Crawfish Recipe

Purge and rinse crawfish

Place live crawfish in a cooler or large tub and cover with fresh water. Swirl gently and drain several times until the water runs reasonably clear (about 3 rinses). Remove any dead crawfish (they will float and should not be used). Keep crawfish chilled while preparing the boil.

Fill a very large stockpot or seafood pot with 6 qts (about 1.5 gallons) of water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Once boiling, add 1 cup of cayenne-based boil seasoning, 3 bay leaves, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 6 halved garlic cloves, 2 tbsp kosher salt and the halved lemons. Stir to dissolve and bring back to a steady boil; allow the seasoned broth to boil for 5 minutes to bloom the spices.

Add 1.5 lbs small red potatoes to the boiling seasoned broth. Cook 10–12 minutes, until a paring knife slips into a potato with slight resistance.

Add the 4 corn cobs (cut into thirds) and the 1 lb sausage. Continue boiling another 6–8 minutes until corn is nearly tender.

Reduce heat slightly so the pot is at a full simmer. Add the cleaned live crawfish in batches, stir gently to submerge, cover the pot and bring back to a boil. Cook crawfish for 3–4 minutes after reaching a boil (they will turn bright red).

Turn off heat and let the crawfish and accompaniments steep in the hot seasoned liquid for an additional 15–20 minutes to absorb flavor. For spicier results, steep longer (20–25 minutes).

Carefully drain the pot (or use a slotted basket). Transfer crawfish, potatoes, corn and sausage to a large serving table or disposable tray lined with newspaper if desired.

Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter and toss with 2 tbsp chopped parsley and 2 tbsp extra boil seasoning; drizzle over the drained crawfish and vegetables or serve on the side as a dipping sauce.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Provide small forks or picks and bowls for shells. Recommended: a platter of crackers or crusty bread to soak up juices.