Stovetop Crawfish Boil

boiled crawfish feature image close up in foil container

5 from 1 vote

Master the art of cajun cooking with our Stovetop Crawfish Boil! This step-by-step method strips down this classic Louisiana boil to its essentials, offering you a quick route to rich, spicy flavors any night of the week.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cajun, creole, Seafood

Servings:

Calories: 871kcal

Author: Jami Powell

Ingredients

4 pounds live crawfish purged and washed
water for boiling
2 lemons halved
5 ounces Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp and Crab Boil Seasoning
2 tablespoons crab boil concentrate
3 tablespoons cajun seasoning Tony Chachere's
1 whole head garlic top sliced off
2 large onions quartered
2 pounds red potatoes halved or quartered
8 mini ears of corn frozen or fresh
13 ounces Andouille sausage sliced into 2-inch pieces
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons salt
½ cup melted butter for drizzling and steaming
¼ cup zesty seasoning for dusting

Instructions

Fill a large stockpot with sufficient water to cover all ingredients. Add Louisiana Crawfish Shrimp and Crab Boil Seasoning, crab boil concentrate, Cajun seasoning, salt, bay leaves, halved lemons, quartered onions, and the head of garlic. Stir until all the seasonings are well mixed and dissolved.
Bring the pot to a full boil. Once the water is boiling vigorously, add the red potatoes and Andouille sausage slices. Cook for 10 minutes.
Carefully add the live crawfish and mini ears of corn to the pot. Continue to boil for another 5 minutes, or until the crawfish are bright red and fully cooked.
Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Allow the crawfish to remain in the liquid for an additional 5 minutes to soak up the flavors. Optionally, to quickly cool the pot and stop the cooking process, add a food-safe, sealed bag of ice directly into the boil.
Transfer the crawfish, sausage, and vegetables along with a small portion of the cooking broth to a foil-lined container. Drizzle with melted butter and dust generously with zesty seasoning. Cover and let everything steam together for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Notes

Storage Store leftover crawfish in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Freeze This dish is not freezer-friendly.

Reheat To reheat leftovers, use a gentle simmer to avoid overcooking the crawfish.

Substitutions

Andouille Sausage: Substitute with smoked sausage for a milder flavor.
Cajun Seasoning: For less spice, use Old Bay seasoning instead.

Adjustments Cooking time may need to be adjusted based on the geography of the area (high vs. low elevation), cookware (stoneware vs traditional bakeware), and outdoor temperature if grilling.

Nutrition information is only an estimate

Nutrition