Freshwater Feasts

By Alex Palzewicz, kitchen manager and chef at Northwoods Test Kitchen

I had an absolute blast volunteering to whip up a fish boil for the 2024 Mi Fresh Fish Fry in Houghton last year. I knew it’d be a delicious way to get involved, but I also loved the experience of folks lighting up when they tasted the dish. It’s a one pot dish with simple ingredients — a little humble in its presentation, but truly delicious.

That being said, I had never done a fish boil before and wondered what protocol I should follow. Then I realized that my mom was just the person to chat with about it, as her side of the family were fishermen in Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. When I described the process to her, based on this recipe from the White Gull Inn Restaurant in Door County, she said it sounded like a proper fish boil to her. She did suggest adding garlic to the pot and garnishing with fresh dill — so this year, we intend to do just that.

Fish boils are not only a great way to eat more Great Lakes fish, but also a way to gather and celebrate food and community. Come by the Houghton waterfront on July 18, 2025, to try a bowl for yourself. Additionally we’ll be filleting fish and talking about what goes into a good fish boil, from ingredients to techniques!

Northwoods fish boil

Inspired by this fish boil recipe from the White Gull Inn Restaurant, as featured on Destination Door County

Ingredients:

• 12 small red potatoes, skin-on and scrubbed well, cut into halves or quarters to fit comfortably on a fork
• 2 onions, chopped
• 8 quarts water
• 2 cups salt
• 4 whitefish, heads and tails removed, gutted but skin-on, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Melted butter
• Lemon wedges
• Garlic cloves, as many as your heart desires
• Fresh dill, lightly chopped, as garnish

Instructions:

1. Bring the water in the pot to a boil. Keep it boiling as much as possible throughout the cooking procedure.
2. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, and one cup of salt. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Check doneness of potatoes with a fork. The potatoes should almost be cooked through.
3. When potatoes are almost done, add whitefish with the remaining cup of salt. Cook approximately 8–10 minutes. Fish should be firm and begin to pull away from the bone when lifted with a fork.
4. At a traditional outdoor boil, a small amount of kerosene would be thrown on the fire at this point. The fish oils, which have risen to the surface of the water, would boil over the sides. Do not attempt this at home; simply skim the oils off the surface with a spoon while the fish is cooking.
5. Lift cooked potatoes and fish from the water and drain. Serve immediately with melted butter, lemon, and dill.