Boiled Crawfish (Reason #5,283 Why I Love Louisiana)

As a current Louisiana resident, it’s never long before I hear the words “Crawfish Season” and questions like, “how much are those mudbugs right now?”

On the LSU campus, signs for “Crawfish Coming Soon!” litter Highland Road and food trucks take up space in the Smoothie King parking lot (yes, only in Louisiana can you get your one stop shop for fresh fruit smoothies and boiled crawfish).

And it’s no wonder these seemingly weird juxtapositions present themselves: Baton Rogue is a “modern” city with big chains and restaurants on every corner, butCrawfish, its beloved fresh water crustacean crop, is a huge part of Louisiana’s culture and cuisine.  In Cajun and Creole dishes, Crawfish find their way into classics like etouffées and gumbos, but alfredos and other dishes indulge Louisiana’s appetite for Crawfish too.  For the shellfish lover, crawfish is a wonderful local substitute to any kind of dish, but really is best when eaten by itself.

Pictured: plus, crawfish are kind of cute with their bulging eyes and whiskers, donning the handlebar mustache of the shellfish community.

“Crawfish” or really “Crayfish” come from the Modern French word “écrevisse” (literally meaning “crayfish”) but many Louisiana natives know them as “mudbugs,” “crawdads,” and even “yabbies.”

Local children grow up eating them early in childhood, instilled with a sense that yes, those tails are spicy and clearly delicious:

Might I also add that Louisiana children grow into the most interesting adults, somehow wielding an inherent sense for cooking their crawfish friends.  Case in point, Rich Cooper, aka “The Crawfish Master”:

I guess the point is that in Louisiana, everything is a bit…different.  Foods are spicier, people are nicer, and crawfish–a rather expensive import in most parts of the country–is pretty much dirt cheap mid-season.  People don’t “picnic” together, they “boil” together, and eat one of the best things I have ever had–fresh, melt-in your mouth crawfish tails that dangerously teeter a fine line between too spicy and just right.

Only in Louisiana.

Boiled Crawfish

There are as many ways to boil crawfish as there are mudbugs in Louisiana.  Some like it hot and spicy–where the spices seasoning the crawfish burn your lips–whereas others like it nuveau-Cajun–boiling whole pineapples, cans of beans, etc.  This recipe is my own rendering of Rich’s tried and true recipe for Boiled Crawfish.  Some proportions may be off a bit, but the key to a solid Crawfish Boil is the right amount of seasonings.  Trust me, those “mud bugs” need some serious flavor.

What I love about the way Rich cooks crawfish is that he continues to add the same dose of spices with each new batch so that the last batch is the spiciest.  Follow the directions below for a crawfish boil that starts out seemingly spicy and ends up piping hot.  Now THAT’S how you cook crawfish in Louisiana!

SERVING SIZE: 3-5 lbs per person

Ingredients:

* 90-100 lbs live Louisiana crawfish (we bought ours from Tony’s Seafood at $1.99 a pound)

* 2 boxes salt, for purging

* 4 (1-pound) boxes of Crawfish Boil Seasoning (available at any supermarket in Louisiana, but can also be found online, here)

* 1 sac garlic, whole, lightly peeled

* 1 sac white or yellow onions, peeled

* 1-2 lbs corn on the cob, frozen (can use fresh, shucked corn so long as it’s cut in half)

* 1-2 5lb bags red potatoes

* 1 sac lemons

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS: many Louisiana residents swear by the addition of onions, mushrooms, or smoked sausage.  For several different takes on Boiling Crawfish see John Brennan’s recipe, or one available at Group Recipes here.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

* 20 gallon pot to boil including a strainer & pot stand (this pot is a bit of an investment, but can be reused for crawfish boils & frying turkey)

* propane tank & pot hookup

* large picnic table covered in newspaper

* tons of paper towels (you’ll need them)

* latex gloves–some prefer to protect their hands when eating crawfish, but really these aren’t necessary

* a hose & water (for cleaning the pot, filling it up, cleaning the table, and covering the uncooked crawfish)

* several oversized ice chests, to hold the crawfish while purging

1.) Take your fresh Louisiana Crawfish and add to as many ice chests as you need, cover with water and salt.  Allow crawfish to sit for at least 15 minutes so that they can “purge” any debris or dead crawfish.  Pick out dead crawfish, debris, and trashy greens.

2.) Repeat this step until the water is “clean” and no grass, dead crawfish, or debris remains in your tub.

3.) Meanwhile, fill a large 20-gallon pot halfway full with fresh water and place on the outdoor cooker stand.  Hook up to propane cooker, light, and bring to a boil.  Make sure your propane light is raging and covers the entire bottom of the pot.  In about 15 minutes, your water should come to a boil, but it may take a little longer depending on the size of your pot.

4.) Add Crawfish Boil Seasoning to water according to the directions on the box.  Close lid and return water to a raging boil.

5.) Remove lid and add lemons and onions if using.  Allow to boil for 10 minutes uncovered.

6.) Now, you may add the important ingredients: corn, potatoes, and garlic.  Allow to cook for ten minutes or until potatoes and corn are done.  Add the crawfish about 4-5 lbs at a time so that you don’t affect the boiling water’s temperature too quickly.  After the crawfish are added, you may find that you need to increase the pot’s temperature.

7.) Allow crawfish to boil another 13-15 minutes.

8.) Check for doneness at 13-15 minutes or until they are bright red.  Some cooks turn off the heat and allow the crawfish to temper for another 10 minutes before serving, but if you’re making several batches like us, simply remove the crawfish carefully with the help of the inside basket, a friend, and several pot holders.

9.) Pour cooked crawfish and side dishes onto a covered picnic table and allow to sit for several minutes.  They’ll be extremely hot, so you may wish to wait a few minutes before eating them.

10.) Dig in! Vegetables are eaten whole (potatoes and corn off the cob), but garlic may be pressed out of its peelings and spread on any of your “fixings”–crawfish, potatoes, or corn.

If cooking 1-2 more large batches, repeat steps 4-9.

Enjoy! Makes close to 30 servings.

Some tips on Peeling Crawfish:

1.) Remove tail from the crawfish’s torso/body.  “Suck the head” if you’re feeling dangerous.

2.) Pinch the crawfish “fin” with one finger and using your thumb, break open the under-side of the crawfish’s tail.  The meat should slide right out.  Repeat.

–Helana Brigman

—

Follow me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/helana/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DancesWLobsters

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clearly-Delicious/103136413059101

Tumblr: http://clearlydelicious.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helanabrigman