Crawfish Boil

[mrtr33]

After eating the tail do you suck the juice?

One of these days I'm going to Louisiana. Just love the food.

I'll say it. You want to know if we suck the heads? I do, but it depends. A common misconception is that when you suck the heads you get brains and eyeballs. The shell is actually hollow. All you are getting when you suck the juice out of the body is just the flavor of the spice used in the boil. And it depends on the boil mixture. Some people just use Zatarain's as a boil mixture, but others are as particular about their mix as a Texan is about their chili, or a west Tennessean is about their BBQ sauce. I don't ever get sick of the Zatarain's stuff, but considering the crawfish season is only about 4-5 months long, I usually can't.

Come on down! I would say probably the best time of year to come down is in the spring time, closely followed by the fall. The weather is bearable then, the heat and humidity are what summers are like in other parts of the country, and there aren't as many mosquitoes. Plus, it's absolutely gorgeous. About the only downside to springs and falls here is that there are some pretty gnarly thunderstorms. Aside from that, it's great.

[CAJUNBLAZE]

You want to try boiling your vegs before your crawfish, somehow they seem sweeter. Those mushrooms never taste better!! Trying out new things can only make it better, but watch out for soft vegs they will ruin your water. If I was doing softer vegs, I would put them in the washed crawfish sack, that way I could take them out when ready and have more control of the cooking process.
Always add more, alot more seasoning then you think you need on the first boil. You can always soak for less time, but remember the next boil will always be hotter than the first. Glad you enjoyed.

Rich

I have put a firm fish in a crawfish sack and boiled it after the vegs but before the crawfish. I'll let you try that one!!!

[mrtr33]

In just about all the boils I've attended, they put the potatoes in a few minutes before putting the crawfish in. Then after they put the bugs in, they put in veggies. Didn't notice any sogginess of anything, except maybe the onions. Everything was great.

I guess my only hesitation doing all the veggies first is that they'll get cold while waiting for the bugs to cook. I don't know. To each their own.

[CAJUNBLAZE]

When you finish cooking the vegs you put them in a ice chest. They just stay cleaner and sweeter if you boil them in two batches. It also works as an snack before the bugs. I suck the heads also.

I'll show you a boil when you come down to do that duck hunting!

Rich

[DeeDubya]

Great thread guys. Good information.

[mrtr33]

While we're at it, it's important to note one more factor in boiling crawfish.

Some people swear by "purging" the crawfish before boiling. This process puts the crawfish, just before they are to be boiled, in a salt water bath. The thinking is that the salt water will make them poop, thus "cleaning them out". A typical purge is for about 5-10 minutes.

Another side of the argument is that purging is unnecessary, and in fact puts more stress on the crawfish. I've never understood the latter part of that argument, as I think I'd be stressed as well if I was a crawfish and there was a 42 quart pot of boiling water nearby.

I've seen boils done both ways. You do run the risk of having a few poopy crawfish with the latter method, BUT, you run the risk of cooking dead crawfish with the former method. For the boil that I just did, I didn't purge. In fact, no one I know purges anymore. That was so 1990's. I have been to a boil this season where the guy insists on purging. To each their own.

Now, an interesting argument would be that purging actually pre-seasons the crawfish. I don't know about that. Never noticed, to tell the truth. Rich?

[CAJUNBLAZE]

My take on purging is simple. If you get crawfish from a seafood house and they are already divided in size, they have already been cleaned and in a cooler for awhile. I don't think purging is needed as long as there is not a lot of trash visible in the sack and the crawfish look clean.
If you do like we do, we get them from fisherman or run our own traps. We always purge and you can taste the difference. You can also see the difference in the boiled water itself. I understood it really doesn't make them poop as much as throw up. It gets evrything out of there stomachs that would wind up in your boil. This is also another reason we boil the side items before the crawfish and not with them. This is very true for crabs also.

Rich

[FunkyCold5]

Sounds like it was a success! Where are the pics?

Clam bakes or crawfish boil, anyway you cut it, I LOVE seafood, especially shellfish.

I wish that Crawfish was in season when I went down to NOLA for Mardi Gras. I ate my fill of oysters, fried seafood, and muffalettas (sp?).

Definitely need to go down and experience a crawfish boil next time.

Andrew

[CAJUNBLAZE]

Sounds like it was a success! Where are the pics?

Clam bakes or crawfish boil, anyway you cut it, I LOVE seafood, especially shellfish.

I wish that Crawfish was in season when I went down to NOLA for Mardi Gras. I ate my fill of oysters, fried seafood, and muffalettas (sp?).

Definitely need to go down and experience a crawfish boil next time.

Andrew

Andrew,
You are invited anytime!

Rich

[mrtr33]

Sounds like it was a success! Where are the pics?

Clam bakes or crawfish boil, anyway you cut it, I LOVE seafood, especially shellfish.

I wish that Crawfish was in season when I went down to NOLA for Mardi Gras. I ate my fill of oysters, fried seafood, and muffalettas (sp?).

Definitely need to go down and experience a crawfish boil next time.

Andrew

I'm surprised you couldn't find it in NO around Mardi Gras time. It would have been REALLY expensive, but probably still attainable. Echoing Rich's invitation, anytime you find yourself down here do let us know. We are just about at the end of the crawfish season now, to give you an idea.