Louisiana Style Crawfish Boil (Print Version)
Spicy crawfish paired with potatoes, corn, and sausage cooked in a flavorful Southern boil.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 5 lbs live crawfish, rinsed and purged
→ Vegetables
02 - 6 ears corn, cut into thirds
03 - 2 lbs small red potatoes, halved if large
04 - 2 yellow onions, quartered
05 - 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
06 - 2 lemons, halved
→ Meats
07 - 1 lb smoked Andouille sausage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
→ Seasonings & Spices
08 - 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning (plus extra for sprinkling)
09 - 2 tbsp kosher salt
10 - 2 tbsp black peppercorns
11 - 4 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
13 - 1/4 cup hot sauce
14 - 3 tbsp paprika
→ Other
15 - 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
16 - 8 quarts water
# How to Prepare:
01 - Fill a large stockpot (at least 12-quart) with water. Add Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, paprika, hot sauce, and lemons (squeeze juice into water, then add lemon halves). Bring to a boil.
02 - Add potatoes, onions, and garlic to the pot. Boil for 10 minutes.
03 - Add corn and sausage. Continue boiling for 10 minutes more.
04 - Add crawfish to the pot. Stir well, cover, and cook for 5–7 minutes, or until crawfish shells turn bright red.
05 - Turn off the heat and stir in the butter. Let the crawfish soak in the seasoned water for an additional 10–15 minutes to absorb flavor.
06 - Using a slotted spoon, transfer crawfish, potatoes, corn, sausage, onions, and garlic to a large serving tray or directly onto a covered table.
07 - Sprinkle with extra Cajun seasoning, if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The way the seasoning penetrates everything, making even the potatoes worth fighting over
- It brings people together like no other meal can; nobody checks their phone with their hands covered in spice
02 -
- Purging the crawfish in salt water before cooking helps clean them, but do not soak them too long or they will die
- The soaking time after cooking is just as important as the boiling time; this is when flavor really penetrates
03 -
- Add halved oranges to the boil if you want a subtle sweetness that balances the heat
- Save some of the boiling liquid (not the shell filled part) to freeze for seafood stock later