Boiled Crawfish
Ingredients
- 20 pounds crawfish or shrimp
- 1 box salt
- 6 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 6 tbsp black pepper
- 4 lemons, halved
- 6 medium onions
- 10 red potatoes, unpeeled or cut in half
- 6 ears of corn, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup oil (optional) helps makes peeling easier
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 box salt
- 3 tbsp each of black and red pepper
- 2 tsp ground clove
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Remove any dead crawfish and clean the rest with a salt purge. Put about a cup of salt into a large tub of water, stir it up a bit, and drain. Repeat this process one more time without salt.
- Fill a large stockpot (42 quart is a standard crawfish boil pot size) with water and bring to a boil. Season water with 1/2 cup salt, 3 tablespoon white pepper, 3 tablespoon black pepper and the lemon. Add the potatoes (and sausage, if you’re using it), cover and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add the corn, onions and crawfish. Bring back to a boil, cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until crawfish turn red and float to the top. Turn the heat off and let the crawfish sit for 4 to 5 minutes; this will allow the crawfish to absorb the seasonings. A visitor suggested to throw ice in the boil and the crawfish will sink during the soaking process. Drain the water or dish out the crawfish and vegetables.
- Place the crawfish in an ice chest and sprinkle with two teaspoon each of white, red and black pepper and two teaspoon of salt. Stir. Close the lid of the chest and the steam will meld the seasonings to the crawfish. Allow 3 to 5 pounds per person. Get a beer, wait a few minutes and enjoy!
Common Problems and Solutions
Q: How do I know if crawfish are dead before boiling?
A: Dead crawfish will have straight tails. Live crawfish curl their tails. Always remove dead ones before cooking as they can spoil the batch and make people sick.
Q: Why are my crawfish mushy?
A: You likely overcooked them. Crawfish only need 3-5 minutes once the water returns to a boil after adding them. They're done when they turn bright red and float to the top.
Q: Can I skip the salt purge?
A: The salt purge cleans the crawfish and gets them to expel impurities. You can skip it if you bought pre-purged crawfish, but for wild-caught or farm-raised mudbugs, it's highly recommended.
Tips and Techniques
The ice chest steam soak is the secret to perfectly seasoned crawfish - it allows the spices to penetrate the shells without overcooking the meat. If you don’t have pre-mixed seafood boil seasoning, this homemade blend works great. Add andouille sausage cut into 4-inch pieces with the potatoes for even more flavor. Save the leftover boil liquid and seafood for After the Boil Soup.
Ingredient Substitutions
- crawfish: shrimp or blue crabs
- fresh corn: frozen corn on the cob
- red potatoes: small new potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes
Equipment Needed
- 42-quart stockpot or outdoor crawfish boil pot
- Propane burner (for outdoor boiling)
- Large tub or cooler for purging crawfish
- Ice chest for steam-soaking
- Long-handled strainer or basket insert
- Large serving platters or newspaper-covered tables
Historical Context
The crawfish boil became a Louisiana tradition in the early 20th century as Cajuns gathered to celebrate the spring crawfish season. What started as casual backyard gatherings evolved into massive community events, with families boiling hundreds of pounds of crawfish in outdoor setups using propane burners and massive stockpots.
