Cajun Seafood Boil

This spicy Cajun boil , inspired by one served at Charles Seafood in Harahan, Louisiana, has been a reader favorite since it first graced our pages in 2013. The key to a good boil is making sure your ingredients don’t overcook. Start with your vegetables and spices, then layer in your seafood last.

Featured in “ New Orleans ” by Lolis Eric Elie.

• 1¼ cups kosher salt, divided
• 5 lb. whole live crawfish
• 2 lb. medium waxy potatoes
• 6 celery stalks, cut into 3-in. pieces
• 2 medium yellow onions, quartered
• 1 garlic head, halved crosswise
• 1 lemon, halved, plus additional wedges for serving
• ½ cup Creole seasoning
• ½ cup Old Bay Seasoning
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 3 lb. head-on jumbo shrimp
• 3 medium ears corn, shucked and halved
• Cocktail sauce, for serving
• Hot sauce, preferably Original Louisiana, for serving

Instructions

1. To a large stockpot filled with 2 gallons of cold water, add 1 cup of the salt and whisk until dissolved. Add the crawfish and set aside for 20 minutes. Drain the pot, rinse the crawfish well, and transfer them to a large bowl. Refrigerate.
2. To the empty pot, add the potatoes, celery, onions, garlic, lemon halves, Creole seasoning, Old Bay, Worcestershire, cayenne, the remaining salt, and 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 10–12 minutes. Add the reserved crawfish, the shrimp, and corn, cover the pot, and cook until the seafood is just cooked through, 5–7 minutes.
3. Drain the contents of the pot into a large colander or sieve, discarding the cooking liquid. Transfer the crawfish, shrimp, potatoes, corn, celery, and onions to a large platter. Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail and hot sauces on the side.