Go Back
crawfish boil recipe

Authentic Spicy Louisiana Crawfish Boil

Experience the messy, spicy joy of a traditional Louisiana crawfish boil with bold flavors and a communal feast.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 whole onion quartered
  • 1 whole lemon quartered
  • 1 clove garlic halved
  • 1 leaf bay leaf
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons red peppers
  • 2 pounds whole crawfish

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Colander
  • cheesecloth

Method
 

  1. Create a flavor bag by tying the quartered onion, lemon, garlic, and bay leaf in cheesecloth.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, combine water, cheesecloth bundle, salt, and red peppers. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes.
  3. Add crawfish and cook for exactly 5 minutes.
  4. Drain thoroughly and serve immediately on newspaper-covered tables or chilled.

Notes

Suck the crawfish heads after peeling for the most concentrated spicy flavor.