📝 About This Recipe
Experience the heart of Cajun country with this vibrant, spicy, and deeply communal seafood feast. Fresh live crawfish are purged and then simmered in a potent, aromatic broth of citrus, garlic, and secret spices, soaking up heat and flavor alongside sweet corn and buttery potatoes. It is more than just a meal; it is a celebration of Southern culture that brings friends and family together over a newspaper-covered table.
🥗 Ingredients
The Star of the Show
- 30 pounds Live Crawfish (rinsed and purged thoroughly)
The Boil Base
- 5-7 gallons Water (enough to fill a 60-80 quart pot halfway)
- 4.5 pounds Dry Crawfish Boil Seasoning (such as Zatarain's or Louisiana Fish Fry brand)
- 8 ounces Liquid Shrimp & Crab Boil (concentrated for extra kick)
- 8 pieces Lemons (halved)
- 5 heads Garlic (top sliced off to expose cloves)
- 4 large Yellow Onions (peeled and halved)
- 6 pieces Bay Leaves (dried)
The Fixings (The 'Lagniappe')
- 3 pounds Small Red Potatoes (whole)
- 2 pounds Smoked Andouille Sausage (cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 8-10 half-ears Frozen Corn on the Cob (helps cool the water during soaking)
- 16 ounces Button Mushrooms (whole)
- 1 pound Brussels Sprouts (trimmed)
👨🍳 Instructions
-
1
Purge the crawfish by placing them in a large wash tub and covering with fresh water. Stir gently and let sit for 10 minutes, then drain. Repeat until the water runs clear. Discard any dead crawfish (those with straight tails).
-
2
Fill a large outdoor crawfish boiling pot (60-80 quarts) halfway with water. Ignite the propane burner and bring to a steady roll.
-
3
Squeeze the juice from the halved lemons into the water and drop the rinds in. Add the dry seasoning, liquid boil concentrate, halved onions, garlic heads, and bay leaves.
-
4
Add the red potatoes to the boiling water. Cover the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes until they are just beginning to soften.
-
5
Add the smoked sausage, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts to the pot. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes.
-
6
Place the purged crawfish into the boiling basket and carefully lower it into the pot. Ensure the water covers the crawfish completely.
-
7
Bring the water back to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the size of the crawfish.
-
8
Turn off the heat immediately. This is the most crucial step: the 'soak' is where the flavor happens.
-
9
Add the frozen corn to the pot. The frozen corn helps lower the water temperature quickly, which stops the cooking process and allows the crawfish to sink and absorb the spicy broth.
-
10
Let the crawfish soak for 20-30 minutes. Taste a crawfish at the 20-minute mark; if it’s juicy and seasoned to your liking, they are ready. If not, let them soak another 10 minutes.
-
11
Lift the basket and drain the excess liquid for a minute. Shake gently to remove trapped water.
-
12
Dump the crawfish and vegetables onto a large table covered with several layers of newspaper or heavy butcher paper. Serve immediately while steaming hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Never salt your purging water; it can kill the crawfish prematurely—clean water is all you need. If the crawfish are hard to peel, they likely didn't boil long enough or were too cold when added. For extra citrus flavor, add halved oranges or pineapples to the boil for a tropical sweetness. Wear gloves if you have any small cuts on your hands, as the spice levels in the boil are very high. Save any leftover tail meat for crawfish etouffee or pasta the next day.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with plenty of cold local lager or sweet iced tea to balance the heat. Provide small bowls of 'Dip Sauce' made of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and a dash of Cajun seasoning. Keep plenty of paper towels and trash bins nearby for the shells. Side dishes aren't usually necessary, but a crusty loaf of French bread is great for mopping up juices. Finish the meal with a classic Southern dessert like banana pudding or pralines.