Once crawfish is in season, you might be tempted to head on over to your local crawfish restaurant to satisfy the craving, but consider this: there’s nothing like having your own crawfish boil with some friends and family.
The satisfaction of successfully pulling off something as big as a long-standing tradition in the South is truly unbeatable, especially when you get to spend it with the people you love.
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know to pull off a truly mouth-watering crawfish boil successfully:
- Decide How Many Pounds of Crawfish to Buy
When figuring out how many pounds of crawfish you’ll need to buy, it’s best to go with the standard rule of thumb. You’ll require at least three to five pounds for every person that’s going to be there. This is great if you plan to have other dishes on the menu, like sausages, shrimp, and other low country boil items.
However, if the crawfish will be the main attraction, you’ll want to bump up the weight to about five to seven pounds per person. This way, everyone will have a feast to enjoy.
- Prepare Your Shopping List
Once you’ve got the pounds down, it’s good to move on to your shopping list. Don’t underestimate the crawfish boil excitement. Even the best of us can forget the small but important details during a big event. A shopping list will make sure you’re getting everything you need once you head out to the local stores.
Now, a solid to-buy list for a successful crawfish boil can be lengthy. For starters, your cooking materials will need the following:
- A large ice chest with a drain to store your crawfish in
- Bags of loose ice
- Large pots to boil your crawfish in—preferably ones with strainers in them
- A propane crawfish cooker
- Wooden strainers or spoons
- Heat-resistant gloves
Your basic ingredients list for the crawfish boil will be looking a little like this:
- Crawfish or crab seasoning—whatever spices you prefer
- Baby potatoes
- Corn on the cob
- Onions
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Hot sauce or any kind of peppers
- Blue crabs
- Shrimp
- Oysters
- Clams
- Celery
- Lemons or other citrus fruits like oranges
- Always Purchase Fresh Crawfish
When buying tasty crustaceans, you will want to know the best places to get crawfish. It usually helps to know where the best crawfish restaurants get their stock. That way, you can reach out to the supplier.
If this isn’t an option for you, there’s always a rule you can follow to ensure you’re only acquiring the best produce from your local vendor or crawfish farmer. The rule is that you should buy them when they’re alive because this guarantees they’re fresh.
When you’re cleaning them, and they float to the top, that means they’re dead, and that won’t do you any good. It’s also proper practice to make sure they’re clean and not covered in mud, and that you receive the delivery as soon as possible. Never keep crawfish for more than three days.
- Set Up Your Venue Appropriately
After doing all the preparations, the only thing left to do is to set up your space. For this, you’ll need to have large tables, foldable or otherwise, and appropriate chairs for your guests to sit on comfortably. It’s also handy to have newspapers or plastic tablecloths covering the surfaces to ensure an easier clean-up afterward.
Make sure to have small buckets, bowls, or bins at the ready for your guests to throw the shells in, some bibs, wet wipes, and paper towels. Lastly, before everyone digs into this amazing feast, double-check to see if you’ve got all the sauces ready: melted butter, cocktail sauces, and of course, hot sauce.
Conclusion
Once you’ve completed all the preparations above, there’s nothing left but to dig in and enjoy. We’re sure you’ll find that these crawfish boils can be just as good as the food they serve in a crawfish restaurant. Even then, definitely don’t feel like you can’t order additional dishes from your favorite place. It’ll make the boil more delectable.
Crawfish Cafe is one of the best places to get crawfish in Houston, Texas. We serve only the best quality vet-cajun crawfish and other types of seafood like blue crabs, black mussels, king crab legs, and shrimp. Head on over to our website to see all the amazing dishes we have available for you!