Cajun Crawfish Boil Corn (Printable)

Spicy crawfish paired with corn and potatoes in a flavorful Southern boil with rich Cajun spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 4 pounds live crawfish, thoroughly rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 6 ears corn, husked and cut into halves or thirds
03 - 2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
04 - 2 yellow onions, quartered
05 - 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
06 - 1 lemon, sliced

→ Sausage

07 - 1 pound smoked Andouille sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces

→ Seasonings and Aromatics

08 - 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning blend
09 - 2 tablespoons kosher salt
10 - 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
11 - 4 bay leaves
12 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
13 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
14 - 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

→ For Serving

15 - Lemon wedges
16 - Hot sauce

# How to Make It:

01 - Fill a large stockpot with 5 gallons of water. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, cayenne, onions, garlic, and lemon slices. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Add potatoes to the boiling liquid and cook for 10 minutes.
03 - Add corn and sausage to the pot and continue boiling for another 8 minutes.
04 - Add crawfish to the pot. Stir gently, cover, and let boil for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the crawfish turn bright red.
05 - Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
06 - Drain the boil using a large strainer or by pouring out the liquid carefully.
07 - Transfer crawfish, potatoes, corn, sausage, and vegetables onto a large, lined table or serving platter. Drizzle with melted butter and garnish with parsley.
08 - Serve hot with lemon wedges and hot sauce on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to hover over multiple pans—everything boils together.
  • The first bite tells you Louisiana knows what it's doing with seasoning.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about cracking open crawfish with your hands while melted butter drips down.
02 -
  • Never skip the 10-minute rest after adding the crawfish—it's the difference between good and unforgettable.
  • Buy crawfish from a reputable source and keep them alive until you cook them; frozen crawfish lose their sweetness and texture.
03 -
  • Chill your crawfish in the freezer for 15 minutes before cooking; they'll be calmer and easier to handle.
  • Taste the boiling water before you add the crawfish—it should taste like a seasoned broth you'd want to drink.
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