Crawfish Boil (The Best Crawfish Recipe!)
User Reviews
4.6
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
40 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr
-
Servings
6 people
-
Calories
317 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Crawfish Boil (The Best Crawfish Recipe!)
Description
The preparation starts by bringing a pot of water to a rolling boil, seasoned with Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp & Crab Boil spice mix, Cajun seasoning, and lemon pepper seasoning. Garlic cloves, corn cut into pieces, halved red potatoes, smoked sausage chunks, and lemon slices are added and cooked together to blend flavors. Adjustments to seasoning are made by tasting the cooking water to balance saltiness and spiciness.
Live crawfish are then added and cooked for just 3-4 minutes until their shells turn red, signaling doneness. After cooking, the heat is turned off, and the crawfish soak in the spicy broth for 10 minutes or longer, allowing the flavors to penetrate. Removing the cooked ingredients with a strainer and serving all hot completes the dish.
This dish combines the firm texture of freshly boiled crawfish with the sweetness of corn, the softness of potatoes, and the smoky richness of sausage. It's often enjoyed as a social meal where diners peel the crawfish and share the flavorful sides. Quick cooking preserves the crawfish tenderness and prevents them from becoming tough.
Frozen crawfish can be used with decreased cooking time (1-2 minutes). The recipe is adaptable by substituting shrimp for crawfish using the same boil method. Recommended brands for spices and sausages enhance authenticity and flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1.35kg) crawfish
- 8 -10 cups water
- 6 oz (175g) Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp & Crab Boil
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 head garlic unpeeled but separated
- 3 ears corn cut into 2-inch (5cm) pieces
- 12 oz (350g) red potato halved, small
- 14 oz (400g) smoked sausage cut into chunky pieces (Hillshire Farms)
- 1 lemon sliced into rounds, plural
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp and Crab Boil spice mix, Cajun seasoning, and lemon pepper seasoning. Stir well to a rolling boil.
- Add the garlic, corn, potatoes, sausage, and lemon slices. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Taste the crawfish boil water. If it’s too salty, add more water. If it’s too bland, add more seasonings to taste.
- Transfer the crawfish to the pot and cook for 3-4 more minutes, with the lid covered. Turn off the heat and let the crawfish soak for 10 minutes. The longer they soak, the spicier they will be.Pro tip: As soon as the shells turn red, the crawfish are done cooking. Don’t overcook them as they can become tough and chewy.
- Remove all the ingredients using a strainer and serve immediately. Discard the crawfish boil water.
Notes
- If live crawfish are unavailable, frozen crawfish can be used; reduce cooking time to 1-2 minutes to avoid toughness.
- Substitute crawfish with head-on, shell-on shrimp to make a shrimp boil using this same method.
- McCormick Cajun Seasoning, Lemon Pepper seasoning, and Hillshire Farm smoked sausage are suggested for flavor authenticity.
- The crawfish are perfectly cooked when their shells turn bright red.
- Do not overcook the crawfish to maintain tender texture; soaking in the seasoned water after cooking increases spice level.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 317 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 6people | |
| Calories | 317kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 84mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 606mg | 25% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
You'll Also Love
