Crab Boil

As with most dishes from South Louisiana, there are many methods of preparing boiled or steamed seafood—and they're all good. One of the easiest and most common is to simply use a premixed bag or bottle of crab boil, but we like this Acadian recipe.

  • Serves

    serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salt
  • 2 heaping tsp. cayenne
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 large lemon, quartered
  • 1 small head of garlic, unpeeled
  • 6-8 small new potatoes, unpeeled
  • 2-3 medium onions, unpeeled
  • 3 ears of corn, cut in half
  • 12 crabs or 5 lbs. crawfish

Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large, deep pot with about 6" water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, cayenne, onion quarters, lemons quarters, and garlic. Cover pot and let boil for 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add potatoes, whole onions, and corn to the pot and continue cooking another 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add crabs (or crawfish). When water returns to a boil, cook for 8 minutes. Drain and serve. Everything will come out well seasoned and delicious.
  1. Fill a large, deep pot with about 6" water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, cayenne, onion quarters, lemons quarters, and garlic. Cover pot and let boil for 20 minutes.
  2. Add potatoes, whole onions, and corn to the pot and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
  3. Add crabs (or crawfish). When water returns to a boil, cook for 8 minutes. Drain and serve. Everything will come out well seasoned and delicious.
Recipes

Crab Boil

  • Serves

    serves 6

MELANIE ACEVEDO

As with most dishes from South Louisiana, there are many methods of preparing boiled or steamed seafood—and they're all good. One of the easiest and most common is to simply use a premixed bag or bottle of crab boil, but we like this Acadian recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salt
  • 2 heaping tsp. cayenne
  • 1 large onion, quartered
  • 1 large lemon, quartered
  • 1 small head of garlic, unpeeled
  • 6-8 small new potatoes, unpeeled
  • 2-3 medium onions, unpeeled
  • 3 ears of corn, cut in half
  • 12 crabs or 5 lbs. crawfish

Instructions

Step 1

Fill a large, deep pot with about 6" water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, cayenne, onion quarters, lemons quarters, and garlic. Cover pot and let boil for 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add potatoes, whole onions, and corn to the pot and continue cooking another 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add crabs (or crawfish). When water returns to a boil, cook for 8 minutes. Drain and serve. Everything will come out well seasoned and delicious.
  1. Fill a large, deep pot with about 6" water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, cayenne, onion quarters, lemons quarters, and garlic. Cover pot and let boil for 20 minutes.
  2. Add potatoes, whole onions, and corn to the pot and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
  3. Add crabs (or crawfish). When water returns to a boil, cook for 8 minutes. Drain and serve. Everything will come out well seasoned and delicious.

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