Crawfish Boil Recipe

[AlabamaJack]

About this time every year, I get the craving when ever I smell fresh live crawfish boiling. To me they are a delicacy that once you get past the looks, you will enjoy a flavor that is heads and tails (pun intended:)) above other seafood (IMHO). I ate 186 lbs (almost 85 kilos) of crawfish last year.

I will be able to get Fresh Crawfish here in North Texas reasonably priced within a couple of weeks.

Does anyone have a good cajun crawfish boil recipe they would be willing to share?

The one I use follows:

Recipe for 4 pounds

3 gallons cold water
4 Tbsp Salt
24 whole black peppercorns
10 bay leaves
2 large lemons, sliced
2 medium onions, quartered
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
20 whole cloves
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup fresh basil
8 sprigs fresh parsley
4 Tbsp sugar
4 cayenne peppers (this is the heat, so put as many in as you wish, I usually use 10)
4 lbs live crawfish

Put all ingredients except crawfish, in large stock poton high heat and bring to a hard rolling boil for 5 minutes. Reduce to low rolling boil and add crawfish. Once the liquid starts to boil again, wait exactly 3 minutes then rurn off heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, drain and serve....get ready to " suck some heads and pinch some tails"

Bon Apetite!!


This recipe can be used for shrimp as well.

[staffing]

Looks good. I love mudbugs. Hard to get 'em live around here....though I do know a source in NOLA that'll ship them live....

[DevilDuck]

Zatarain's liquid shrimp and crab boil is really good too, believe it or not.

Nice and spicy, it's got some heat to it...

I'd add a few capfulls (yes, I said CAPfulls...this stuff is a concentrate) to that recipe. Make sure it's the bottle and not the dry mix in the envelope.

[AlabamaJack]

Zatarain's liquid shrimp and crab boil is really good too, believe it or not.

Nice and spicy, it's got some heat to it...

I'd add a few capfulls (yes, I said CAPfulls...this stuff is a concentrate) to that recipe. Make sure it's the bottle and not the dry mix in the envelope.

Thanks DD....I think I can get that stuff at the local Albertsons.

By the way, Believe it or not I had 2 pounds of boiled crawfish for lunch yesterday. They were good but had too much clove in the boil. I really love those boiled crawfish.

[staffing]

Agreed. Good stuff.

[cheezydemon]

Man AJ! your recipe is spot on. I would add oregano, same proportion as the thyme. Also light on the cloves for me.

The only variation I have tried was with 2 pounds of chorizo(grilled, in the casings) thrown in with everything else and some chicken bullion......yeah, I keep looking to see if you are missing anything but it looks good! aRe you eating them with butter? Or hot sauce?

[AlabamaJack]

are you eating them with butter? Or hot sauce?

Just dippin' them in my home made "Tony Chachere's" spice. Got the original recipe off the "net" and have added my own pepper powder and cut down on the salt.

Can't wait 'till I get some "Lemon" peppers grown to use.

[cheezydemon]

The chorizo really adds a depth of flavor you wouldn't expect.

Wish I could get some live bugs!

How big is your place AJ? We should all pitch in and congregate once a year for a camping in the yard kind of Crawfish Pepper Fest.

[AlabamaJack]

1/5 th acre.....lol....I can see 200 people camped in my yard.....roflmao..you would have to have 3 story tents....giggling just imagining the sight....not only would the wife freak out but the neighbors would definitely freak with her...

We have a small lot (on purpose) where we have been for 8 years. Not until I started gardening did I want a bigger yard.

[cheezydemon]

I understand! It is merely the unofficial state motto (everything is big in Texas) and the grow list that you boast that made me think you had acreage.

No problem, my wife has just given birth to our third, so you have about eighteen years to come up with more suitable grounds.

Shall I put it on my calendar?? Let's see....July 13th 2026...YES!!! I think I am free!!!!!

[imaguitargod]

Ya know, I've never had these guys before. I should set aside a day for that. I should also set aside the day after that for "possable alergic reactions" because I know I can't eat lobsters.

[AlabamaJack]

I understand! Shall I put it on my calendar?? Let's see....July 13th 2026...YES!!! I think I am free!!!!!

Dang, I will be 77 years old....you can bet your sweet bippy I will still be growing peppers if I live that long. Probably drinking a good cold Shiner Bach too.

If I don't have acreage, I will rent a place.....:lol:

[DevilDuck]

Ya know, I've never had these guys before. I should set aside a day for that. I should also set aside the day after that for "possable alergic reactions" because I know I can't eat lobsters.

Well, they'll be good, but I don't know if I'd take that risk. I guess it depends on what kind of reaction you have to lobsters.

[cheezydemon]

Sounds Good AJ!

Can you eat shrimp IGG? That is a shame!

[imaguitargod]

Well, they'll be good, but I don't know if I'd take that risk. I guess it depends on what kind of reaction you have to lobsters.
I get sicker than a dog for a day....but that's only if I eat the tail....it's an odd alergy.

Can you eat shrimp IGG?
Yes, shrimp's fine! I love shrimp!

[cheezydemon]

Well hell. A crawfish is more like a tiny lobster than a shrimp I guess, and you couldn't eat the tail.

I'd chance it, but that's just me!

[AlabamaJack]

I would guess it is an Iodine alergy IGG.

[cheezydemon]

So are crawfish out then?

[Sickmont]

They are for me. I can't stand shellfish at all.

[AlabamaJack]

They are for me. I can't stand shellfish at all.

Was going to say something smart like "you don't know what you are missing" but instead I will say I am sorry.

[imaguitargod]

I would guess it is an Iodine alergy IGG.
I usually don't have an Iodine allergy though....

[Sickmont]

Was going to say something smart like "you don't know what you are missing" but instead I will say I am sorry.

Well, hey, ya know i just don't like the taste of 'em. I don't know why, though. They make me wanna gag. And yes, i have tried them....unfortunately for me. My mom always says 'good...more for me then' so it all works out.:)

[AlabamaJack]

My wife will not sit at the same table with me when I eat them...it grosses her out she says...

[imaguitargod]

Hey, Sickmont, love the new icon.


Damn, all this mudbug talk is making me crave one!

[AlabamaJack]

they are like lays potato chips...betcha can't eat just one.....