Classic Louisiana Backyard Crawfish Boil
Experience the vibrant flavors of a true Louisiana backyard crawfish boil, perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Equipment
- Large tub or ice chest
- Large stockpot (60-100 quarts)
- Propane burner
- Large cooler
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds Live Louisiana crawfish per person
- Crawfish boil seasoning (liquid and/or powdered, e.g., Zatarain's, Slap Ya Mama)
- Small red potatoes halved or quartered
- Corn on the cob shucked and halved or quartered
- Andouille sausage sliced into thick rounds (optional)
- Onions halved
- Lemons halved
- Garlic heads halved crosswise
- Mushrooms whole (optional)
- Other additions (optional) Asparagus, bell peppers, pineapple chunks
Instructions
Preparation
- Purge the live crawfish by placing them in a large tub or ice chest with clean water, stirring, and draining until the water runs clear.
- Set up your large stockpot on a sturdy propane burner outdoors, filling it about two-thirds with water.
- Add crawfish boil seasoning, lemons, onions, and garlic to the water, then bring it to a rolling boil until intensely seasoned.
Cooking
- Add potatoes, corn, and optional sausage to the boiling water, cooking for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are almost tender.
- Carefully add purged crawfish, cover the pot, and cook for 3-5 minutes after the water returns to a boil until they turn bright red.
Soaking & Serving
- Turn off the heat and transfer crawfish to a cooler, pouring hot seasoned liquid over them and soaking for 15-30 minutes for flavor absorption.
- Drain and serve the crawfish, vegetables, and sausage piled high on a newspaper-covered table with accompanying essentials.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding a dash of hot sauce to the soaking water.