In the South, a crawfish boil is a celebrated way to ring in the spring and summertime. While it’s meant to be spent with friends and family, you don’t have to go to a restaurant to enjoy this seafood feast—you can host the event right in your home. Before you head to the fresh seafood market, go over the following tips to prepare for your gathering.

3 Tips for Preparing for a Crawfish Boil

1. Calculate the Quantity

You’ll need to buy enough crawfish to feed your guests for the main course, not just the hors d'oeuvres. At the minimum, count on buying three to five pounds of the seafood per person. However, you might want to stock up on some extras just in case. While this may seem like an excessive amount of crawfish, keep in mind that most of this weight is the inedible shell.

2. Gather the Equipment

Crawfish need to be boiled in water, then set aside on ice to cool down. Since you’ll probably want everyone’s food to be ready at the same time, you’ll need a pot big enough to handle the job. If you're hosting around 5 to 7 guests, a 60qt pot will work fine. This will comfortably cook 30 pounds of crawfish at once. For the cool-down, make sure you have a large, wide cooler with several bags of ice dumped into it.

3. Prepare the Seasoning

Whether you like Old Bay or the Cajun mixture at your fresh seafood market, make sure you have plenty of appropriate and complementary seasonings on hand. If the mixture doesn’t already contain sea salt, ensure you have a shaker that contains some. You’ll also need to add vegetables to the boil to enhance the flavor of the seafood. Popular choices include potatoes, garlic, onion, and corn on the cob, which can also be eaten as sides.

If you’re hoping to host a memorable crawfish boil this summer, turn to Billy's Seafood for supplies. This fresh seafood market is based in Bon Secour, AL, where no one is a stranger to delicious seafood. In addition to delectable crawfish, they also provide shrimp, oysters, crab, and red snapper to complete your seafood feast. To learn more about their mouth-watering options, visit the website, or call (251) 949-6288 to speak with a representative about their inventory.