CAJUN CRAWFISH BOIL by Maurice Tate, Jr. from Mamou, Louisiana,

Here are instructions and requirements for approximately 100 pounds crawfish to feed approximately 30 people.

The number of people is based on 30 people eating an medium average of 3-1/3 pounds of crawfish (heads on) each. If guests are heavy eaters use 4-1/2 pounds per person and for lite (polite) eaters, 2-1/2 pounds per person to calculate pounds of crawfish required. For heavy eaters increase average vegetables and spices by a factor of 1.36 And for lite reduce by a factor of .75. If crowd is mixed, then medium will probably work OK.


Ingredients:
3 x 35 pound bags crawfish 
25 pounds red potatoes 
2 pounds garlic 
25 ea fresh corn cleaned and broken in half. 
10 pounds salt 
96 ounces vegetable cooking oil 
1 8-ounces bottle Rex or Zatarain's Crab & Shrimp Boil liquid concentrate 
20 ounces red (cayenne) pepper 
20 ounces black pepper 
4 ea box (bag) rex (or equal) crab & shrimp boil 
32 ounces powdered louisiana (or equal) crab & shrimp boil

2 bottles 12 ounces catsup 
2 bottles 12 ounces tabasco sauce 
1 bottle 12 ounces horseradish 
2 bottles squeeze butter 
1 douncesen lemons 
4 ea large yellow onions 
8 ea rolls paper towels 
4 ea old newspaper to spread on tables 
2 ea tables 
2 ea 39 gal garbage cans with 39 gal plastic bags. 
1 ea 60 qt cooking pot w/cooking basket 
1 ea propane gas burner w/stand 
To do this right, it has to be done in several batches, starting with the vegetables.

Batch #1: 25 pounds red potatoes & 2 pounds garlic
2 ounces red (cayenne) pepper 
2 ounces black pepper 
16 ounces salt 
Using a 60 qt pot fill with water half full, add seasonings and bring to boil. Add potatoes and garlic. 
Cook ~1 minute per pound of potatoes. Control heat to prevent boil over.
Remove from water and drain over cooking pot. 
Place in container (cardboard or styrofoam box) and include 25% with each crawfish batch.


Batch #2: 25 ears fresh corn, broken into 2 pieces
2 ounces red (cayenne) pepper 
2 ounces black pepper 
8 ounces salt 
Add seasonings and bring to boil. Add corn and cook between 12 and 15 minutes. 
Remove from water and drain. Place in container and include 12 pieces with each crawfish batch. 


Batch #3: 25 pounds crawfish
8 ounces powdered "crab & shrimp boil" 
4 ounces red (cayenne) pepper 
4 ounces black pepper 
24 ounces salt 
32 ounces liquid "crab & shrimp" boil (with 8 ounces liquid concentrate "Crab & Shrimp Boil" make a one (1) gallon batch ) 
3 ounces Tabasco sauce or your favorite Louisiana hot sauce 
24 ounces vegetable cooking oil 
1 bag Rex or Zatarain's "Crab & Shrimp Boil" (recipe down below)
2 lemons cut in half. squeeze into seasoning pot throwing reins into pot. 
1 large yellow onion cut in half. 
Bring water to slight boil. Spray down crawfish to clean off any mud residue. Put 25 pounds crawfish (70% of 35 pound bag) in and bring to fast boil. Add water if necessary. Make sure all crawfish are below water line. Control heat to prevent boil over. Cook for about 10 minutes, 15 max!!
Remove from water and drain. Spread equally on two tables (covered with plastic or newspaper) along with potatoes, garlic and corn pieces. 

Provide each table with squeeze butter for corn. Provide each table with 2 bowls of "hot sauce mix" for dipping crawfish tails.

Hot sauce mix consist of 24 ounces catsup, 12 ounces tabasco sauce and 12 ounces horseradish. Mix together and split into 4 bowls.

Stand there and eat crawfish until you're full. Provide 2 rolls paper towels per table and replace as needed.

Provide area with paper towels, liquid soap and lemons cut in half to wash hands. To wash, first squeeze lemon on hands and rub. Rinse with water then add liquid soap, rub hands and rinse. 


Batches #4,5, & 6
Repeat batch 3. If there is some concern that batches 5 & 6 will be too spicy, reduce red and black pepper amounts for these batches by 1 to 2 ounces.

Crawfish, Shrimp and CRAB BOIL Seasoning 

4 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds 
3 tablespoons coriander seeds 
2 tablespoons whole allspice 
2 tablespoons dill seeds 
1 teaspoon whole cloves 
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 
8 bay leaves 
Salt and cayenne pepper (or liquid hot sauce) to taste 
Combine all dry ingredients thoroughly. Place in a square of muslin or cheesecloth and tie securely with string, like a large sachet d'épices. Add salt and cayenne or hot sauce to the water to taste, then bring to a boil.
When water for seafood is boiling, add the bag and boil for several minutes, until the boiling liquid is tinted and seasoned, then add vegetables and/or shellfish and cook until done, depending on what you're using.

Yield: Enough crab boil seasoning for 5 pounds of seafood.