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07-23-2014, 09:35 AM
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#1
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Senior Cook
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Too close to Atlanta
Posts: 195
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Ever done a low country boil?
When we relocated from the Pacific Northwest to Georgia 25 years ago we took to this regional cuisine like iron filings to a magnet. At the top of the heap for mouth-watering flavor? A properly done low country boil.
It is not exactly barbecue or grilling but definitely an outdoor activity. My son does this best. His technique? Boiling time more than anything else but a great deal of patience helps. If you just dump ALL of the ingredients of onions, spicey sausage, corn-on-the cob, unpeeled shrimp, and new potatoes in all at once you get a mess.
We use Zatarain's shrimp and crab boil in packets for best results. The spice just does something special to the corn because it somehow absorbs all that flavor.
I suppose it can be made in a huge pot on the stove but it is a more fun and less messy experience outside with a gas-fired pot.
All you need to top it off is some ice cold beer. Folks, I cannot explain how these simple ingredients, properly cooked with the right amount of spice, can taste so good but they do.
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07-23-2014, 09:42 AM
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#2
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Master Chef
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chiklitmanfan
When we relocated from the Pacific Northwest to Georgia 25 years ago we took to this regional cuisine like iron filings to a magnet. At the top of the heap for mouth-watering flavor? A properly done low country boil.
It is not exactly barbecue or grilling but definitely an outdoor activity. My son does this best. His technique? Boiling time more than anything else but a great deal of patience helps. If you just dump ALL of the ingredients of onions, spicey sausage, corn-on-the cob, unpeeled shrimp, and new potatoes in all at once you get a mess.
We use Zatarain's shrimp and crab boil in packets for best results. The spice just does something special to the corn because it somehow absorbs all that flavor.
I suppose it can be made in a huge pot on the stove but it is a more fun and less messy experience outside with a gas-fired pot.
All you need to top it off is some ice cold beer. Folks, I cannot explain how these simple ingredients, properly cooked with the right amount of spice, can taste so good but they do.
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Done many a crawfish boil. Basically the same, just with crawfish. Last time was Memorial Day time. Did 80#. I do ours a little spicier though.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...end-89892.html
__________________
Emeralds are real Gems! C. caninus and C. batesii.
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07-23-2014, 09:52 AM
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#3
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Executive Chef
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The edge of the Great Dismal Swamp
Posts: 3,306
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We generally do at least one of these every summer.
Mighty good in the shade of a big old magnolia tree.
__________________
I used to be a racist, but I don't have much interest in it since Dale Earnhardt got killed.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
Good judgement comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgement.
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07-23-2014, 10:48 AM
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#4
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Senior Cook
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Too close to Atlanta
Posts: 195
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigC
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We've never done crawfish ourselves....too hard to find here. However we have been to a couple of crawfish boils....mighty good!
For me, if your nose doesn't run, your not sweating, and tears aren't pouring from your eyes, it ain't hot enough!
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07-23-2014, 10:53 AM
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#5
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: East Boston, MA
Posts: 22,365
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I have been to many lobster boils. And a few clambakes on the beach. Same concept, different location, different seafood.
__________________
Illegitimi non carborundum!
I don't want my last words to be, "I wish I had spent more time doing housework"
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07-23-2014, 11:02 AM
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#6
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Senior Cook
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Too close to Atlanta
Posts: 195
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Addie, we loved those New England boiled dinners and those Lobster and shrimp rolls. What a treat! We loved everything about New England and Nova Scotia except those 9 month winters.
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07-23-2014, 11:08 AM
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#7
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Master Chef
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,442
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Another thing I really love is steaming up a bunch of blue crab, Maryland style, and going to town. Nothing like picking crab to develop a huge thirst! Gotta have that beer icy cold!
__________________
Emeralds are real Gems! C. caninus and C. batesii.
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07-23-2014, 11:19 AM
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#8
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Executive Chef
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Southeast US
Posts: 4,554
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chiklitmanfan
When we relocated from the Pacific Northwest to Georgia 25 years ago
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Forced relocation I hope?  Job?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigC
Another thing I really love is steaming up a bunch of blue crab, Maryland style, and going to town. Nothing like picking crab to develop a huge thirst! Gotta have that beer icy cold!
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Back home in South FL and in Key West, we had crab boils all the time.
We crabed all night long, slept most of the day then my grandmother would dump piles of boiled seasoned crabs onto newspaper spread out on the long folding table under the canopy outside.
Lots of work (picking through crabs) to get full, but more time to drink beer.
Some of my fondest memories.
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07-23-2014, 11:44 AM
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#9
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Master Chef
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 6,442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roll_Bones
Forced relocation I hope?  Job?
Back home in South FL and in Key West, we had crab boils all the time.
We crabed all night long, slept most of the day then my grandmother would dump piles of boiled seasoned crabs onto newspaper spread out on the long folding table under the canopy outside.
Lots of work (picking through crabs) to get full, but more time to drink beer.
Some of my fondest memories.
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I like Abita Amber with the crawfish and Cave Creek Chili Beer with the crabs.
__________________
Emeralds are real Gems! C. caninus and C. batesii.
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07-23-2014, 12:03 PM
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#10
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: East Boston, MA
Posts: 22,365
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chiklitmanfan
Addie, we loved those New England boiled dinners and those Lobster and shrimp rolls. What a treat! We loved everything about New England and Nova Scotia except those 9 month winters.
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Maine lobster boats have a new income. An airlines now flies nonstop from Beijing to Boston for 15 hours. It is just an hours ride up the coast to Maine. So the people from China take a tour bus up there and go out on a lobster boat to see how lobsters are caught. When they come ashore, they have a lobster feast waiting for them with the fixings. Then back to Boston. I wonder if they will continue this practice during the winter months. There are some hearty men that are out there in all kinds of weather except a Nor'easter.
__________________
Illegitimi non carborundum!
I don't want my last words to be, "I wish I had spent more time doing housework"
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07-23-2014, 12:31 PM
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#11
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Head Chef
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Friendship,MD.
Posts: 1,298
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I love the boiled dinners with Zatarain's spices.
They are a treat in themselves and when I attend one I become a
But living in Maryland right next to the bay I have to say I prefer steamed crabs and shrimp over boiled. And since I grew up on it Old Bay is the spice to use.
Haven't had a crab feast yet this year but usually do it at least once a year.
I like to wait until later in the season when the crabs are fat and the weather is cooler.
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07-23-2014, 12:33 PM
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#12
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: south central coast/California
Posts: 14,766
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Living here all my life, I've never had the pleasure. I'm open to invitations though.
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but rather by the moments that take our breath away.
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07-23-2014, 12:53 PM
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#13
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: California
Posts: 10,088
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Same here, Kay. I've heard and read about them and always thought low country boils sounded like a lot of good eatin', partyin' fun!
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Grandchildren fill the space in your heart you never knew was empty.
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07-23-2014, 01:02 PM
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#14
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: south central coast/California
Posts: 14,766
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So true Cheryl, but we sure can do a mean "Santa Maria Barbeque" shindig!
__________________
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but rather by the moments that take our breath away.
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07-23-2014, 01:16 PM
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#15
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Executive Chef
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 4,544
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I'm happy with shrimp, crab or crawfish boils, except I have to admit I prefer the shrimp as they are much less work than the other 2 when it comes to eating time. Unless of course I can con somebody into doing the picking for me!
Yes, I'm lazy about picking.
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07-23-2014, 01:20 PM
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#16
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: California
Posts: 10,088
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayelle
So true Cheryl, but we sure can do a mean "Santa Maria Barbeque" shindig!
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Yep, was just thinking along those lines!
__________________
Grandchildren fill the space in your heart you never knew was empty.
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07-23-2014, 01:34 PM
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#17
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Chef Extraordinaire
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: near Montreal, Quebec
Posts: 24,975
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Okay, what's a "Santa Maria Barbeque" shindig?
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May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live.
Robert A. Heinlein
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07-23-2014, 02:06 PM
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#18
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Head Chef
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Friendship,MD.
Posts: 1,298
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Quote:
Originally Posted by medtran49
Unless of course I can con somebody into doing the picking for me!
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Not much chance of that.
It's every man for himself.
When we were kids my parents would wait until we went to bed to have crabs. But we'd always wake up and they'd end up picking crabs for us kids. One day my father had enough  and said that if we wanted crabs then we needed to learn to pick them for ourselves. After that crabs were allowed during the day time.
I'd also like a description of a "Santa Maria Barbeque" shindig!
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07-23-2014, 02:17 PM
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#19
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Executive Chef
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 4,544
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zagut
Not much chance of that.
It's every man for himself.
I'd also like a description of a "Santa Maria Barbeque" shindig! 
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Yeh I know. The first couple of times Craig's family (originally from MD) had a crab boil Craig and 1 of his brothers picked for me but I was on my own after that.
I had to start picking my own crawfish 10-15 minutes into my first time as it was definitely everyone for themselves at that table. I got several demonstrations on sucking head and eating tail and was on my own after that. Son-in-law's family are from LA and it was a day or 2 before the wedding and we'd been partying all afternoon so everyone was in fine spirits.
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