Louisiana Style Crawfish Boil (Print)
Savor a vibrant Cajun boil featuring crawfish, potatoes, corn, and sausage infused with spices.
# Ingredient List:
→ Seafood
01 - 5 lbs live crawfish, thoroughly rinsed
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 lbs small red potatoes
03 - 6 ears corn, cut into thirds
04 - 2 large yellow onions, quartered
05 - 2 lemons, halved
06 - 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
→ Meats
07 - 2 lbs smoked Andouille sausage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning (plus extra for serving)
09 - 2 tbsp kosher salt
10 - 2 tbsp paprika
11 - 2 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
12 - 1 tbsp black peppercorns
13 - 4 bay leaves
14 - 2 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
→ Other
15 - 4 gallons water
16 - 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
17 - 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Fill a large stockpot with 4 gallons of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Add Cajun seasoning, kosher salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black peppercorns, bay leaves, quartered onions, halved garlic, halved lemons, and hot sauce. Stir thoroughly to combine and boil for 10 minutes to infuse the spices into the liquid.
03 - Add small red potatoes and sliced Andouille sausage to the boiling liquid. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until potatoes begin to soften.
04 - Add corn sections to the pot and continue cooking for 5 minutes until corn starts to become tender.
05 - Gently add the live crawfish to the pot. Return to a full boil and cook for 5–7 minutes until crawfish shells turn bright red.
06 - Turn off the heat completely. Add butter and stir until melted. Allow everything to soak in the hot liquid for 15 minutes to absorb maximum flavor.
07 - Drain the cooking liquid from the pot. Transfer the boil to a large serving tray or newspaper-lined table. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley and additional Cajun seasoning.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The communal experience of dumping everything onto a newspaper covered table turns dinner into an event
- That spicy buttery soaking liquid makes every bite addictive
02 -
- Do not rush the soaking step after turning off the heat, this is what makes the crawfish truly flavorful
- Always have more seasoning on the table because people will want to kick it up at the end
03 -
- Add mushrooms or artichoke hearts during the vegetable stage for incredible flavor absorption
- Soak your purged crawfish in salted ice water for 30 minutes before cooking for the cleanest taste