Crawfish Boil Foil Packets (Printer-friendly)

Spicy crawfish, corn, potatoes, and sausage grilled in foil packets for a flavorful Southern twist.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound cooked crawfish tails, peeled
02 - 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, optional

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 ears corn, cut into 4 pieces each
04 - 12 baby potatoes, halved
05 - 1 red onion, cut into wedges
06 - 1 lemon, sliced

→ Sausage

07 - 8 ounces andouille or smoked sausage, sliced

→ Seasonings

08 - 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning blend
09 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

→ Fats and Liquids

14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - In a large bowl, combine crawfish tails, shrimp if using, corn, potatoes, onion, sausage, and lemon slices.
03 - Drizzle mixture with melted butter and olive oil. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Cut four large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each approximately 16 inches in length. Divide the mixture evenly among the sheets, piling ingredients in the center of each.
05 - Fold up the short sides, then the long sides, sealing each packet tightly to prevent leaks.
06 - Place packets seam-side up on the grill. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until potatoes are fork-tender and seafood is heated through.
07 - Carefully open packets, watching for hot steam. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with extra lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Each packet is its own complete meal, so everyone gets perfect portions without the endless ladling and serving confusion.
  • Your grill does the work while you mingle instead of standing over a pot watching water boil.
  • No massive cleanup—just dispose of foil and you're done, which honestly might be the best part of summer cooking.
02 -
  • Parboil your potatoes for five minutes before assembly if you want them truly tender; raw ones need 30+ minutes to soften and can throw off your timing.
  • Don't use thin foil—it tears, leaks, and ruins the whole premise of these packets being self-contained.
  • Season generously but taste as you go; the spices fade slightly during cooking, so what seems bold in the bowl works perfectly on the grill.
03 -
  • Double-layer your foil if you're worried about punctures, or use the commercial-grade heavy-duty kind that feels almost like parchment.
  • Make packets ahead of time, refrigerate them, and throw them straight on the grill when guests arrive; it cuts your last-minute stress in half.
  • Open one packet slightly before grilling to test if it's ready rather than unwrapping an entire packet, which wastes heat.
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