I’ve been cooking crawfish for some time now. My grandfather owns a seafood dock in Bayou la Batre, Al.
So, I’ve learned how to boil crawfish at an early age. I learned how to boil crawfish so well that I earn extra money just by performing crawfish boils for parties throughout the season.
Now, for those who don’t know how to boil crawfish but want to learn how, I’m here to help.
To boil crawfish you must first purge them and bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop your crawfish in the unseasoned boiling water. Bring your water back to boil and boil them for 3-5 min. Then cut off the burner and add your favorite crawfish boil seasoning. You’ll need roughly 6 pounds of seasoning to 30 pounds of crawfish. Then let the crawfish soak for 25-30 minutes and serve.
This is just a short description of the whole process. In this article, I’ve discussed more in depth on how you can throw a crawfish boil and talked more about each of the steps to performing a successful boil.
So, continue reading to get a proper idea on how to boil crawfish.
How to Boil Crawfish? – Step by Step
Boiling Crawfish is labor intensive, but the process is very simple. It might seem a bit difficult at first but you’ll get the hang of it as you practice a few times. Here’s a step by step process on boiling crawfish –
Step 1: Buy a fresh sack of domestic crawfish
Step 2: Ready the proper equipment
Step 3: Properly Purge and watch the crawfish
Step 4: Boil the crawfish in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes depending on how hard the shell is
Step 5: Properly season the crawfish and let them soak for 25-30 min.
Step 6: Serve with your favorite cold drinks and sides and enjoy them with friends and family.
If you don’t know how to do each or any of these steps then continue reading. I’ve discussed each of them and more throughout the article.
How Many Pounds of Crawfish Per Person?
Crawfish typically come in a sack and are alive. Each sack of crawfish has varying weights that range from 28-42 pounds.
30 pounds typically feeds 6-8 people. Many people can eat way more than a pound of boiled crawfish.
So, you kind of have to go with your gut on choosing how many pounds you will need.
The General rule of thumb I use is 3-5 pounds per person depending if you have some crawfish lovers you are feeding. I watched a guy eat 15 pounds of boiled crawfish by himself.
This sounds like a lot of food but the crawfish meat is inside a shell and so once you remove the meat from the shell you only end up with a tiny portion of meat from the whole crawfish.
You can request what size sack you need from your local seafood market. They may not have the exact weight in one sack but they should have something close.
Many seafood markets will not break a sack to sell smaller weights but some might and many up charge the cost per pound if they have to break a sack open.
On the occasion that you have left over boiled crawfish, are good in the fridge for 7 days or you can freeze them in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.
Keeping the Crawfish alive
One of the most important steps is keeping your crawfish alive. I highly recommend buying the crawfish the day you intend to do your crawfish boil.
A fresh sack will provide much better flavor. But that might not be possible in every scenario.
If you’re only able to get your crawfish a few days before your boil then try to make sure to only keep them up to 3 days before the boil.
When you buy your crawfish, I recommend having at least a 100 qt cooler to put them in with a little ice.
Make sure to leave your drain plug off so when the ice melts the water doesn’t build up.
*Pro Tip: Never put the sack of crawfish in the back of a truck bed uncovered. Wind will dry out the crawfish and cause them to die. Even if your house is 5min away make sure the crawfish are covered and have ice.
Equipment Needed for Boiling Crawfish
Having the right equipment makes the process of boiling crawfish a lot easier. A large pot 60 qt or bigger with a perforated boiling basket is needed to be able to boil a sack of crawfish.
I personally have a crawfish boiler with a burner built in made by Creole Feast which makes it easier and more efficient to boil crawfish.
If you’re using a pot you then need a burner big enough to boil the water in a timely manner.
Too small of a burner and you will be waiting for hours to get the water to a boil.
I recommend getting a burner that is rated for 20 or plus more psi and one that outputs 125 plus BTUs.
A crawfish paddle is needed to stir the crawfish and doesn’t matter if it’s wooden or metal.
A pair of tongs come in handy when dealing with the fixing’s such as corn and potatoes. Have a pair of oven mitts on standby for pulling the boiling basket out of the hot water.
You will also need a container to purge the crawfish; this can be an ice chest or a wash tub.
Prepping for A Crawfish Boil
One of the most overlooked steps in throwing a crawfish boil is not having all your prepping done before you put the crawfish in the boiling water.
One of the first things you need to do is fill your pot with water and put it on the burner to begin to boil. You only need to fill your pot up about halfway with water.
Do not fill your pot full with water as the water will overflow when you put the crawfish in. The water typically takes 45min-1hr to start boiling. Be sure to have all the sides you want in the boil prepped and ready to go.
Have a table ready to dump the crawfish on when they are done and a garbage can to put the shells in.
If your boiling multiple batches of crawfish have some cleaned empty ice chest to put the final cooked crawfish in.
How to Purge Crawfish?
Crawfish are commonly referred to as mudbugs because they are harvested out of muddy freshwater ponds.
Because of this you will need to give them delicious mudbugs a bath to remove the musty or earthy flavor associated with crawfish.
Everyone one in the crawfish community has a different purging method. Some people will add salt to the purging process while others don’t even bother. They just dump them in the boiling water.
I just use water and keep washing them until the water is clear. This is by far one the most labor-intensive process of boiling crawfish.
But it is also the most important step to boiling crawfish. If you do not purge and pick out the dead craw fish you will end up with some of the nastiest tasting crawfish.
You will need an ice chest or wash tub, paddle and a water hose. You will dump the crawfish into the container and fill with water. When the container is filling with water you will be able to see the water turning dark from the mud washing off the crawfish.
With a paddle, spin the crawfish around and be sure to pick out any dead crawfish. They will typically float to the top of the container during the purging process. Then dump out the water.
Repeat the process till the water in the container turns clear.
I personally use the Cowboy’s Crawfish washer to make the purging process a breeze.
I highly recommend this if you’re boiling crawfish multiple times a year.
It cuts the labor time in half. Once the water is clear set aside the crawfish in a shady spot till you are ready to dump them into the boiling water.
What Sides to Use for A Crawfish Boil
The sides or as we say in the south the fixin’s is crucial to throwing an awesome crawfish boil. The most common sides are Corn on the cob, whole red new potatoes, rope sausage cut about an inch long, lemons cut in halves, onions whole or cut into chunks.
But the possibilities are endless of what you can throw in the crawfish pot. Brussels sprouts, okra, mushrooms, bell pepper, whole hot peppers, celery halves, whole mushrooms and garlic cloves – these are just some of the most popular sides.
If you have a crazy idea at what might taste good, throw it in the pot.
Cooking the Sides for the Crawfish Boil
This is where I and many other crawfish enthusiasts differ. I cook my corn on the cob, new potatoes and rope sausage in a different pot. Many people will tell you to cook everything in the same pot.
I myself would do this in the past, but cooking these three items separately actually enhances the flavor of the crawfish and makes it easier for people to sort the sides once everything is dumped onto the table.
Nothing is more frustrating than looking for a side item buried under a mountain of hot boiled crawdads.
These sides also have different cooking times and makes it extremely difficult to cook them correctly when they are all thrown in the same pot.
The main objective when boiling crawfish is to make sure the crawfish soak up the seasoning and spices properly.
When the corn and potatoes are in the same pot as the crawfish, they have a tendency to soak up more of the seasoning then the crawfish.
I boil the potatoes first as they take the longest time to cook. Then the corn and finally the sausage.
I use a second smaller pot with a boiling basket. I boil these sides in water with no seasoning as many people don’t like the sides to be hot as it is a relief from eating some good spicy crawfish.
I put these sides into a small empty ice chest so they are easily accessible. I’ll throw a stick or two of butter on top of the corn and potatoes and sprinkle a little Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning on them.
What Sides to Throw in the Crawfish Boil pot?
The good news is there are a ton of delicious sides to throw in the pot with the crawfish. The sides mentioned will actually enhance the flavor of the crawfish and won’t absorb most of the seasoning.
Some sides to add to the pot are:
- Whole Mushrooms
- Whole Onions
- Onions cut into chunks
- Bell Pepper cut into chunks
- Fresh String Beans
- Whole Okra
- Whole Brussel Sprouts
- Lemons cut in halves
- Oranges cut in halves
- Whole spicy peppers
I add these sides into the pot when I’m starting the water to boil. That way while the water is heating up the flavors steep into the water.
Drop the Crawfish in the Boiling Water
Once your crawfish are purged and clean and your water is boiling it is time to drop them in.
Take your boil basket and dump the live crawfish into the basket. Have a pair of heat resistant gloves or oven mitts on as the steam from the pot is very hot and slowly lower the boil basket into the pot.
You will have to be very careful doing this because some water might spill from the pot.
If water spills from the pot the burner might cut off. In that case, just continue to lower the crawfish in the water then light the burner back on once the crawfish are in the water.
Once the crawfish are in the pot grab your paddle and push the crawfish down into the water.
Bring the Water Back to A Boil
Once the crawfish are added to the pot with the boiling water, the water will calm down and stop boiling.
Now we wait till the water comes back to a boil which typically takes 10-30 min depending on what type of burner you have.
While you are waiting on the crawfish to come back to a boil, be sure to pay close attention to the water in the pot as it can start to roll over the pot when it starts boiling.
In this case, turn down the burner small amounts to where the water is still boiling but not boiling over the pot.
How Long to Boil Crawfish?
Once the crawfish come back to a boil, you will want to boil them for 2-5 min. The harder the shell of the crawfish the longer you will want to cook them.
You can tell how hard the shell of the crawfish is by the color of the crawfish.
Softer crawfish are a light whitish red color as harder shell crawfish are a dark red.
Very soft-shell crawfish needs to boil for 2 min and very hard-shell crawfish need to boil for 5 min. Once you’ve boiled the crawfish for the appropriate time, cut off the burner.
Crawfish Seasoning
Now it is time to add your favorite crawfish seasoning. There is plenty of seasoning to choose from when boiling crawfish but I recommend Louisiana Crawfish Boil.
I use 6 pounds of seasoning to one sack of crawfish.
Then my secret ingredient is to add some cayenne powder. I add about a quarter of a one-pound container to one batch of crawfish.
The little bit of cayenne really gives it a robust flavor.
Crawfish are to be enjoyed with a little kick. But if you want them really spicy you can add more cayenne powder.
You may find just the crawfish seasoning will give you the taste you’re looking for.
The best thing about my crawfish method is that it can be used with a number of different crawfish seasonings.
Many crawfish boil seasonings sell packs that have the amount of seasoning they recommend for one sack.
Experiment with different seasoning and find out which one is your favorite.
If you’re worried, they will be too spicy I will talk about how to avoid this later in the article so be sure to continue reading.
The reason I do not add the seasoning to water while the crawfish are boiling is because it is pointless. Crawfish really only absorb the seasoning during the soaking period.
However, if you have more sacks to boil you can continue to use the same water as your first batch of crawfish.
I will discuss how to boil multiple batches a little further into the article. So, be sure to keep reading to find out how.
How Long to Let Crawfish Soak?
I let crawfish soak in the seasoned water for 25-30 minutes. This is the most important step for the crawfish to absorb all the flavors of the seasoning.
The longer you let the crawfish soak the more of the seasoning it absorbs.
One trick to help the crawfish absorb the seasoning is to spray the outside of the pot with a water hose as this will cause the crawfish to cool down faster soaking more of the seasoning.
I recommend you check out the Boil Boss. It’s a tool that hooks up to your water hose and it connects around your pot to evenly apply cool water around the pot.
This allows the crawfish to absorb the seasoning and you are able to amaze all of your friends with some excellent hot and spicy crawfish.
Make sure to stir the crawfish throughout the soaking period. I recommend taste testing the crawfish 15 minutes into the soaking process.
Check if the spice level is adequate or if you need to add a little extra to make it to your desired spiciness level.
*Pro Tip: If you’re worried about making the crawfish too spicy just add a little seasoning and cayenne at a time and taste test them every 10 minutes till you get to your desired flavor. Then just let them finish up soaking for the recommended time.
Boiling Multiple Batches of Crawfish
If you are boiling multiple batches of crawfish then you can continue to boil them in the same water.
I have used the same water for up to five different batches of crawfish.
The key is to not add any more seasoning to the water as this will cause the crawfish to get too salty.
Just add a little bit of cayenne pepper every time you reuse the same water.
Then, just follow the cooking instructions above and you will end up with some great crawfish.
Be sure to stir the pot between the boils to dissolve any seasoning that might have settled at the bottom.
Time to Serve the Crawfish
After all this time and effort, it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The crawfish are now ready to be served.
One way to serve is to just dump everything out on a table that you don’t mind getting dirty and letting everyone just stand around and eat directly from the table. Be sure to have a large empty garbage can for the shells.
If you plan on hosting several crawfish boils then I’d recommend getting this crawfish table that goes around the top of a trash can and people can throw away their shells in the middle of the table.
You can also dump the crawfish into a large clean ice chest about 60 qt or bigger.
Make sure to have a scoop handy and people can make individual plates. If you want people to have their own plates then I’d recommend getting some crawfish platters or some disposable cardboard trays.
These items allow people to load their plates full of crawfish and sides.
How to Peel Boiled Crawfish?
When hosting a crawfish boil, it is common that someone has never eaten a boiled crawfish and doesn’t know how to peel one.
Grab the head of the crawfish with one hand and place it between your thumbs and trigger finger.
Then grab the tail of the crawfish with your other hand placing it between your thumbs and trigger finger.
With a quick snap motion remove the head of the crawfish from the tail. Many people including me will suck on the head of the crawfish.
This is where all the flavor is. So, don’t knock it till you try it.
Throw the head of the crawfish away. Put the end of the tail in one hand and peel the top part of the tail’s shell off.
A piece of sweet delicious crawfish meat will be exposed. Then place the meat between your front teeth and gently bite down.
While biting, pinch the bottom of the tail with your hand and the meat should slide right out.
Dealing with the Leftovers
If you have any leftover crawfish then you have a variety of options to preserve them and use them in many different dishes.
The first step is to peel all the leftover crawfish. I know this sounds labor intense but it is well worth it.
It is very expensive to buy domestic crawfish tail meat and this allows you to have it in your freezer ready to go.
Once you peeled all your crawfish, put them into quart freezer bags and push as much of the air out as you can.
Then close the bag and place them in the freezer.
They should last up to one year in your freezer. You can also place the whole boiled crawfish into gallon freezer bags and place them in the freezer. They will last up to 3 months.
You heat up these frozen boiled crawfish by dropping them into boiling water and letting them sit in the hot water for 5 minutes.
Conclusion
Throwing a crawfish boil is a great way to spend some quality time with your family and friends. It is definitely one of my favorite ways to socialize.
Maybe it’s my nostalgia talking but there’s definitely a certain charm in getting together with your loved ones and having a good feast.
After reading this article, I’m sure you have all the knowledge that you might possibly need to throw an awesome crawfish boil.
Wishing you all the best. Thanks for stopping by.
