Cajun Crawfish Boil Corn (Printable)

Spicy crawfish with sweet corn and tender potatoes combined with bold Cajun seasonings.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Steps:

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 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.

# Tips from the Pros:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying the chaos.
  • The Cajun seasoning does the heavy lifting, so you're not juggling a dozen spice jars.
  • It feeds a crowd without feeling like you're slaving over a stove all afternoon.
  • Your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible for days afterward.
02 -
  • Live crawfish are non-negotiable here—frozen crawfish will fall apart in the pot and turn your broth murky instead of clear and beautiful.
  • That 10-minute rest after boiling is not just flavor science; it actually makes the crawfish easier to peel because the heat finishes cooking the meat gently.
  • If your pot isn't large enough, you'll either have water spilling over when you add the crawfish or you'll overcrowd everything and nothing will cook evenly.
03 -
  • If you can't get a rolling boil with 5 gallons of water in your pot, start with 4 gallons—you want aggressive heat, not a gentle simmer.
  • Your fishmonger can tell you the best time of year when crawfish are at their peak, and that's usually spring, so plan accordingly.
  • Leave the seasoning blend unsweetened and avoid anything with added sugar because the corn will provide enough natural sweetness.
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