I went to my first Crawfish Boil, and here’s what I learned
Before I get to the crawfish boil, you should know that I grew up on the East Coast. So I’m used to summers of boiling little neck clams drenched in melted butter, and crab boils where you leave coated in Old Bay seasoning. But I’ve never had crawfish before moving to Galveston – so this was a real treat.
This felt like an official “Welcome to the Gulf Coast” party! I went to my first crawfish boil, where I learned the secrets of the spices, how to eat them, how to use the leftovers, and how to get the seafood smell off your hands (which might be the most important tip).
What are crawfish?
Crawfish, also called crawdads (did you read the book, too?), are small crustaceans that live in freshwater. Their season is March-May, as the crawfish grow best in warm weather with lots of rain. The majority are harvested in Louisiana, but are a popular dish throughout the south.
How do you eat crawfish?
The meat tastes sweet like crab and lobster, and are most commonly cooked in Cajun spices. The most common way to prepare them is to boil them in a large (really, oversized) pot with whole small potatoes, corn on the cob, lemon, and sausage. Sometimes vegetables like brussels sprouts will be thrown in, and really soak up those spices in the process. Depending on who’s cooking, these can be SPICY, especially if they continue to stew in the seasoning post-boil.
To eat, you find the joint between the tail and the head, and pull apart. Some people suck on the base of the head (where you just separated the tail from), and then turn to the tail for the main event. Loosen the seam of the shell just enough to sink your teeth into the meat, and pinch the base of the tail (like you would a shrimp tail) while you pull it out. You can also loosen the seam even more and simply use your fingers to pull out the meat from the tail. If you’re a visual person, watch how here.
What do I need to throw my own crawfish boil?
Cooking Supplies
To cook for a large group, you’ll want a large stock pot, strainer, and a propane tank to get the water to a boil quickly (see the kit below). You’ll also want to think about where the shells will go as you eat, such as in a bucket or in a large bowl depending on your party size. If you’re doing a group sit-down, be sure you have newspaper or butcher paper spread out to dump the crawfish onto, and keep the paper towels handy for clean up.
To season, you can use a spice pack (also sold at the local seafood market) or Old Bay (my Maryland roots would support this choice!).
Sourcing Crawfish
You also need enough people to enjoy them with you! Crawfish are sold by the pound, and you should plan to purchase 3-4 pounds of live crawfish per person. Crawfish can be purchased at a number of places, like seafood markets or your local grocery store’s seafood counter in season.
Cooking Process
Add in your spices, potatoes, and corn while the water comes to a boil, followed by your brussels sprouts and lemon if using. Allow to boil for 15 minutes, turn off the flame, and sit in the water for another 15 minutes. Afterwards, pull out the strainer with crawfish and add them to a new container to cool for a few minutes before digging in. As you’re eating, if you come across a crawfish that was boiled and its tail lays flat, rather than curled in on itself, that means it was dead before it hit the pot and you should not eat it.
Make it Extra Good
To make your boil great, be sure to provide other snacks and drinks to enjoy alongside the crawfish. Things like garlic bread, pasta salad, and watermelon feta salad are all great choices to pair with it. Essentially you don’t want to add anything too spicy or salty, since you’ll get that from the crawfish itself. Also, your guests will definitely want dessert – so again think about having something refreshing like a fruit salad, lemon cookies, or puff pastries. And don’t forget the napkins!
How do you get rid of crawfish shells?
Is it time to clean up already? If you find you bought too much, you can spend some time picking the crawfish and saving the meat for another special meal: crawfish étoufféé. This stew is made with onion, celery, and bell peppers in a roux that makes the dish incredibly thick and creamy, and is incredible served over rice.
After a few hours of great company and feasting, make sure you take care of the crawfish shells and water responsibly. Do not put crawfish shells down the drain if you have a garbage disposal. You’ll want to double bag the shells and put them directly in the trash, or bury them on your property.
The scent of the spices and crawfish can linger for a while on your hands, so rub some sliced citrus on your hands to help cut the scent before you use soap and water to scrub.