Source:whatscookingamerica
Being a bit of a seafood fan, I was having a look around for recipes to try out and came across this wonderful recipe for a Crawfish Boil.
Crawfish (also known as crayfish) look like tiny lobsters and are freshwater crustaceans. They are known in the south of the USA as mudbugs because they live in the mud of freshwater bayous.
They are considered a delicacy in Louisiana (and other states) and are still an important part of their economy as much of the Crawfish consumed in the US comes from there. They are an inherent part of the Cajun culture are so highly thought of that in 1983, Louisiana’s governor approved a law designated the crawfish as the state crustacean.
Ingredients
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Source:whatscooking america
1 (35 – 40lbs) sack live crawfish. Allow approx. 2 – 3 pounds per person. Ideally the live crawfish should be delivered 1 – 2 days before your party.
- 1 (26oz) box salt (to purge the crawfish)
- 2 (1lb) boxes/sack Crawfish Boil Seasoning
- 6 – 8 lemons, sliced in half
- Smoked sausage, cut up into large pieces
- Small red or new potatoes, unpeeled
- 15 – 20 fresh corn on the cob, shucked and halved
- 6 heads of garlic, split in half to expose the pods
- Whole mushrooms, green beans and other vegetables of your own choice
- Large pot (60 – 80 gallon) with basket insert and lid
- Outdoor high pressure propane cooker
- Large tub of ice
- Large paddle to stir the crawfish
- Large picnic table covered with newspaper, several rolls of paper towels and a large bin
Method
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Source:whatscooking america
Purge the crawfish: Pour the sack of crawfish into a large plastic container and add the box of salt. Add water to just cover the crawfish, stir for 3 minutes then rinse. Throw away the dead ones (very important!) – they will rise to the top. Pour away the water and leave the crawfish in a cool or shaded area until they are needed.
- Filll your large pot just over half way with water and put to boil
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the water and add the lemons
- Add crawfish seasoning
- Cover the pot and bring to the boil for 2 – 3 mins. The burner should be powerful enough to do this within 15 minutes
- Add your vegetables to the wire basket and cook for 10 mins or until the potatoes are tender
- Add crawfish to the basket and boil for a further 5 minutes
- Turn off the burner and let the crawfish soak for 20 – 30 mins, then remove the wire basket and allow to drain. This can be achieved by resting the basket on top of two boards laid across the top of the pot.
To Serve
- Cover the picnic table in a thick layer of newspaper
- Spill the contents of the basket along the length of the covered picnic table
- Enjoy!
Source:whatscookingamerica
