How to Host a Crawfish Party

Instructions:

things you'll need: LIVE crawfish, shrimp, frozen sweet corn on the cob - halved, small onions, small red new potatoes, bag of lemons - halved, whole mushrooms - optional, several large bags or boxes of crawfish boil seasoning, copy paper box lids or other large cardboard lids - one for each guest lots of foil, keep the styrofoam container the crawfish are shipped in, beer beer and more beer, plenty of ice, several large fold-out tables, two large outdoor propane cookers complete with pots and basket inserts, thick potholders, guests, other drinks, utensils, party favors

*Step 1

Louisiana crawfish season runs from about February thru May. The best months to host a party are right in between. In February the prices may be a little higher than the latter months until the population of crawfish increase.

*Step 2

Three weeks before your party decide on your guest list. Send out invitations and have your guests RSVP within a week. Each person can eat about two to three pounds of crawfish and you need to plan your order. This sounds like a lot, but of course they won't be eating the whole thing!

*Step 3

Once you have determined the number of guests, approximate how many pounds of crawfish you will need. If you have 30 guests multiply that by 2 or 3 as I said in step 1. 60 pounds of live crawfish will feed 15 - 30 guests and 90 pounds should feed between 25-35 guests.

*Step 4

Go online and find a site that carries LIVE crawfish. Make sure that site guarantees that you will receive them alive. Plan on having the crawfish delivered to you on the day of the event, no earlier than the day before. Make sure the company is aware of what day your event is on.

*Step 5

If you have a Local Market close by, they may also carry live crawfish but you need to plan on picking it up in store.

*Step 6

A few days before the party grab the cardboard box lids and line the inside of each with foil. These will serve as your guests plates. Make sure your yard is mowed and that you have the area looking nice. Make sure you have filled your propane tanks too.

*Step 7

The day of your party make sure the Bayou Classic Stockpots and Baskets that you will cook the crawfish in are cleaned. Go ahead and set up the Bayou Classic propane cookers outside and get these ready. Fill each pot with water. I recommended having two of them just so you can have the food ready quickly.

*Step 8

On the day of your party set up your folding tables outside. Bring cardboard box lids outside and place on table also. Decorate your area accordingly.

*Step 9

Make sure there is plenty of seating for all your guests.

*Step 10

Load the beer coolers with ice and beer. Get those drinks iced down good!

*Step 11

Line the styrofoam container the crawfish were shipped in with foil.

*Step 12

By now, hopefully your crawfish have arrived. If you ordered from a site where the crawfish have not been pre-purged, you will need to perform this step. Put all crawfish into a large ice chest, tub, or small children's pool. Hose them down with water. Supposedly purging releases the extra mud from their system. If any float to the top throw them out -they're dead or dying. Drain water and repeat. If the crawfish have been pre-purged then just hose them off with water while still in the bags.

*Step 13

Research how to cook the crawfish. Equipment you will need: Large Stockpot with a boiling basket that fits perfectly inside the Large Stockpot, and a outdoor Propane Burner that can hold the large Stockpot.

http://www.bayouclassiccooking.com/decrkit.html

*Step 14

Once the guests start arriving, start cooking the crawfish and vegetables. After the appropriate amount of seasoning is added to the pot according to step 13, cook the potatoes first since they take the longest. Then add the lemons, garlic, mushrooms and corn. Finally add the crawfish and shrimp. Once cooked, allow the food to simmer in the pot for extra spice.

Carefully remove the basket after cooking is complete, drain basket and dump the food into the foil lined styrofoam container. Start eating and enjoy!!!

*from Ehow.com