Crawfish Etouffee/Mcilhenny
Submitted by prncess0182
McIlhenny’s crawfish etouffee smothered in butter with the holy trinity, crawfish fat, Tabasco, and fresh lemon juice. A rich, roux-free Cajun classic that’s even better the next day.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsStraight from the McIlhenny family, the folks who put Tabasco on the map. You know this recipe means business.
Two pounds of crawfish tails get smothered in a full cup of butter with onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, then slow-simmered with crawfish fat, Tabasco, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. No roux here. The butter and crawfish fat create a rich, silky sauce all on their own.
Fresh parsley and green onions go in at the end for a burst of color and freshness.
The recipe itself tells you to make it the day before. That’s not a suggestion. The flavors meld and deepen overnight into something transcendent.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the crawfish fat. It’s concentrated flavor and the reason this etouffee tastes like it came from a Cajun grandmother’s kitchen.
- Cook uncovered over medium-low so the sauce reduces and concentrates instead of steaming.
- Reheat gently. Overcooking crawfish tails makes them tough and rubbery.
- Serve over plain steamed white rice. Anything fancier would just get in the way.
Ingredients
Directions
In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, melt the butter and cook the onion, pepper, celery and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the salt, Tabasco and crawfish fat, and cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tails, lemon juice and parsley. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Just before serving, add the green onions.
For the best flavor, prepare this dish the day before.
Remove from the fridge an hour before serving and reheat just until hot to avoid overcooking the crawfish.
Serve over steamed white rice.
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