Crawfish Recipe

Name: Boatengs Cajun Creations Restaurants Crawfish Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 6 lbs live crawfish; 6 liters water; 1 cups coarse sea salt; 0.75 cups crawfish boil seasoning (e.g., Zatarain's or Old Bay); 8 pieces garlic cloves (whole, smashed); 2 pieces large onions (quartered); 4 pieces lemons (halved); 2 lbs small red potatoes; 4 ears corn on the cob (cut into 2-3 pieces); 1 lbs andouille or smoked sausage (sliced 1/2" thick); 4 tbs butter (melted); 0.25 cups fresh parsley (chopped); 4 cups ice; 2 tbs optional: hot sauce; 0.25 cups extra melted butter; 4 pieces lemon wedges; 1 loaf crusty bread or leftover boil juices for dipping

Inspired by Boatengs Cajun Creations Restaurant

Time1h 30m

Serves6

Make Crawfish Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Crawfish Boil

6 lbs live crawfish

25 3/8 cup (6 liters) water

1 cups coarse sea salt

3/4 cups crawfish boil seasoning (e.g., Zatarain's or Old Bay)

8 pieces garlic cloves (whole, smashed)

2 pieces large onions (quartered)

4 pieces lemons (halved)

2 lbs small red potatoes

4 ears corn on the cob (cut into 2-3 pieces)

1 lbs andouille or smoked sausage (sliced 1/2" thick)

4 tbs butter (melted)

1/4 cups Fresh parsley (chopped)

4 cups ice

2 tbs optional: hot sauce

Finishing / Serving

1/4 cups extra melted butter

4 pieces lemon wedges

1 loaf crusty bread or leftover boil juices for dipping

Method

Crawfish Boil

Prepare live crawfish

Place live crawfish in a large cooler or tub and rinse with cool water to remove mud and debris. Purge them for 10–20 minutes by filling the cooler with cool water and 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt, stirring gently, then draining and repeating once. Do not over-purge (more than 30 minutes) to avoid weakening flavor. Keep crawfish chilled until ready to cook.

Bring boil to a rolling boil

In a large stockpot (12+ quart) or outdoor pot, add 6 liters of water, 1 cup coarse sea salt, 3/4 cup crawfish boil seasoning, smashed garlic cloves, quartered onions, and halved lemons (squeeze a few into the pot before dropping them in). Heat over high until water reaches a vigorous rolling boil.

Cook potatoes and corn

Add the red potatoes to the boiling seasoned water and cook 10 minutes (potatoes should be nearly tender). Add corn pieces and sliced sausage, then continue boiling 5 more minutes so corn begins to soften and sausage heats through.

Add crawfish

Using a strainer basket or carefully by hand, add live crawfish to the rolling boil in batches if needed. Stir them gently to submerge. Once the water returns to a full boil, cook for 3–5 minutes (crawfish will turn bright red).

Soak for flavor

Turn off the heat and allow crawfish and vegetables to steep in the seasoned water for 15–30 minutes, depending on desired spice intensity (shorter soak = milder, longer soak = spicier). For extra heat, stir in optional hot sauce while soaking.

Shock with ice (optional) and drain

If you prefer to halt cooking and keep the texture firm, drain the pot through a colander into a large basin and plunge the crawfish and veg into a tub with 4 cups of ice and cold water for 1–2 minutes. Drain again thoroughly.

Finishing / Serving

Transfer the drained crawfish, potatoes, corn, sausage, garlic, and onions onto a large serving table or paper-covered surface. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle chopped parsley evenly over the top.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges and extra melted butter on the side for dipping. Provide crusty bread or bowls to catch shells and plenty of napkins. Leftover boil juices can be reheated and served as a dipping broth.

To eat: twist off the head, suck the juices if desired, then peel tail shell and pull out the meat. Discard shells.