📝 About This Recipe
Transport your taste buds to the heart of the Bayou with this authentic Louisiana Crawfish Boil, a communal feast that is as much a social event as it is a meal. This recipe captures the perfect balance of spicy, citrusy, and savory notes, infusing succulent freshwater crawfish with a potent blend of cayenne, garlic, and traditional aromatics. It is a messy, hands-on celebration of Southern culture that rewards patience and a love for bold, soul-warming heat.
🥗 Ingredients
The Seafood
- 30 pounds Live Louisiana Crawfish (thoroughly rinsed and purged)
- 2 pounds Smoked Andouille Sausage (cut into 2-inch chunks)
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 spicy extract)
- 8-10 pieces Lemons (halved)
- 4 heads Garlic (top sliced off to expose cloves)
- 4 large Yellow Onions (peeled and halved)
- 1/2 cup Salt (adjust based on seasoning brand saltiness)
The Vegetables
- 3 pounds Red Bliss Potatoes (small, whole)
- 6-8 ears Sweet Corn (shucked and snapped in half)
- 16 ounces Mushrooms (whole button or cremini)
- 1 pound Brussels Sprouts (trimmed)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Purge the crawfish: Place the live crawfish in a large tub and fill 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).
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2
Prepare the pot: Fill a 60-80 quart crawfish boiling pot with a strainer basket halfway with water. Ignite the outdoor propane burner and bring to a rolling boil.
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3
Season the water: Add the dry seasoning, liquid boil concentrate, halved lemons (squeeze the juice in first, then toss in the halves), garlic heads, and halved onions.
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4
Cook the aromatics: Let the seasoned water boil for 10-15 minutes to develop a 'concentrated tea' flavor before adding any food.
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5
Add the potatoes: Place the potatoes in the basket and lower into the boiling water. Cook for 10-12 minutes until they are just starting to become tender.
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6
Add the meat and greens: Add the Andouille sausage and Brussels sprouts to the pot. Continue boiling for another 5 minutes.
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7
The Crawfish: Add the purged crawfish to the basket. Ensure they are fully submerged. Bring the water back to a boil.
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8
The Quick Boil: Once the water returns to a boil, cook the crawfish for exactly 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook or the meat will become rubbery and stick to the shells.
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9
The Corn and Mushrooms: Add the corn and mushrooms. Turn off the heat immediately.
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10
The Soak (Crucial Step): To stop the cooking process but allow the crawfish to absorb the spice, spray the outside of the pot with a garden hose or add a half-bag of ice to the water. Let everything soak for 20-30 minutes. Taste a crawfish at 15 minutes; soak longer for more spice.
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11
Drain and Serve: Lift the basket and let it drain for a minute. Dump the contents onto a long table covered in newspaper or butcher paper.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always purge your crawfish; it removes the grit and 'muddy' taste from the digestive tract. Don't skip the soak! The crawfish actually absorb the flavor as the water cools down, not while it's boiling. If you like it extra spicy, add a bag of frozen citrus or extra cayenne pepper during the soaking phase. To check for doneness, pull a crawfish out; if the tail meat is white and firm and the head fat is yellow/orange, it’s perfect. Discard any crawfish with straight tails after boiling—this usually indicates they were dead before they hit the water.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with plenty of cold Abita beer or a crisp Sweet Tea to cut the heat. Provide small bowls of 'Dip Sauce' (a mix of mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire, and Cajun seasoning). Have plenty of extra napkins, paper towels, and perhaps some lemon wedges for cleaning hands. Side dishes aren't usually necessary, but a crusty French bread is great for mopping up juices. Set out large bins for the shells to keep the table manageable.