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Beaufort
SC Dining - Is it Beaufort or Frogmore Stew?
An historical one-pot
dish creates the excuse for families, friends and neighbors to gather,
eat and have fun together.
Beaufort Stew,
sometimes known as Frogmore Stew, although no frogs are used, is rich
in tradition and flavor. Newly-shucked ears of fresh corn, white
potatoes that appear to be the size of small pumpkins, and local fresh
shrimp are its beginning ingredients. Smoked sausage links, fresh
crab legs, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, salt and pepper and a generous
dose of hot sauce make this dish an event more than a recipe.
Sometimes crawfish are thrown in, too, for shellfish lovers.
Beaufort's annual
Water Festival features the hearty meal each July. Approximately 1200
lbs of shrimp, 2400 ears of corn, 600 lbs of sausage and 72 oz of
seafood seasoning have been used to create Beaufort Stew for thousands
of the festival-goers. The dish can also be found at restaurants in
Beaufort and along the South Carolina coast.
Richard Gay of the
Gay Seafood Company claims to have originated the dish in the early
1960s but under its other well-known name – Frogmore Stew. During
that time Gay worked weekend duty in the National Guard and would
gather all the ingredients and boil everything up in a large pot and
sell it to the locals along with its recipe. Because Gay was from
Frogmore, near Beaufort, the name stuck until the 1980s. The postal
service abolished the name Frogmore, much to the chagrin of its
residents and Richard Gay.
Since then, the name,
recipe and affinity for Beaufort Stew still remains in tact. And, a
couple of local restaurants still serve the popular dish. Diners can
go to Steamer Oyster & Steakhouse at 168 Sea Island Parkway which
features the stew on its menu, although they call it Frogmore Stew.
But the ingredients and delicious flavor are the same along with an
accolade: The 10Best Trusted Advice for Travelers Web site claims it
to be the best version of Beaufort Stew in town.
Recipe for Beaufort Stew
1)
In a large pot, boil the
white potatoes and corn on the cob for approximately 15 minutes.
2)
When they are finished,
place the smoked sausage links in the pot, and let cook for 5 minutes.
3)
Add the shrimp, crablegs,
Old Bay seasoning, and two to three shakes of hot sauce to the pot,
and let cook for 10 minutes.
4)
Add in salt and pepper, or,
place them on the table for people to add to their preference.
For one pot to feed
six adults, 10 ears of sweet corn on the cob, 1 lb of smoke sausage, 2
lbs of large local shrimp, 1 ½ lb bag of white potatoes, 1 box of crab
legs, 1 box of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, hot sauce, and salt and
pepper are needed.
If you are planning a visit to Beaufort to
try Frogmore Stew, be sure to check out Beaufort's newest, luxury hote.
Beaufort’s City Loft Hotel,
complete with upscale amenities such as its City Java & News espresso
bar.
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