How to Do a Cajun Crawfish Boil

In New Orleans and Acadiana, people don't just boil crawfish. They add spice and flavor and have a Cajun crawfish boil. Boiling crawfish is a reason for a party, so invite your friends over, get some drinks and prepare to indulge. The Cajun part of this dish makes it a spicy treat.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Crawfish
• Water
• Salt
• Strainer
• Cajun crawfish recipe
• Seasoning
• Ingredients
• Large pot
• Ice
• Newspapers

1. Get the crawfish. The average person can eat between three and five pounds of crawfish. Figure out how much you'll need and head to the seafood market. Crawfish normally are sold in bags of 30 to 40 pounds and they need to be alive.
2. Clean the crawfish. Crawfish are bottom dwellers or mud-eaters, which is why they are often called mud-bugs. To clean the crawfish, mix cold, fresh water with a box of salt and put the crawfish in it. Let the crawfish set for several minutes, drain the water and make up a new salt water mix.
3. Get a recipe for Cajun crawfish. Gumbo Pages provides a traditional recipe for Cajun crawfish that's adapted from the old "Jazz and Heritage Festival Cookbook". The site also offers a recipe for homemade Seafood Boil Seasoning. Some people prefer to use Zatarain's crab boil as the seasoning.
4. Find a large pot--the bigger the pot, the less batches you have to cook. Fill the pot halfway with water and add all your seasoning. When the water boils and is tinted from the seasoning, it's time to add the crawfish. You need to remove any dead crawfish, they won't taste good cooked.
5. Add vegetables and any other extra ingredients. Most people add corn on the cob and small potatoes to the pot. Cajun smoked sausage enhances the Cajun flavor of the dish. Allow the crawfish and ingredients to cook at a boil for eight to ten minutes.
6. Cool the crawfish. Remove the pot from the heat and add one or two bags of ice to the mix. Let the crawfish soak for 10 minutes. Strain the water from the crawfish and poor the crawfish onto your table covered in newspaper. You can add additional cayenne pepper and salt to taste.

Tips & Warnings

• Crawfish need to be kept in cold water until they are ready to be cooked.