Ingredients:

  • 15 lb (6.8 kg) Live Crawfish (Purged)
  • 5 lb (2.25 kg) Small Red Potatoes (whole, scrubbed)
  • 6-8 Ears of fresh or frozen Corn on the Cob (broken in half)
  • 2 lb (900 g) Smoked Sausage (Andouille or Kielbasa), sliced into 2-inch chunks
  • 7-8 gallons Water (or enough to cover the ingredients)
  • 4-5 lb Crawfish Boil Seasoning Mix (granular or liquid concentrate)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) White Vinegar
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Kosher Salt
  • ½ cup (120 ml) Liquid Crab Boil concentrate (optional)
  • 6 large Yellow Onions (quartered)
  • 4 heads Garlic (cut horizontally across the cloves, not peeled)
  • 4 Lemons (halved)
  • 1 bunch Fresh Celery (roughly chopped)
  • 1 lb (450 g) Unsalted Butter, melted (optional, for dipping)
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Cayenne Pepper (optional, for sprinkling)

Instructions:

  1. Purge the Crawfish: Place the live crawfish in a large tub or cooler. Cover with cold water and vigorously stir. Drain and repeat 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Discard any dead or sickly-smelling crawfish.
  2. Prepare Aromatics: Slice lemons, quarter onions, and cut garlic heads horizontally. Gather potatoes, corn, and sausage.
  3. Build the Boil Base: Fill the pot with 7–8 gallons of water. Bring the water to a rapid, rolling boil over the propane burner.
  4. Add Seasoning and Aromatics: Once boiling, stir in the granular seasoning mix, liquid concentrate, kosher salt, vinegar, onions, garlic, celery, and lemons. Return to a hard boil and let it cook for 5 minutes to fully bloom the spices.
  5. Test the Flavour: Taste the water. It should be aggressively salty and highly spicy. Adjust salt and seasoning mix as needed.
  6. Boil the Hard Vegetables: Add the potatoes and sausage chunks. Cook them vigorously for approximately 8–10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork-tender.
  7. Add Corn: Add the corn cobs and boil for an additional 3 minutes.
  8. Drop the Crawfish: Ensure the water is at a rolling boil. Carefully lower the basket of purged, live crawfish into the pot.
  9. Bring Back to Boil & Immediate Turn Off: Once the crawfish are submerged, bring the water back to a furious, rolling boil (2–3 minutes). As soon as the boil returns, immediately turn the burner off.
  10. Begin the Soak: Allow the crawfish and vegetables to sit in the hot, seasoned water. Monitor the flavor by tasting a crawfish every 10–15 minutes. The ideal soak time is 30–45 minutes, or until the flavor penetrates the meat.
  11. Drain and Serve (The Cooler Method): Once seasoned to your liking, lift the basket and drain the excess water. Carefully dump the entire contents into a large, clean cooler. Close the lid for 5–10 minutes to steam and lock in final moisture and heat.
  12. Plate Up: Pour the contents of the cooler directly onto a newspaper-covered outdoor table. Serve immediately, dusted with extra cayenne if desired, alongside melted butter.