Nothing screams spring in New Orleans quite like a crawfish boil. The smells of fresh ground hot cayenne pepper, entire heads of whole garlic cloves, smoky paprika, simmering onions, and roasting thyme combining in the humid Louisiana air are a sure-fire sign that spring has sprung, and that Mardi Gras is right around the corner.

Determining crawfish season isn’t as simple as picking dates on a calendar and sticking to them year after year—weather, especially temperature and precipitation, has a big effect on crawfish availability. The length of the season also depends on where you’re located: Louisiana’s crawfish season stretches a bit longer than the Texas season. But just because crawfish season doesn’t have a standard beginning or end doesn’t mean there isn’t a right time to get your crawfish.

Crawfish Boil Recipe

for 1 sack

1 stalk Celery

3 LBS. Onions

10 to 12 Garlic Cloves

1 bag of Lemons

3 Navel Oranges

1 Large Bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce

16 oz Bottle liquid Crab Boil

3 Bags of the bag seasoning

Bay Leaves (usually 1/3 of a big bottle)

1 jar zatarains power mix

and then i add a medium bottle of cayenne pepper