Henderson Boiled Crawfish

Straight outta Henderson, Louisiana, the crawfish capital of the world, this boil keeps it old-school Cajun. No fancy seasoning packets here. Just salt, black pepper, and good live crawfish thrown into a rolling boil with all the fixings.

The key detail in this recipe? You do NOT let those crawfish soak after cooking. That’s the Henderson way. A lot of folks let their mudbugs sit in the brine to absorb more seasoning, but pulling them out right at the 10-minute mark keeps the tail meat tender and sweet instead of waterlogged and mushy.

Pre-boil your potatoes and corn before adding them to the pot so everything finishes at the same time. The halved lemons add a bright, citrusy kick that cuts through all that salt and pepper. Spread it all out on a newspaper-covered table and go to town.

Pro Tips

• Purge live crawfish in clean saltwater for 20-30 minutes before boiling to clean out grit and mud
• Keep the boil rolling hard when you add the crawfish; a weak boil means uneven cooking
• 10 minutes is the max once everything is back at a full boil. Overcooking makes the tails rubbery
• Serve with melted butter and hot sauce on the side for dipping

Variations

• Add a bag of Zatarain’s crab boil seasoning to the water for extra Cajun spice
• Throw in whole garlic heads and smoked sausage links for a full-spread boil
• Use the leftover boil water as a base for crawfish bisque