How Did Eggs Make Their Way Into Seafood Boils?

Seafood boils have a special place on the dinner table, usually reserved for large gatherings, reunions, and special occasions. In the United States, the dish is popular in Southern coastal regions, including the Carolinas, and the New England coastal region.  The tradition stems from American Indian cooking methods with influences from French settlers, enslaved Africans, and Cajun techniques. It has a special place in Louisiana, where the Cajun seafood boil is beloved for its seasonings and spice. 

Many seafood boil traditions have a practical bent most people can agree on: You don't dive into your seafood boil immediately; instead, you let it sit for a few minutes to absorb all the juices and seasonings. But newer traditions like adding eggs to seafood plates have become somewhat normalized despite not being a tradition everyone abides by. That makes it tough to know exactly how eggs ended up on these seafood-heavy plates, but the internet has plenty of theories, and according to them, it probably all boils down to flavor and creating a longer-lasting feeling of fullness. 

One Facebook user points out that using eggs means the meal doesn't depend solely on (expensive) seafood to keep bellies full. Even locally sourced seafood pricing is complicated by global demand, natural forces, and ecological factors,  so it can get expensive, even when it comes from local waters. So making sure the dish feeds a crowd is usually a priority. Even when the price is out of control, eggs are typically a cheaper alternatives to costly seafood items. Low-country and especially Louisiana seafood boils include eggs as the under-praised but needed flavor-booster. You can use them to soak up the delicious spices from the seasoned garlic-butter sauce or to offer respite from some of the heat typically found in spicier Cajun boils.

These theories make a lot of sense. Eggs are an affordable, filling, and readily available source of nutrition utilized in dishes, including seafood dishes, around the world. For example, West African cooks leverage boiled eggs as a regular addition to popular fish dishes. Given the history of African-American culinary practices in the South, adding eggs makes sense both culturally and culinarily. There are plenty of common mistakes you can make when whipping up your seafood boil, but adding eggs isn't one of them.