How Much Seasoning You Need For A Perfectly Flavored Crawfish Boil
While crawfish captures an enthusiastic percentage of Louisiana's seafood scene, it's often misunderstood outside America's Southern states. Often considered a poor man's lobster, freshwater crawfish is actually similar in taste to the saltwater lobster, although a lot smaller in size. But it's prepared and served with, arguably, a lot more fun. The famous crawfish boil is celebrated in the deepest pockets of Louisiana, showcased in cook-offs, festivals, and countless backyard shindigs, often accompanied by bluegrass, jazz, and zydeco music.
When hosting your own crawfish boil, it's crucial to get it right — and that includes choosing and using authentic seasonings. To crack the crustacean spice code, we reached out to a Louisiana expert on the topic, Johnnie Gale, corporate chef at Guidry's Catfish and Ocean Select Seafood.
Gale suggests relying on professionals who create spice mixtures specifically for a crawfish boil. "For seasoning, look for Crab, Crawfish, and Shrimp Boil liquid or powder, and follow boiling recommendations," she says. "These all-in-one seasonings are easy and agreeably the best way to boil seafood."
But it's equally important to know the right quantity and balance of water to crawfish to seasoning. "Use 2 gallons of water per 10 pounds of crawfish when boiling," explains Gale, and says, "If you are boiling a whole sack, use 4-5 pounds of seasoning." Granted, the "whole sack" concept needs a bit more explanation to the uninitiated.
Sacks of crawfish and bags of seasoning
In crawfish (aka mudbug) lingo, a whole sack generally refers to a sack of live crawfish weighing between 28 and 34 pounds, give or take. They're intended for same-day boiling on the day of delivery, and come with quality classifications such as "select" and "field run." Some suppliers even include accompanying seasoning packets.
When purchasing seasoning packets separately from the crawfish itself, chef Gale points to a 4.5 pound bag of Crawfish, Shrimp, and Crab Boil Seasoning from Louisiana Fish Fry Products, stating that "it's perfect for a 30-pound sack of crawfish." The company doesn't divulge exactly what's tucked into those proprietary packets, using the generic overarching term "spices" in the ingredient list. However, it does state the important, traditional inclusions for a Louisiana-style seafood boil: Garlic, onion, paprika, and lemon. The same seasoning is also available in a potent, concentrated liquid form, which is useful for adapting as needed to smaller or larger gatherings.
If opting to create your own homemade seasoning mix for a crawfish boil, by all means gather the customary paprika plus garlic and onion powders. For the lemon flavor, consider using fresh lemons or lemon zest instead of extract. Other primary seasonings typically include cayenne pepper, bay leaves, and black pepper. More viable options for customizing your mix could include thyme, allspice, oregano, coriander, dill, and mustard seeds. Get this part right, and you'll be cooking, serving, and eating crawfish like a pro.