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Message
Crawfish Boil Recipe/Technique Pointers
Posted on 10/4/24 at 11:44 am
Posted on 10/4/24 at 11:44 am
I'd like to get some thoughts on my recipe I'm working on. I got a new 120 qt pot (The super duper High Performance Cookers pot) that I'm still trying to learn, I've previously used a 80 qt with a single jet.
I toss the potatoes, onions, garlic in with the seasoning, bring it to a boil for about 10 mins, then add sausage, shrooms, lemon, then dump crawfish maybe 2 minutes later. Boil crawfish about 5 minutes (a little more or less depending on time in the season, until they float). Corn to kill the boil.
120 qt pot filled half way (~15 gal of water)
40# sack
1.5 4# bag of Cajun land
1/2 bag of Chackbay
1/2 cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
Second boil, same water
40# sack
1/2 4# bag of Cajun land
1/4 bag of Chackbay
1/3 cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
Third boil, same water
40# sack
1/4 bag of Chackbay
Rest of the cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
All batches were soaked til they sunk, and maybe a little more, about 25 minutes.
This is roughly what I've done just once this year, with pretty good results. I got the crawfish really clean, minimal if any dirty flavor on the last batch, and seamed to have good salt/flavor/heat balance.
Until I get stuff dialed in, I'm planning on sticking to a single sack per batch, later I'd move to 1.5 40# sacks (or two sacks without fixin's).
With prices the way they were last season, I only got to boil once, so I didn't get a chance to play around with it.
Thoughts?
I toss the potatoes, onions, garlic in with the seasoning, bring it to a boil for about 10 mins, then add sausage, shrooms, lemon, then dump crawfish maybe 2 minutes later. Boil crawfish about 5 minutes (a little more or less depending on time in the season, until they float). Corn to kill the boil.
120 qt pot filled half way (~15 gal of water)
40# sack
1.5 4# bag of Cajun land
1/2 bag of Chackbay
1/2 cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
Second boil, same water
40# sack
1/2 4# bag of Cajun land
1/4 bag of Chackbay
1/3 cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
Third boil, same water
40# sack
1/4 bag of Chackbay
Rest of the cylinder of salt
All the fixin's (Potatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, corn)
All batches were soaked til they sunk, and maybe a little more, about 25 minutes.
This is roughly what I've done just once this year, with pretty good results. I got the crawfish really clean, minimal if any dirty flavor on the last batch, and seamed to have good salt/flavor/heat balance.
Until I get stuff dialed in, I'm planning on sticking to a single sack per batch, later I'd move to 1.5 40# sacks (or two sacks without fixin's).
With prices the way they were last season, I only got to boil once, so I didn't get a chance to play around with it.
Thoughts?
14
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:05 pm to Warfart1
quote:
bring it to a boil for about 10 mins, then add sausage, shrooms, lemon, then dump crawfish maybe 2 minutes later. Boil crawfish about 5 minutes
This is a bit vague to me.
Dump crawfish, kick up fire to bring to a boil, but cut the fire at first sight of small bubbles. Don’t bring to a full boil.
The cooking doneness temp of crawfish is much lower than the boiling point of water.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:07 pm to Warfart1
quote:
Thoughts?
It's crab and shrimp boiling season right now, baw.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:16 pm to ragincajun03
quote:
It's crab and shrimp boiling season right now, baw.
Planning for next year, cause I got nothing better to do!
This post was edited on 10/4/24 at 12:38 pm
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:25 pm to Havoc
Full power to get initial boil, add potatoes/onion/garlic, boil never stops and I cut it way back because the pot will get away from me, but still maintaining a rolling boil. Add sausage mushrooms and lemons, pot to full power before dumping bugs. It only takes a few minutes to return to rolling boil.
So, cut the fire when I first see bubbles after the crawfish are in.
Like I said, I'm still learning the pot. It returns to a boil so quickly that I was thinking that I need to boil for a slightly longer period of time, because the crawfish are spending less time in the pot coming back up to boil. You might be right, with 5 gallons more water, it takes longer for the temp to decrease after killing the boil.
So, cut the fire when I first see bubbles after the crawfish are in.
Like I said, I'm still learning the pot. It returns to a boil so quickly that I was thinking that I need to boil for a slightly longer period of time, because the crawfish are spending less time in the pot coming back up to boil. You might be right, with 5 gallons more water, it takes longer for the temp to decrease after killing the boil.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:28 pm to Warfart1
quote:
I got a new 120 qt pot (The super duper High Performance Cookers pot) that I'm still trying to learn
I absolutely LOVE mine! Yes it's expensive but I boil often and it will get a single sack worth of water to a rolling boil in about 7 min. I got set up to buy from them wholesale but it was only about 100 less for that size. If you haven't already you will burn your leg hairs if you approach with it wide open ask me how I know
I would put a sack of crawfish in the basket in the pot and fill with water till it covers them and the veggies and make a mark on the inside of the pot (you will eventually get a waterline). I can fit 2 sacks in my 120 with fixings but it's tight! It will boil over in a flash if you are not watching it. You can fit it a little better without the basket if you have a way to scoop them out.
I don't usually boil that long once I dump them, I just give them heat until they are floating and turning red and seeing some bubbles but it reboils so fast that I may let them boil for a min if they are not floating.
I have been cutting my potatoes in half so it gets more flavor on the inside of them. They are a little messy that way but my crowd has agreed they think they taste better cut.
I don't squeeze the lemons the juice will get boiled out
Since you were game to spend a lil money on the pot setup id look at a crawfish washer as well. I have one and a few plastic baskets so I can get it all cleaned up and ready to go easily and mostly hands free.
This post was edited on 10/4/24 at 12:31 pm
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:37 pm to NOLAGT
quote:
If you haven't already you will burn your leg hairs if you approach with it wide open ask me how I know
The first time I used it, we almost had to bring my brother to the hospital. It boiled so fast and hard we hadn't gotten any seasonins in yet, and he dumped cayenne and the whole thing boiled over almost getting his legs and feet!
quote:
I don't usually boil that long once I dump them, I just give them heat until they are floating and turning red.
Thats usually been my go to, regardless of time. Beer makes keeping track of timers aggravating!
quote:
I don't squeeze the lemons the juice will get boiled out
I've found this out a few years ago, been doing it since.
quote:
Since you were game to spend a lil money on the pot setup id look at a crawfish washer as well. I have one and a few plastic baskets so I can get it all cleaned up and ready to go easily and mostly hands free.
I'd love to do that, but I'd need a little more storage space and crawfish prices to come down next year before I could justify it! Last season was nuts.
This post was edited on 10/4/24 at 12:40 pm
Posted on 10/4/24 at 12:47 pm to Warfart1
Yep I cut the fire either off or real low when I go to approach it. I used to put the seasoning in before the boil too but now I wait till its rolling then add so there is less chance of it going over.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 1:02 pm to Warfart1
quote:
Thoughts?
quote:
Boil crawfish about 5 minutes
This is entirely too damn long
Posted on 10/4/24 at 2:33 pm to Warfart1
OK, I'm gonna make this simple as possible:
Boil water
Add powder seasoning (I like Louisiana Brand)
Add celery, onions, garlic, lemons and potatoes
Boil until potatoes are cooked.
Add crawfish
Boil until they rise and water just begins to boil
Turn off
Add Zatarains liquid, fresh lemons, frozen corn and mushrooms
Let soak until they sink and are the level of taste you want.
FFS, do not make it complicated
Boil water
Add powder seasoning (I like Louisiana Brand)
Add celery, onions, garlic, lemons and potatoes
Boil until potatoes are cooked.
Add crawfish
Boil until they rise and water just begins to boil
Turn off
Add Zatarains liquid, fresh lemons, frozen corn and mushrooms
Let soak until they sink and are the level of taste you want.
FFS, do not make it complicated
Posted on 10/4/24 at 2:51 pm to Warfart1
I get excited as well about new toys. That looks like one badass pot. I'm glad your researching this now as when crawfish come in to season it might be a $600 endeavor for your first boil. Nobody wants to mess that up. Look forward to seeing and hearing how worked out.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 3:06 pm to Warfart1
In addition to what you put I would also add half dozen lemons cut in half. I squeeze them but it is optional. 1 small bottle of crab boil. half a cup of cayenne pepper. 6 ounce bottle of crystal hot sauce.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 3:06 pm to Warfart1
Where is the liquid boil in your recipe? You don't use any?
I think you need more chackbay. I use a similar amount of Slap Ya Mama seasoning to your Cajunland, but with my 100 qt pot, I also add a little more than a whole bag of chackbay, and salt. For your 120 qt, I'd go with a bag and a half.
Your method seems fine. I started adding lemons and liquid boil after I cut the heat due to a thread here that convinced me that I may be burning off some of the lemon flavor (essential oils). But it's not a big deal either way.
I think you need more chackbay. I use a similar amount of Slap Ya Mama seasoning to your Cajunland, but with my 100 qt pot, I also add a little more than a whole bag of chackbay, and salt. For your 120 qt, I'd go with a bag and a half.
Your method seems fine. I started adding lemons and liquid boil after I cut the heat due to a thread here that convinced me that I may be burning off some of the lemon flavor (essential oils). But it's not a big deal either way.
This post was edited on 10/4/24 at 3:12 pm
Posted on 10/4/24 at 4:02 pm to Warfart1
Have a buddy that freezes half pans of squeezed lemon juice and puts that in at the end to cool down. Fantastic.
Posted on 10/4/24 at 4:06 pm to rltiger
quote:
Have a buddy that freezes half pans of squeezed lemon juice and puts that in at the end to cool down. Fantastic
The stuff people come up with…
Posted on 10/4/24 at 10:00 pm to Warfart1
High Performance Cookers makes a great pot.
Posted on 10/5/24 at 5:22 pm to Warfart1
Am I the only one that doesn't like sausage in their seafood boil?
1. It gets everything greasy, I don't like greasy seafood.
2. A grill or smoker makes for a much better cooked sausage.
My dad put a rack of ribs in a cook once, I couldn't figure out how to get your parents adopted. That was gross.
Yeah, its crab and shrimp season, doing that tomorrow, and next weekend. The weather is great.
1. It gets everything greasy, I don't like greasy seafood.
2. A grill or smoker makes for a much better cooked sausage.
My dad put a rack of ribs in a cook once, I couldn't figure out how to get your parents adopted. That was gross.
Yeah, its crab and shrimp season, doing that tomorrow, and next weekend. The weather is great.
Posted on 10/7/24 at 1:41 pm to Motorboat
quote:
Boil water
Add powder seasoning (I like Louisiana Brand)
Add celery, onions, garlic, lemons and potatoes
Boil until potatoes are cooked.
Add crawfish
Boil until they rise and water just begins to boil
Turn off
Add Zatarains liquid, fresh lemons, frozen corn and mushrooms
Let soak until they sink and are the level of taste you want.
FFS, do not make it complicated
VERY close to what I do. Replace Zats liquid with a 12 oz bottle of Crystal hot sauce w/garlic. Like you said, keep it simple.
Posted on 10/7/24 at 1:53 pm to armsdealer
quote:
Am I the only one that doesn't like sausage in their seafood boil?
1. It gets everything greasy, I don't like greasy seafood.
Agree.
I am contemplating chicken thighs one day, though. I've heard they're awesome in the boil. Maybe get the crawfish done first, then relight the jet and add some more seasoning to the water, and boil the thighs?
Posted on 10/8/24 at 3:20 pm to ragincajun03
chicken thighs are great in a crawfish boil. the little thin cut pork chops that come in a family pack are also good.
I have thrown all kinds of shite in a crawfish boil just to see how it comes out because why not. Everything comes out just like you would expect it to, really.
Pineapple chunks
Brussels Sprouts (also really good)
Peanuts (took forever)
Asparagus
Edamame
Carrots (not the baby ones, peeled & cut into large chunks)
Squash & Zucchini
Shrooms & Garlic are my personal favorite though
I have thrown all kinds of shite in a crawfish boil just to see how it comes out because why not. Everything comes out just like you would expect it to, really.
Pineapple chunks
Brussels Sprouts (also really good)
Peanuts (took forever)
Asparagus
Edamame
Carrots (not the baby ones, peeled & cut into large chunks)
Squash & Zucchini
Shrooms & Garlic are my personal favorite though
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