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methods
Ingredients
1Getting the Crawfish Ready to Boil
2Preparing the Boil for the Crawfish
3Cooking the Crawfish
4Serving the Boil
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Tips and Warnings
Things You'll Need
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Article Summary
Co-authored byDorrenda Smith
Last Updated: March 23, 2022
Cooking crawfish at a crawfish boil, an outdoor party featuring boiled crawfish as the main dish, is the traditional way to enjoy these shrimp-like freshwater creatures in Louisiana and other parts of the southern United States. Read on for instructions on how to make perfectly boiled crawfish.
Ingredients
- 20 - 30 pounds live crawfish
- 8 lemons, halved
- 1 pound crawfish boil seasoning
- 8 onions, peeled and halved
- 10 pounds new potatoes
- 20 ears of corn, shucked and halved
- 40 cloves garlic, peeled
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Getting the Crawfish Ready to Boil
1
Buy live crawfish. Plan on ordering enough crawfish so that each person at your party or dinner gets 2 - 3 pounds. Most of the weight will get discarded since crawfish come with their shells on.
- Source the crawfish from seafood and grocery stores or crawfish trucks, which sell crawfish when it's in season.
- If you don't have a source of crawfish in your area, purchase it online from a vendor such as Louisiana Crawfish co., which will ship the crawfish to you live.
- When you take home your crawfish or receive your shipment make sure you keep them cool, away from light and heat, so they're fresh when it's time to cook them.
- Boiled crawfish that have been frozen do not taste nearly as good as live boiled crawfish.
2
Wash the crawfish. Since live crawfish are freshly harvested, it's necessary to wash of the silt and debris they have collected before you cook them. Clean your crawfish by taking the following steps:[1]
- Wash off the sack. If you bought a sack of crawfish, begin with washing it off so the dirt from the outside of the sack doesn't make its way inside.
- Empty the sack of crawfish into a large bin, such as a kiddie pool or storage bin, and fill it with clean water.
- Use a paddle to stir the crawfish, then let them sit in the water for 30 minutes.
- Discard the dead crawfish, which will float to the top after a few minutes.
- Strain the water and rinse the crawfish with clean water. Keep them in a shady spot until you're ready to boil them.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Preparing the Boil for the Crawfish
1
Light the outdoor cooking flame. Use an outdoor gas burner, a patio stove, or a propane cooker to make the boil. The important thing is to have equipment sturdy enough to heat up a 60 gallon (227.1L) pot of water.
2
Fill a 60 gallon (227.1L) pot halfway with water. Put it on the burner or stove and let it heat to a boil.[2] Stir in the following ingredients, then let it come back to a boil:
- The juice of 8 lemons, and the lemon peels.
- 1 pound of crawfish boil seasoning.
3
Add the vegetables. Crawfish boils are delicious with many kind of vegetables, but the most popular staples are potatoes and corn. Once the pot has come back to a rolling boil, add the following ingredients:
- 8 onions, peeled and halved
- 10 pounds of new potatoes (or regular potatoes, chopped into bite-sized chunks)
- 20 ears of corn, shucked and halved
- 40 cloves of garlic, peeled
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Cooking the Crawfish
1
Lower the crawfish into the boil. Place the crawfish in a crawfish basket, made out of wire with a handle for lowering it into the pot. Crawfish baskets are used so that the crawfish can boil in the top part of the water while the vegetables cook underneath. Let the crawfish boil in the water for 5 minutes.
- If you have a large strainer that fits over the top of the pot, this can be used as a substitute for the crawfish basket.
- Crawfish baskets are available online or at stores that sell barbecue equipment.
2
Turn off the heat and let the crawfish cook. Once the crawfish are inside the pot, turn off the heat and put the lid on top to allow the crawfish to cook gently for another 30 minutes.
3
Check the crawfish. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and check to see if the crawfish are done.[3] The best way to tell is by removing a crawfish and eating it.
- If the texture is rubbery, the crawfish need more time to cook.[4]
- If they're on the verge of falling apart, remove the crawfish from the pot immediately, as they're in danger of overcooking.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Serving the Boil
1
Line picnic tables with newspapers. Crawfish boils can get messy, so for easy cleanup it's best to use plenty of newspaper. Line picnic tables and other outdoor tables, and set out plenty of napkins and paper towels. You might want to set out bowls for the crawfish shells and legs.
2
Serve the boil. At traditional boils, the vegetables are dumped directly onto the table, and the crawfish are added to the top. If you'd prefer not to do it this way, have guests line up at the pot with paper plates and scoop the vegetables directly from the pot to the plates.
3
Add condiments. Butter, salt, and additional Cajun seasoning are all great condiments for a crawfish boil.
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Community Q&A
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Question
How many pounds of crawfish will fit in a 60 qt pot?
Community Answer
About 30-35 pounds of crawfish is almost perfect for a 60 quart pot! This is about 15 gallons of water.
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Question
How long will boiled crawfish keep?
Michele
Top Answerer
Just pull off the heads and freeze, with or without the tails, for later use in making an étouffée, crawfish cakes, or whatever. They should keep for a month or more. You can also boil down the heads, which makes a great stock for soup, stew, gumbo, etc. The stock can also be frozen.
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Question
What's in the crawfish boil seasoning?
Michele
Top Answerer
Different brands have different ingredients. However, the seasonings sometimes include coriander, clove, allspice, cayenne pepper, garlic, paprika, mustard, dill, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
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Video
Tips
Adjust seasoning by adding more salt and pepper halfway through the soak if it appears that the seasoning levels are too low.
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Add andouille sausage to the pot just before soaking for extra flavor and protein.
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Warnings
Have a fire extinguisher handy to be safe.
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Don't salt the crawfish while they're still alive. This purging method is effective for crabs and other seafood, but it kills crawfish prematurely.[5]
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Things You'll Need
- Ingredients listed above
- Gas burner or outdoor cooker
- Large crawfish pot and basket that can accommodate up to 40 lbs of crawfish
- Wooden or metal boat oar or paddle
- Large table covered with newspapers
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References
- ↑ Dorrenda Smith. Personal Chef. Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.
- ↑ Dorrenda Smith. Personal Chef. Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.
- ↑ Dorrenda Smith. Personal Chef. Expert Interview. 26 October 2021.
- ↑ http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2011/03/post_64.html
- ↑ http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2011/03/post_64.html
About this article
Co-authored by:
Dorrenda Smith
Personal Chef
This article was co-authored by Dorrenda Smith. Dorrenda “Renny” Smith is a Personal Chef and the Co-Founder & CEO of The Crain Experience. With almost 15 years of experience in the food industry, she specializes in creating soul food with a healthier spin. Chef Renny and her partner provide event catering, event planning, and restaurant and food truck consultations. This article has been viewed 174,449 times.
1 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 21
Updated: March 23, 2022
Views:174,449
Article SummaryX
To boil crawfish, start by washing them off under running water. Then, fill a large pot with water and your favorite crawfish seasonings and bring it to a boil. If you want to boil your crawfish with any vegetables, like corn, onions, or potatoes, add them to the pot now. Then, drop the crawfish into the water and boil them for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the crawfish cook for another 30 minutes before serving. If you want to learn more, such as how to serve the crawfish boil, keep reading the article!
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