Jason's Party-Sized Crawfish Étouffée
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 containers (24 oz total) of Guidry's Cajun Trinity
- 4 sticks of salted butter
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 1 bunch of green onion, chopped with green and white portions separated
- 8 cubes of shrimp bouillon
- 6 cups of water
- 1 tbsp of gumbo file powder
- 3 (12 oz) packages of frozen crawfish tails with the fat
- 1 lbs of peeled and deveined raw gulf shrimp
- Salt, pepper and cayenne powder to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottom pot or enameled cast iron Dutch oven (don’t use regular cast iron) melt your butter over medium-low heat.
- Put all of your chopped vegetables and trinity mix in the butter. Let simmer for 45 minutes. Keep the heat low enough so you don’t brown the butter.
- While waiting for the vegetables, boil your water. Put the 8 shrimp bouillon cubes in and whisk to dissolve them.
- After your vegetables are cooked and soft, mix in your flour to make like a paste. Cook the paste over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Do not let it brown like a gumbo roux. It should be like a reddish rust color. Pretty much the color you want your finished product to be.
- Once your paste is cooked whisk in the boiling bouillon water. Keep mixing for several minutes to prevent clumping from the flour. Let this cook for about 30 minutes on medium low stirring often so it doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pot.
- Add your crawfish and shrimp and let cook on medium low for another 15 minutes.
- At this point you can add the tbsp of gumbo file and then salt, pepper and cayenne powder to taste. You won’t need much at all. Let it cook for another 15 minutes.
- Serve over white rice with French baguette bread and garnish with the reserved green onion tops.
Common Problems and Solutions
Q: Why is my étouffée paste browning too much?
A: Keep your heat at medium-low and watch it carefully. Unlike gumbo roux which needs to get dark brown, étouffée roux should only reach a reddish rust color. If it's browning too fast, lower the heat immediately.
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: Yes! This étouffée actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld. Make it up to 2 days ahead, cool it completely, and refrigerate. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water or stock if it's too thick.
Q: Why is my étouffée grainy or lumpy?
A: This happens when the flour isn't whisked in thoroughly. When adding the hot bouillon to the flour paste, whisk constantly and vigorously for several minutes to break up any lumps. A good whisk is essential.
Tips and Techniques
Don’t skip the step of separating the green onion tops from the white portions - add the white parts with the other vegetables during cooking, but save the green tops for garnish at the end to keep their bright color and fresh flavor. If you can’t find Guidry’s Cajun Trinity, make your own by combining equal parts diced onion, celery, and bell pepper.
Ingredient Substitutions
- crawfish tails: additional shrimp or lump crabmeat
- Guidry's Cajun Trinity: 3 cups total of diced yellow onion, celery, and bell pepper (roughly equal parts)
- shrimp bouillon cubes: chicken or seafood stock
- salted butter: unsalted butter with added salt
Equipment Needed
- Heavy-bottomed pot or enameled cast iron Dutch oven (at least 8-quart capacity)
- Wire whisk
- Large pot for boiling bouillon water
Historical Context
Étouffée means ‘smothered’ in French, and this classic Cajun dish traditionally features shellfish smothered in a rich, aromatic gravy served over rice. While étouffée is often made with a traditional roux, this butter-based version creates an extra-luxurious sauce that’s become popular for special occasions and parties across Acadiana.
