Cajun Crawfish Boil Corn (Printable Version)

Spicy crawfish with tender potatoes and sweet corn enhanced by bold Cajun seasoning and fresh herbs.

# What You 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 Serving

15 - Lemon wedges
16 - Hot sauce

# Steps:

01 - Fill a large stockpot with 5 gallons of water. Add Cajun seasoning blend, kosher salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, quartered onions, halved garlic head, and lemon slices. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
02 - Add the scrubbed small red potatoes to the boiling broth and cook for 10 minutes until slightly tender.
03 - Add the corn pieces and Andouille sausage chunks to the pot. Continue boiling for another 8 minutes.
04 - Add the live crawfish to the pot. Stir gently, cover, and let boil for 3 to 5 minutes 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 fully meld together.
06 - Drain the boil using a large strainer or by carefully pouring out the liquid from the pot.
07 - Transfer the crawfish, potatoes, corn, sausage, and vegetables onto a large lined table or serving platter. Drizzle with melted butter and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
08 - Serve hot with lemon wedges and hot sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a one-pot feast that feels fancy but requires almost no plating skills, just confidence and a big spoon.
  • The magic happens in the waiting—ten minutes of resting lets every vegetable absorb that spicy, briny flavor you've been building.
  • People gather around it like it's an event, which means you look like a hero without spending your whole day cooking.
02 -
  • The boiling time for crawfish is shorter than you think—most people overcook them by waiting too long after they turn red, and you end up with tough, watery meat instead of that sweet, firm texture.
  • Live crawfish should be purchased and cooked the same day if possible; if you need to store them, keep them in a cool, damp place but never submerged in fresh water, which confuses their gills.
  • The resting period isn't optional—it's when the seasoning actually penetrates everything, so don't skip it just to get to dinner faster.
03 -
  • Buy crawfish from a trusted source and keep them cool during transport; they're hardier than you'd expect, but they do better when treated gently and kept damp.
  • Don't skip the resting period—those 10 minutes of covered sitting time are when the magic actually happens and flavors integrate into everything.
  • If you're feeding a crowd, you can double or triple this recipe in a larger pot without changing the timing much; just make sure your pot is big enough that everything stays submerged.
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