How To Make Crawfish Etouffee

Peel the crawfish by twisting the tail from the head and squeezing the juices from the head into a bowl.

Remove the first segment of the shell from the tail and drop the peeled tail into a separate bowl.

Repeat the peeling process until you have a bowl full of crawfish tails.

Chop up the vegetables: onions, bell peppers, and celery.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pot to start the roux.

Add 1 cup of white flour to the melted butter and stir continuously to avoid clumps.

Cook the roux until it reaches a caramel color, not as dark as a chocolate color.

Add the diced onions to the roux and lower the temperature to allow the onions to caramelize.

After 4-5 minutes, when the onions have started to take on color, add the remaining chopped vegetables except for the green onion tops and garlic.

Let the vegetables cook down for a few minutes until they soften.

Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

Pour in 2 cups of crawfish water, adding it in increments to achieve the desired consistency.

Allow the mixture to thicken, stirring occasionally, and adjust the heat as necessary.

Once thickened, add the pound of crawfish tails and mix well.

Add the green onion tops, reserving some for garnish, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add 1 bay leaf, raise the heat to a simmer, and cook for another 15 minutes.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, adjusting to taste.

Let it simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes before tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.

Serve the crawfish etouffee over rice and garnish with remaining green onion tops.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: