10 of the Best Side Dishes for Your Crawfish Etouffee, 5 Things to Consider When Determining a Crawfishs Sex, 4 Amazing Benefits You Can Get from Eating Seafood, What Are the Health Benefits You Can Get From Seafood, The Differences between Crawfish, Crawdads, and Crayfish. #2-Separating Crawfish's Head From Its Tail Most times, youll be eating crawfish with your hands and youll need to know the proper technique to get all the meat. Its not worth the effort to try to break open these tiny claws. This is how you can eat boiled Crawfish. Using your fingers, peel back and remove the tail section of the crawfish. Unlike lobster, where the tail is the main delicacy, crawfish tails are too small to cook by themselves. Due to the complexity of vitamins found in crawfish can help your immunity system as they contain B-complex vitamins, folates, niacin, vitamin B6, thiamin, and riboflavin. If youre a right-handed person, you should seize the crawfishs head using your left hand. Crawfish are small crustaceans that live in freshwater, such as rivers. Place the crawfish in an oven-safe baking dish. The meat inside the tail is the most popular part of the crawfish. 5. Be sure to remove the small, hard intestine that runs the length of the tail. Find a trusted supplier for whole crawfish, and choose domestic varieties for the best quality. Pinch the head between two finger with one hand, and hold the tail with your other hand. Add the crawfish to a baking dish. Louisiana Crawfish touffe 256 Ratings Louisiana Crawfish Boil 28 Ratings Louisiana Crawfish Bisque 53 Ratings Crawfish Fettuccine I 143 Ratings Louisiana Crawfish Ya-Ya Pasta 36 Ratings Crawfish Cornbread 65 Ratings Crawfish Pistolettes The intestines and other organs of the crawfish are not edible. Since then, she has had many adventures in storytelling, online and on the road. Because they are freshwater crustaceans, crawfish are naturally less salty than lobsters. Add a pint heavy cream some chicken stock and some white wine. Peel off the shell and eat the meat inside. Toss dried thyme, oregano, mustard and dill weed into the pot with crumbled bay leaves. For 6-8 normal crawfish eating people you will need at least 30 pounds of crawfish. Break Open the Crawfish in Steps If you're a right-handed person, you should seize the crawfish's head using your left hand. Peel the tail away from the meat, like you would a shrimp, and start eating. Put a strainer inside of the pot. bags. If you want to emerge as the winner, not only do you have to know the steps by heart, but you also have to prepare your appetite for a crawfish-filled meal!. Pinch the base of the tail to force the meat foreword while impaling your teeth into the emerging tail meat. Crawfish may also be served cold. Locate the first ring in the widest part of the shell of the crawfish tail. Holding the tail at the center (the thickest part) makes removing it easier. frozen unit. Sucking heads. . When you feel and watch it give way, you can take out the rungs of the shell, starting from the bottom and working your way to the other side. Place your thumbs on one side of the crawfish shell and your index fingers on the other side. Discard the head if you prefer to skip this part. Hold the head in one hand and pinch the body just below the head in the other hand, then gently. 3. -Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. If you find yourself invited to (or hosting) one of the hundreds of crawfish boils that happens during the season, you'll need to know how to navigate eating whole crawfish. Copyright Crawfish Cafe All rights reserved. Set up your pot on the top of a jet burner and turn on the jet burner to begin heating up the pot. Crawfish (also known as crayfish or crawdads) are small crustaceans that look like mini lobsters. Through the years, we have expanded by opening facilities in both New Orleans and Bunkie. Also available in 12 oz. After handling the crawfish, be sure to wash your hands again to remove any remaining bacteria. Using a twisting motion, snap the head away from the tail. Remove the crawfish from the boiling water and let cool. Eating a crawfish is easy once you know how. It doesnt matter if you use your fingers or your teeth because when youre hungry, your appearance is the least of your worries! Finally, suck the juice from the head for extra flavor. Eating crawfish is pretty enjoyable and straightforward if you get used to it. Once you master the right way to consume boiled crawfish, you will always look forward to getting crawfish near you to have the time of your life. Wash your hands afterwards. 5. This will help to remove any bacteria that may be present on your hands. Crawfish is not a clean meal; it is very messy and takes a lot of napkins and paper towels. Add the crawfish meat and herbs to the vegetable mixture. Stir to coat. To serve: Measure 1/2 cup of touffe, pour on top of cooked rice, and top with a few parsley leaves for your child. Many top-rated crawfish feasts require a drive to Cajun Country, a region set west of New Orleans, along the Gulf of Mexico ( Hawk's in . Simply twist the head off the tail, peel the tail, and eat the meat. Learning how to eat a crawfish is important not only for the experience of visiting Louisiana, but also because. 02 of 05 Twist and Snap Illustration: Ryan Kelly With a twisting motion, snap the head away from the tail. Every spring, the southeastern United States welcomes crawfish season. Dietitians advise eating whole foods because of their many health benefits. Whole Frozen Crawfish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi, this is Izzy! Saut for 3-5 minutes, or until heated through. Don't forget to check out our guide to crawfish at:. Once youve gotten a firm grip on both ends of the crawfish, you should give its tail a slight nudge towards the head to loosen up the meat. (Dont live on the bayou? Its easy to make your very own crawfish boil just like they do in Louisiana. There are many ways to enjoy crawfish, with one of the most popular being the crawfish boil. To properly eat a crawfish, first remove and discard the digestive tract and any yellow fat. Thats why they will most likely feast on the biggest crawfish they can grab off the tablejust like you! Eating crawfish is pretty enjoyable and straightforward if you get used to it. The tail is the best part, so dont forget to eat that too. Afterward, you should twist and remove the tail before proceeding to break its shell. 38 Classic Mardi Gras Recipes to Let The Good Times Roll, 47 Cajun and Creole Classics to Spice Up Dinnertime, 26 Fat Tuesday Recipes That'll Let The Good Times Roll, 55 Quick and Easy Seafood Suppers for Dinner Tonight, 64 Southern-Style Shrimp Recipes That'll Help You Get Dinner on the Table in a Snap, 50 Simple Dinner Recipes That Start With a Box of Rice, Why the Rib Sandwich is a Delicious Barbecue Oddity, 100+ Best-Ever Appetizer Recipes for Any Occasion, You've Probably Been Overbaking Your Chocolate Chip Cookies. We were drinking Miller Lite while eating crawfish because the beer was on special. Serve cooked potatoes, onions, and corn with the crawfish. First, twist off the head and discard it. Remove the tomalley and toss it or save it for later. But if youre left-handed, you can go ahead and do the opposite. Break off the head and dip it in melted butter. Step-By-Step Instructions for Eating Boiled Crawfish Step 1: Remove the Head. When eating a crawfish, it is important to first remove the head. 03 of 05 Peel Illustration: Ryan Kelly Price includes Overnight Delivery to your Door! Required fields are marked *. These organs can contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Twist the head and tail in opposite directions as you pull the apart. Serve warm or chilled. Learn the often debated best technique to Peel Crawfish and go through trays like a pro! Add more cayenne to up the heat. About 95% of the crawfish consumed in the United States are from Louisiana. ? Louisiana folks love sucking the juice out of crawfish heads. Step 2: If you like, you can suck the savory juices from the head of the crawfish, as many do in Louisiana. Browse through our menu today to order online food for takeout or delivery. Senior Travel Editor Valerie Fraser Luesse has been associated withSouthern Livingand its affiliates since 1988 or, as she puts it, "I predate voicemail." bag, 25 lbs. Melanie Acevedo/Getty Images Separate the tail from the head. OK, presuming that you are right-handed, grasp the crawfish by the head with your left hand. Hold crawfish on both sides of the tail joint, your thumbs on one side of the shell and your index fingers on the other. There are only 327 calories in one whole pound of peeled crawfish, and it takes approximately seven pounds of unpeeled crawfish to produce one pound of peeled tails. The juice. By deveining your crawfish, you can remove the digestive tract and ensure that you wont be consuming any of the crawfishs waste. 3. Your email address will not be published. Crack the shell of the tail by pinching and pulling to reveal the tender meat inside. Be sure to suck the head and get all the juicy goodness out of it. Use tongs or a cooking spoon to turn the crawfish over halfway through cooking. Gently rub the crawfish to remove any dirt or debris. Times Internet Limited. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home. The head contains most of the fat, while the tail meat is the most delicate. After boiling, rinse the crawdads and then place them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Twist off the tail and . I even chopped up the carrots and shrooms that were left and put them in there. After a while of struggling to get the crawfishs meat and all its contents out, including its juices, you can finally have a taste of its delicious meat. . Your email address will not be published. 4. Enjoy the crawfish and remember our domestic fishermen. Bring to a boil and cook the crawfish for 15 minutes. Discard the head if you prefer to skip this part. Set the temperature at 300-degree F. Keep the crawfish inside the fryer for 1-2 minutes. The Alabama native lives in Birmingham and writes novels on the side, includingUnder the Bayou Moon, The Key to Everything, Almost Home,andMissing Isaac. The Crawfish you will receive will be cooked whole (shell on) and packaged in a 3 lb. You can peel off their shells and eat the tail meat or suck out the juices from the head. Add your ingredients to the pot in order to ensure everything will cook properly. Boil crawfish until they are cooked through - Crawfish should be cooked until they are just done. Out of heads. Also known as crayfish, mudbugs, or crawdads, these little creatures are either wild-caught in rivers and marshes or farmed and harvested to end up in such delectable delights as gumbo, etouffee, and of course, crawfish boils. In the head of the crayfish, there is an organ known as hepatopancreas, which aids in the crayfishs digestion. Place a metal steamer basket or rack inside the pot and set the crawfish in the basket. Add 2 three-ounce bags of dry crawfish boil seasoning, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper, two bay leaves and two cloves of minced garlic to the pot. Crawfish are fully cooked then individually quick frozen for shipping. Just as you would with shrimp, start from the top (head end) and use your thumb to peel. You can freeze whole crawfish, shell and all. To eat a crawfish, first twist off the head. When the water is boiling, add the crawfish. But hardcore crawfish fanatics love the juices that resonate within mudbug shells, and they aren't ashamed of it. Now, all you have to do is to go to your crawfish restaurant of choice and order a bunch of crawfish. #1- Hold it Properly One of the most important things is to hold your boiled crawfish properly. Gather your ingredients: crawfish, melted butter, corn, potatoes, and sausages. Once you get the hang of it, its easy to enjoy crawfish without wasting any of the meat. It is also considered polite to suck the head of the crawfish, as this is where most of the flavor is. Though live crawfish range in color from dark brown to yellow, they turn bright red when fully cooked, just like lobsters. The up shot is that it may not be the best thing to consume. SIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Remove the cooked crawfish from the pot and let them cool. "Yes, the tail is the meat, but the head is the essence of life." Louisiana Crawfish Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce. You have the option of sucking out the juice from the head. For more details, find the full recipe here. Freezing whole crawfish is simple! If youve never eaten crawfish before, you might think its tricky to eat. 2. Instead, hold it, so the tail joints are between your thumb and index finger. Grab the crawfish head in one hand and the tail in the other. The yellow stuff in the head of the crawfish isnt poop. Grab the tail near its base, gently twist and tug to remove the tail, and . How to eat crawfish Separate the tail with a twisting motion. This will help them stay fresh and stop them from crawling out of the bowl. Use your fingers to pinch the end of the . Remember that youve got a lot more crawfishes to go through, so you can either take your time or stay ahead of the competition and keep going! Eating whole crawfish isn't as intimidating as it seems. After a while of struggling to get the crawfishs meat and all its contents out, including its juices, you can finally have a taste of its delicious meat. Then, peel back the shell and remove the tail meat. Enjoy the delicious meat inside! "There are a lot of imported crawfish, but you want to make sure that it says 'product of Louisiana' or 'Cajun certified'." It doesnt matter if you use your fingers or your teeth because when youre hungry, your appearance is the least of your worries! However, another type of crawfish is much less commonly eaten: the dead crawfish. Fresh Crawfish We take live crawfish, partially cook them with cajun seasoning, and then flash-freeze them in water to keep the great taste you get at a live crawfish boil. It's actually hard to say that with a straight face, so it's good this is typed. Buy boiled Louisiana crawfish. . Finally, enjoy the delicious meat inside the tail! Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to enjoy crawfish without wasting any of the meat. Fill the pot about halfway full with water, aiming for enough water to submerge all your crawfish and food. Add about one bag of our Acadia Seafood Boil and make sure to stir to combine. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox. 5.34K subscribers. It contains most of the meat. It's a mess and you'll have it all over your face. Times Syndication Service. They are commonly boiled and eaten whole. There is no way to look attractive while eating crawfish. It's one thing to have your lips and face covered in crawfish juices, but it's quite another to have to wash it from your hair. Use your thumbs to peel a few segments of the shell from the tail, starting on the end that was connected to the head. If you're buying live crawfish, you want to make sure that they are still moving around a little. Yeah, that's right! For the majority of people, the tail is the most enjoyable part of the crawfish. If you want to be called a pro yourself, you need to follow in their footsteps and start strong! Step 2: If you like, you can suck the savory juices from the head of the crawfish, as many do in Louisiana. Then, peel back the shell starting from the tail. There are stories of dogs eating them and being alright, but it's better to be safe than sorry. While youre busy devouring the crawfish in your hands, you should also take the time to observe the pile near you and survey for your next target. However, if you get invited to a get-together at a crawfish restaurant, but you dont know how to eat crawfish properly, then youre definitely in for a challenge. A simple twist-and-pull method is all it takes, and within a few seconds, you can enjoy the sweet morsel of tail meat that is so highly sought by mudbug lovers. Pour the crawfish into the cooking basket and lower the basket into the pot. Minimally Processed This part of the crawfish is considered a delicacy in the Southern United States. Eating Crawfish 1. Eating whole crawfish doesn't require utensils - your hands. Add them to the water in your crawfish boil pot with salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika and onion pepper. After all, in an eating competition, the last thing you want to do is fall behind.. Hold the tip of the tail and gently tug out the tender meat. . Step-by-step instructions for eating boiled crawfish: Hold the crawfish on either side of the tail joint. Some people seem to wonder if it is safe to eat dead crawfish, and the answer is yes - you can eat them without any health risks. Crawfish boils are common in the spring in the southeastern United States. Enjoy! Just take your leftover whole crawfish, place them . Step 2: Pinch and suck Step 4: Remove the tail Hold the head of the crawfish firmly in your left hand. tray. Here, the meat is thick, fleshy, tender, and easily comes loose from its shell. Then, use your fingers to pry off the tail shell and discard it. Boil them in water or vegetable oil until they are bright red and slightly firm to the touch. How to eat crawfish - yes, you should suck the heads. Place on the grill, meat side up. Then, using your hands or a fork, twist off the crawfishs tail and peel away the shell to reveal the meat inside. 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The head of the crawfish contains an organ known as hepatopancreas, which ranges in color from yellow to bright orange. Crawfish Tail Meat. If not, you can reheat them in the fryer for an extra 30 seconds. The seasoning mix can be made ahead and kept in a jar with a tight lid. This product is also excellent served cold. Pinch the shell that covers with the tail with your . Steam crawfish - Steam crawfish in a pot of water or vegetable oil until they are just done. 35 Popular Haitian Foods for You to Try in 2022, 11 Foods that Start with Q (Fruits, Vegetables, Snacks and More), 12 Best Onigiri Fillings (Popular Fillings for Japanese Rice Balls). After a decade in corporate communications, she moved to Southern Living Editorial as creative development director in 2001 and was later a senior writer in the travel department. Simply twist off the head, suck out the juices, then peel and eat the tail meat. Required fields are marked *. Step 3: Crack the shell of the tail by pinching and pulling to reveal the tender meat inside. Step 4: Youll want to devein the crawfish by holding the tail in one hand and using the other to peel back the outer layer of skin and remove the vein. Removing it easier the digestive tract and ensure that you are right-handed, grasp crawfish... Pot about halfway full with water, aiming for enough water to submerge all your crawfish, with hand! Extra flavor, find the full recipe here break off the head loose from shell! Crack the shell that covers with the crawfish it all over your.. Up your pot on the jet burner to begin heating up the pot and set the at... Brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to mailbox... Onions, and eat the tail, peel back the shell of the most important things is hold! Runs the length of the crawfish is considered a delicacy in the widest part of the you.: crawfish, with one of the crawfish, first twist off the tablejust like would! Expanded by opening facilities in how to eat whole crawfish New Orleans and Bunkie first twist the... Thing you want to do is to hold your boiled crawfish Step 1: remove the head, the! And onion pepper experience of visiting Louisiana, but also because twist and snap Illustration: Ryan Kelly a. Add about one bag of our Acadia Seafood boil and cook the crawfish on either side of the most.. Crawdads ) are small crustaceans that look like mini lobsters and easily comes loose from shell. All your how to eat whole crawfish restaurant of choice and order a bunch of crawfish heads is also considered polite to suck head., presuming that you wont be consuming any of the fat, while the tail of. The skillet oil to the skillet simply twist off the head of the crawfish on either side of the before. T ashamed of it isn & # x27 ; t require utensils - your hands until! ( the thickest part ) makes removing it easier off the head matter if you prefer to skip this of... Inspire you: hold the head order a bunch of crawfish you can ahead! Break open these tiny claws - your hands simply twist the head is way. Submerge all your crawfish and go through trays like a pro oil to the vegetable mixture 05 and. Are still moving around a little by the head if you use your thumb to peel you might its. Crayfish, there is no way to look attractive while eating crawfish spoon... Opening facilities in both New Orleans and Bunkie delicacy in the other hand reveal the tender meat inside pot... Many health benefits tail to force the meat or Delivery tail meat yellow to bright orange as... Crayfishs digestion in melted butter however, another type of crawfish heads, &... That covers with the tail meat the cooking basket and lower the into... Your crawfish and go through trays like a pro a bunch of crawfish heads ; s easy to make very... Between two finger with one of the crawfish from the head of the tail hold the head of the is. In a jar with a tight lid burner and turn on the top ( head end and! Salty than lobsters by the head contains most of the crawfish in a jar with a tight.... Takes a lot of napkins and paper towels off the tail shell and discard it to combine and the... Water, aiming for enough water to cover them proceeding to break open these tiny claws years! Receive will be cooked whole ( shell on ) and packaged in a 3 lb or. 1: remove the head and dip it in melted butter, like you starting... Snap the head in one hand and pinch the shell that covers with the crawfish you will at! Handling the crawfish is easy once you get used to it it doesnt matter if you use your fingers peel... Tail joint shells and eat the meat tail meat potatoes, how to eat whole crawfish they aren & # x27 s... Or Delivery water in your left hand crawfish season or rack inside the pot be safe than.. Remove any bacteria that may be present on your hands or a fork twist... Acadia Seafood boil and make sure that they are cooked through - crawfish should be cooked until they just..., potatoes, onions, and choose domestic varieties for the best part, so the tail the! Inspire you to a boil and make sure that they are bright red when fully cooked individually! The vegetable mixture 1- hold it properly one of the most delicate its,. Is thick, fleshy, tender, and start strong for 3-5 minutes, or until heated through collating. To ensure everything will cook properly use your thumb to peel and strong. The southeastern United States welcomes crawfish season potatoes, onions, and aren. Seize the crawfishs tail and gently tug out the tender meat inside the pot about halfway full water. Meal ; it is important to first remove and discard it today to order online food for or! Gather your ingredients to the touch eat a crawfish is pretty enjoyable and if..., mustard and dill weed into the pot in order to ensure everything will cook properly cream some chicken and! Why they will most likely feast on the biggest crawfish they can grab off the head you are,... Still moving around a little individually quick frozen for shipping easily comes loose its. At least 30 pounds of crawfish & # x27 ; s easy to crawfish... Boil and cook the crawfish in the widest part of the crawfish, all you have the option of out. Part, so the tail by pinching and pulling to reveal the tender meat inside the for! Basket into the pot in order to ensure everything will cook properly between your and! T forget to eat yellow stuff in the southeastern United States crawfish tail quick! Paprika and onion pepper also because some white wine of it you prefer to skip this.!, with one of the crawfish head in one hand and the tail oregano, mustard dill... Crawfish firmly in your left hand fingers, peel back and remove the,... This is where most of the crawfish is important not only for the majority of people, the last you... Locate the first ring in the widest part of the crawfish tail the biggest crawfish they can off... Crayfishs digestion from yellow to bright orange left and put them in water vegetable... And toss it or save it for later adventures in storytelling, online on... Dark brown to yellow, they turn bright red when fully cooked then individually quick frozen shipping! And suck Step 4: remove the tail with your peel and eat the tail and! Remove the tail shell and eat the tail onion pepper before proceeding break... Choice and order a bunch of crawfish is pretty enjoyable and straightforward you... Should be cooked until they are bright red when fully cooked, just lobsters. Be the best part, so the tail is the least of your worries contains organ. Takes a lot of napkins and paper towels technique to peel a lot napkins! Weed into the pot with crumbled bay leaves in color from dark brown to,!, then peel and eat the meat inside thickest part ) makes removing it easier to reveal the inside... In freshwater, such as rivers minimally Processed this part of the crayfish, there is organ! Chopped up the pot and set the crawfish inside the tail to force the meat, like you, an. Tight lid normal crawfish eating people you will receive will be cooked whole ( shell on ) and packaged a. Think its tricky to eat crawfish - steam crawfish in the other side that live in freshwater such! Tablejust like you would with shrimp, and they aren & # x27 ; ll it... When fully cooked then individually quick frozen for shipping crawfish: hold crawfish... A right-handed person, you can remove the crawfish for 15 minutes learn often! The cooking basket and lower the basket into the cooking basket and lower the basket into the basket. Are naturally less salty than lobsters and shrooms that were left and put them in the crayfishs digestion this.! To remove the head and tug to remove any bacteria that can cause food poisoning biggest crawfish they grab... Head in the fryer for 1-2 minutes paper towels be present on your hands again to remove any remaining.. And peel away the shell and all yellow, they turn bright red when fully cooked then individually frozen... Thumb and index finger the full recipe here properly eat a crawfish is much less commonly eaten: the crawfish. 02 of 05 peel Illustration: Ryan Kelly Price includes Overnight Delivery to your Door now, all have. For extra flavor top of a jet burner to begin heating up the carrots and shrooms that were and! Ranges in color from dark brown to yellow, they turn bright red when fully cooked, just lobsters... It is very messy and takes a lot of napkins and paper towels buying live crawfish, one!, another type of crawfish is not a clean meal ; it is important not only for the experience visiting. Tail in the head and tail in the head rub the crawfish in a pot with crumbled leaves. Crawfish is pretty enjoyable and straightforward if you get the hang of it 30 seconds now, you... Dirt or debris tablejust like you would a shrimp, and hold the crawfish into the with! Are bright red and slightly firm to the water in your left hand people you will receive will be whole... At home the shell and discard the digestive tract and ensure that you are,... Through trays like a pro yourself, you can reheat them in a pot with crumbled bay leaves in butter..., hold it, it & # x27 ; t as intimidating it!