredients and I think this dish should be called Frogless Stew (Sorry just couldn't help that!)

[auntdot]

Sounds like it is taking what we would put into a lobster bake (except with shrimp instead of clams and of course, the crabs sans lobster) and making it into a boil.

Bet it tastes great. Thanks for the idea.

[Seven S]

Originally Posted by FraidKnot

Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain the mix and serve with butter for the corn, cocktail and tarter sauce for the shrimp and crab. Provide a bucket to dump the remnants (shells and cobs) into.

Fraidy

Hey Fraidknot,

Just an observation, I was served Frogmore Stew in Charleston, SC and even though, like you said, its not "stewlike", they did provide me with some of the broth in the dish. I noticed in your recipe you drain (and assume discard) all the wonderful poaching liquid. Just thinking it might serve to cook some rice dish similar to Jambalaya or Paella, or freeze and use later on as a base for flavor... anyways, thanks for bringing up memories!

[kitchenelf]

It's also called Lowcountry Boil - thanks for the recipe!

Good idea to use the liquid as a cooking medium for shrimp!

[Constance]

Originally Posted by FraidKnot

Okay, it's not really a stew. It's more like a big boil of stuff. But it's called Frogmore Stew. My parents live in what used to be called 'Frogmore', South Carolina. It's now called (again) St. Helena, just south of Beaufort. I still call it Frogmore

So, in a very large stock pot, boil for 7 minutes 1 lb. smoked link sausage; preferably fresh sausage but the old standby kielbasa or polish sausage will work. 3 lbs. new potatoes covered well with water and add some beer.

Add 1 large chopped onion, a bell pepper and 3 ribs of diced celery, 2 Tbs. seafood seasoning, salt & pepper. Boil 10 minutes.

Add 6 fresh blue crabs, 6 ears corn on the cob, halved. Boil 10 minutes. Add 3 lbs. of fresh large unshelled shrimp; boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain the mix and serve with butter for the corn, cocktail and tarter sauce for the shrimp and crab. Provide a bucket to dump the remnants (shells and cobs) into.

Fraidy

I love this stuff, Fraid! I didn't have any crab to put in mine, but it was still good with just shrimp and Andouille sausage.
Did you add any seasonings to your water? I used a stick or two of butter, a generous amount of Old Bay and Tony Chacheri's, and a couple of quartered lemons. I also had some little baby boiler onions that I threw in, peeling and all. They popped right out of their peelings, and were so tasty!.
You also need to serve a lot of good crusty bread with this stuff, to sop up that wonderful broth.

Gee, I wish I weren't so land-locked!

[XeniA]

Originally Posted by Chopstix

Fraidnot, I checked out your ingredients and I think this dish should be called Frogless Stew (Sorry just couldn't help that!)

Me? I was thinking along the lines of "Frognomore" stew. I was actually disappointed to realized it didn't have any frogs in it ...

[shpj4]

Thanks Fraidy for your stew receipe. It sounds delicious and enjoy.

[FraidKnot]

Originally Posted by Constance

I love this stuff, Fraid! I didn't have any crab to put in mine, but it was still good with just shrimp and Andouille sausage.
Did you add any seasonings to your water? I used a stick or two of butter, a generous amount of Old Bay and Tony Chacheri's, and a couple of quartered lemons. I also had some little baby boiler onions that I threw in, peeling and all. They popped right out of their peelings, and were so tasty!.
You also need to serve a lot of good crusty bread with this stuff, to sop up that wonderful broth.

Gee, I wish I weren't so land-locked!

Didn't I mention crab boil? Doesn't have to be Old Bay but that'll work. The Memphis area is land-locked as well, which is why I love visiting my parents down in South Carolina.

Fraidy

[FraidKnot]

Before my Dad got too old, he used to take me crabbing. We'd haul up blue crab. We'd net up shrimp, too. Dad is too old for that these days. He's 82.

Jill uh, I mean, Fraidy