If you want a fun, new, exciting dip, check out my Crawfish Dip recipe. This appetizer takes simple crawfish tails to a whole new level. Crawfish are a Southern delicacy, and I love incorporating them wherever possible.
If you’ve never tried crawfish, you’re in for a treat! This tasty Crawfish Queso is the perfect introduction to the wide world of crustaceans. My Crawfish Dip is ideal for any game day, summer cookout, barbecue, and more! Give it a try, and let me know what you think.
Crawfish Dip Recipe | Heath Riles BBQ
This dip cooks to perfection on the Traeger Ironwood XL, giving it that perfect kiss of smoke. Smoking the cream cheese infuses the Crawfish Dip with a classic BBQ flavor. The best part of this recipe? The pit does most of the work, giving you time to kick back and relax.
The Ingredients
Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.
- Cream cheese. Cream cheese is an excellent base for any dip. It takes on the flavor of whatever seasonings you pair it with, especially when smoked! I also add Velveeta and Parmesan cheese to give the dip a well-rounded flavor.
- Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub. Add a taste of NOLA to your life with this decadent blend. You can use it to jazz up burgers, steaks, veggies, and more.
- Veggies. I added the “holy trinity” to this recipe: diced bell pepper, onion, and celery. This gave the Hot Crawfish Dip texture and a bit of color.
- Crawfish tails. Crawfish tails are slightly sweet with a firm texture. This makes them a great addition to dips, salads, and more. If you’re feeling adventurous, catch your own crawfish.
- Killer Hogs Hot Sauce. If you’re looking for a good hot sauce, I’ve got you covered. This hot sauce comes from good buddies of mine. I put a dash on nearly everything!
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This is my number one bestseller, and it’s easy to see why! Everyone seems to be trading traditional salt and pepper for this zesty alternative. You can use it on popcorn, chicken, steak, and more.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites can be found in the Equipment and Tools section.
- Pellet grill/smoker. I cooked this Crawfish Dip Recipe on the Traeger Ironwood XL. This pit is incredible because it can be used to grill or smoke. The Traeger Ironwood XL has many excellent features, like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation.
You can’t go wrong with the Traeger Ironwood XL if you cook large quantities of food. It’s roomy without taking up your entire patio. Plus, it’s ultra-durable, lasting for years!
- Charcoal. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. I love this brand because you get clean smoke with no fillers. It gives the steak a rich, deep flavor that tastes authentic. This charcoal burns hot and fast!
The Process for Making Crawfish Dip
You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe within the video and recipe card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled this crawfish queso together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood XL with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 275℉. I placed my YETI 12" Cast Iron Skillet on the pit to heat while preparing for the next steps.
- Smoke the cream cheese. I scored the cream cheese, then seasoned it liberally with Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub. I set it on the Traeger Ironwood XL’s grates and let it smoke for a couple of hours.
- Saute the veggies. When the skillet had warmed up for about an hour, I added the butter to the pan and let it melt. Then, I bumped the grill’s temp up to 300℉, tossed in my diced bell pepper, onion, and celery, and let it saute until soft. This took about 30 minutes.
- Add crawfish. Once the veggies were semisoft, I added the crawfish tails and Rotel, stirring until homogenous. I topped the veggie and crawfish mixture with Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. I shut the grill’s lid and let the crawfish cook for another 10 minutes.
- Build the dip. To add a little spice, I topped the crawfish and veggies with Killer Hogs Hot Sauce. Then, I bumped the grill up to 350℉, folded in the cream cheese, and added the Velveeta. I let the hot Crawfish Dip melt for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. To finish the Crawfish Dip, I topped it with some shredded Parmesan cheese and Heath Riles BBQ Cajun Creole Garlic Butter Rub, letting the cheese melt until bubbly. This dip had a total cook time of 2 ½ hours.
- Garnish and serve. I removed the Crawfish Dip from the pit and topped it with homemade pico de gallo. The only thing left was to let the dip cool before digging in!
The Results
The Crawfish Dip came off the pit with a brilliant color, thanks to all the decadent seasonings. It was the perfect blend of hot and savory. Adding three different types of cheese ensured the dip was as tasty as it was creamy!
Serving Suggestions for Hot Crawfish Dip
I like serving my Crawfish Dip with crostinis, but you can also add potato chips, pita chips, tortilla chips, or veggies.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover Hot Crawfish Dip in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dip as the texture is too different when thawed.
Equipment and Tools
YETI 12" Cast Iron Skillet, Traeger Ironwood XL, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood pellets, disposable cutting board, Heath Riles Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves, ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Spatula.
