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This crawfish boil recipe is hearty and flavorful with the perfect blend of seasonings, lots of red potatoes, corn, and andouille sausage, a crowd pleaser!
Have you ever thrown a good old fashioned Crawfish Boil? A crawfish boil is the perfect way to entertain a crowd during crawfish season, where groups of people get together and boil sacks of fresh crawfish in a seasoned broth with lots of additions, like andouille, corn on the cob, and red potatoes.
It's also something you can make at home for yourself or a small group of friends and family.
The key to a great Louisiana crawfish boil is the blend of seasonings that imparts so much flavor, and that is one of my specialties.
The great thing about this recipe is that it is very customizable, allowing you to add in as much or as little of the sausage and veggies as you'd like, even add new ones into the mix. It also scales beautifully if you do decide to throw a big crawfish boil party.
Let's talk about how to do a crawfish boil step by step, shall we?
Crawfish Boil Ingredients
- Water: 12 quarts (3 gallons)
- Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Mustard Seeds, Allspice, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Clove, Onion Powder, Salt, Black Pepper
- Dried Herbs: Dill, Coriander, Thyme, Oregano, Bay Leaves
- Crawfish: Live crawfish, thoroughly cleaned or frozen
- Onions
- Lemons
- Red Potatoes
- Fresh Garlic
- Butter: Half stick
- Crystal Hot Sauce
- Corn
- Andouille Sausage
How to Make a Crawfish Boil - the Method
- Step 1:
- Add the water to a large pot along with the seasonings, potatoes, onions, lemons, garlic, butter, and hot sauce. Bring the pot to a rolling boil, cover, and boil for 15 minutes.
- Step 2:
- Add the crawfish, corn, and andouille sausage to the boiling pot. Press down beneath the water to cover. Boil for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 3:
- Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Step 4:
- Drain and serve onto trays or a newspaper lined table. Enjoy!
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Recipe Tips & Notes
- If you are unable to find live crawfish, frozen crawfish works perfectly with this, so feel free to use frozen stock or order online
- This works with any favorite seafoods, like jumbo shrimp, crab or crab legs, white fish, or others
- The seasonings here are great for any seafood boil
How Long Do You Boil Crawfish?
Crawfish only needs to be boiled for 3-5 minutes to cook through, depending on size. Larger crawfish may take up to 10 minutes.
When is Crawfish Season?
Crawfish season varies yearly depending on rainfall and other factors, running from November through July in parts of the U.S., with shorter seasons more usual.
Storage & Leftovers
Store leftover crawfish, corn, potatoes, andouille in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently or enjoy cold. Leftover crawfish tail meat is often used in soups, stews, or casseroles.
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Final Thoughts
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this seafood boil. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Common Recipe Questions
- → How long should crawfish be boiled?
Crawfish needs about 3-5 minutes to cook, depending on size. Larger crawfish may require up to 10 minutes.
- → Can frozen crawfish be used?
Yes, frozen crawfish works well and is a convenient alternative to live crawfish for this boil.
- → What seasonings are used in the boil?
A blend including cayenne, mustard seeds, allspice, paprika, garlic powder, and herbs like dill and thyme create the signature flavor.
- → Can other seafood be added?
Absolutely, you can customize by adding shrimp, crab, or white fish to the boil for variety.
- → How should leftovers be stored?
Store leftover ingredients in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently before serving.