i regret opening this thread... starving and craving crawfish now

In addition to the other veggies mentioned, throw in some okra too. It turns out really well.

I get all mine from BCSseafood. They are jet ourged for at least 24 hrs before you get them and he deilivers them right to your door. Cleanest, biggest crawfish you will ever get.

To cook I do the following.

Mr crawfish seasoning (available at HEB)(extra spicy is extra spicy, get the regular unless you want super hot)

Cut and 1/4 4 or 5 lemons. Cut and 1/4 2 onions. seasoning to taste. Get a large jar of cut up garlic and put in 1/4 cup to start. and some regular salt. (for a different added twist, mix in some pineapple when you put in the lemons and onions.

After each batch I add a little more seasoning and a little more garlic.

I usually boil the sausage 1st to get the sausage flavor mixed in as well.

Sausage, taters, corn, the crawfish and if I'm doing a little shrimp with it, I do the shrimp last.

when you add the crawfish bring it back to a boil(rolling). When you achieve this turn burner off and let crawfish soak for 10-12 minutes. Remove crawfish and repeat until all done.

when you put in a cooler, throw a stick of butter on top, let it melt, then shake cooler back and forth to mix.

[This message has been edited by csagyo (edited 2/24/2011 8:44a).]

In lieu of lemons, use lemon oil instead. Half a teaspoon per pot is all you need.

This thread got me interested in what "the internet" says about purging....salt vs no salt, etc.

The first site to come up is pretty cool.

Take a look at the blue crawfish.

http://www.cookinglouisiana.com/Articles/Crawfish_Facts.htm

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Forget that BS about dusting them with seasoning in the cooler. Let me ask this, do you eat the shells?

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No, I don't eat the shells. But then again, I do peel and eat crawfish with my hands. Amazing how that dusting gets all over your hands, then onto the meat as you tear into the delicious little bugs and chow down. Dry seasoning also provides different flavors than liquid boil does, so there is an added bonus there. Try dusting with a mix of Tony's and a little cayenne - you may acutally like it. You don't need much, just enough to get a little on each bug.

To say that dusting is pointless is nowhere near accurate. Additionally, with dusting, you don't necessarily have to let them soak for the 15 or 20 minutes either. It speeds up your cooking time while providing the same additional flavor.

RE: Purging - if you are adding so much salt that you kill the bugs, then purging isn't doing you any good. It doesn't take much salt to purge. Some say it's good, others say it's a waste of time. I figure at the very least it hurts absolutely nothing, so might as well do what we've been doing for years.

To each his own though.

I'm starving.

Never understood the purge part. I pull the vein / poop chute out of the tail before eating. Why flush that if you are going to pull it out anyway?

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Why flush that if you are going to pull it out anyway?

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I'd just as soon not have crawfish crap in the water they are being boiled in, but that's me.

I've never deveined a crawfish, so that's a new one. May look into it next time I find myself neck deep in the awesomeness that is boiled crawfish just out of curiosity now.

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See, now you have me doubting myself. Do I pull the vein on mudbugs or am I thinking another crustacean.

Must find some boiled crawfish soon to verify.

many overcook. this makes the tail tough and hard to peel. 15-20 min. is too long in my humble 100% cajun opinion.

If anybody is thinking of cooking this weekend they are $2.99 at Tower Point HEB.

Normally wouldnt pay that much but Im starting to get the shakes so probly gonna get a sack to snack on.

I may go see if I can stir up some crabs tomorrow and cook them and a few pounds of bugs

with our powers combined, this is now my go-to method.

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Cook all corn first with ½ box of seasoning, some Tonys, 1 stick of butter, cayenne, and salt. Remove and place in cooler. Do not change boil. Add 1 lemon (quartered), 4 heads of garlic (2 whole, 2 mashed), 8 small potatoes, 3 bell peppers (sliced), 1 jar of pearl onions (cut in half), 1 box dry seasoning, 1 stalk of celery (diced), salt, cayenne, 2 sticks of butter, epic tons of sausage, and Tonys. Cook these first over low heat for 25 minutes, then add to previous cooler with another stick of butter, Tonys, and ½ seasoning. Shake lightly. Do not change boil. Add bugs, 2 sticks of butter, more sausage, 1 lemon (quartered), 1 head of garlic (peeled), ½ jar onions (cut in half), and 1 bell pepper (sliced). Turn the heat off as soon as the boil returns, cover, and let sit 15ish minutes. Half way through, add okra. Remove, add to seperate cooler with another stick of butter, Tonys, and cayenne. Shake heavily. Repeat process as needed, knowing boil will get spicier as you go. After each batch, changing boil is optional. When making last batch, remove half of the water, add beer (preferably light), and then 2 blocks of Velveeta to veggies and 3 to bugs. Alternatively, instead of cheese, add a brisket by itself. Later, when hammered and hungry again, remove brisket and enjoy.

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Easy as hell recipe...3 onions diced, 1 stalk of celery diced, 2 red peppers diced, and as much garlic as you like. NB - dice them as chunky or fine as you want the end product. Cook all that down with 2 sticks of butter on low low heat for at least 30-45 minutes. Add some water, crawfish tails and cook over low heat for another 30-40 minutes, add cayenne pepper AND Tony's to taste.

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Are you really trying to pass this off as etouffee?

yeah, it seems to be missing a few things

I'm just lazy and go to Pincher's ( a local restruant) and order 3 lbs


On deveining:

As I eat a crawfish I push Its tail into it's body , withdraw , and twist. I then pinch the tail and pull the meat out ( FIFY PROTECTED) and through the rest away.

My wife informed me that she wants to do a crawfish boil for her 40th birthday party this spring. I'll probably be cooking 3-4 sacks, so this is a good refresher.

I usually only purge them with a light dose of salt for about 2-3 hours. They always turn out great. I usually wash them with the water hose and re-rinse them 2-3 times in the ice chest (150 qt.).

Once they're cleaned off/out, I do batches in my 30qt stainless pot with basket. I put lemon, butter, seasoning, corn, and potatoes, mushrooms sometimes. My buddies like artichokes in there. Sounds good, but never tried it.

Boil the pot, throw the bugs in, let it come back to a boil for a couple minutes, and when they float, take them out and put them in a clean ice chest. Sprinkle Swamp Dust, Tony's, whatever on them and let them steam for a while. Makes them slip right out of the shell, and lots of butter helps that, as well. I've always gotten good feedback on my bugs when we have parties.

This is how we cook em'...20 sacks at a time.