Crawfish Etouffee Recipe

Prepare ingredients

If using whole crawfish, remove tails and rinse. Pat crawfish tails dry and refrigerate until use. Finely dice onion, bell pepper and celery (the holy trinity). Mince garlic, chop parsley and slice green onions. Measure out seasonings, stock and other ingredients.

Make a dark roux

In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepan set over medium heat, combine the butter and neutral oil. When butter is melted and shimmering, sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk. Continue cooking the roux, adjusting heat as necessary, until it reaches a peanut-butter to milk-chocolate color (about 12–18 minutes). Be patient and keep stirring to avoid burning. If it darkens too quickly, lower the heat.

Add holy trinity & garlic

Once the roux is the desired color, immediately add the diced onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.

Incorporate tomato paste and liquids

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove its raw flavor. Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the chicken stock to deglaze the pan and loosen any browned bits from the roux and vegetables. Once smooth, gradually whisk in the remaining stock and the additional cup of water. Add the bay leaf, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Simmer to develop flavor

Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew has slightly thickened and the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Add crawfish tails

Add the crawfish tails to the simmering étouffée and cook just until they are heated through and opaque, about 4–6 minutes (avoid overcooking to prevent rubberiness).

Finish and brighten

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the chopped parsley, sliced green onions and lemon juice. If using, sprinkle file powder now and stir to combine. Adjust salt, pepper or hot sauce to taste.

Spoon cooked rice into shallow bowls and ladle generous portions of crawfish étouffée over the rice. Garnish with a little extra parsley and green onion if desired. Serve immediately with crusty bread or cornbread on the side.