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Started By
Message
Best way to clean crawfish LATE SEASON UPDATE p2
Posted on 4/16/17 at 10:30 pm
Posted on 4/16/17 at 10:30 pm
2 weeks ago I boiled the best crawfish I have ever had. I bought the sacks from a guy who purges them in a tub of turbulent water. The tub is big enough to fit about 10-12 sacks at a time.
Today I did another boil, but I bought the crawfish from a grocery. I must have been through 10 cycles of washing them and changing the water. I got tired and impatient and settled for 1 more cleaning cycle and figured the water was clean enough. It was not clear - a bit cloudy, but not filthy. With the only difference being the crawfish, this was probably the worst tasting batch I have ever done. Clearly cleaning them thoroughly makes a difference.
But cleaning them is the worst part about boiling crawfish (rivaled only by cleaning up after the boil). So what methods do you guys use to get them clean using the least effort?
Finding some way to automate water turbulence while putting them in a tub seems ideal, but finding a device that creates more volatility than an aquarium aerator but less than a pressure washer isn't working out for me. Any ideas? If not, what's the easiest, most efficient way to clean crawfish?
Today I did another boil, but I bought the crawfish from a grocery. I must have been through 10 cycles of washing them and changing the water. I got tired and impatient and settled for 1 more cleaning cycle and figured the water was clean enough. It was not clear - a bit cloudy, but not filthy. With the only difference being the crawfish, this was probably the worst tasting batch I have ever done. Clearly cleaning them thoroughly makes a difference.
But cleaning them is the worst part about boiling crawfish (rivaled only by cleaning up after the boil). So what methods do you guys use to get them clean using the least effort?
Finding some way to automate water turbulence while putting them in a tub seems ideal, but finding a device that creates more volatility than an aquarium aerator but less than a pressure washer isn't working out for me. Any ideas? If not, what's the easiest, most efficient way to clean crawfish?
This post was edited on 6/18/17 at 9:50 pm
12
Posted on 4/16/17 at 10:37 pm to Willie Stroker
Posted on 4/16/17 at 10:43 pm to Willie Stroker
If you're in the New Orleans area, go to Castnet seafood in the east. They clean and pick out the dead ones. Well worth the drive.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 12:09 am to Willie Stroker
I use an old ice chest that I drilled about 10 holes in at the bottom. dumped crawfish in there, and set the water hose to spray the "fan" type and do this for about 30 minutes. after this period of time, i set ice chest on ground so not much water can leak out and fill it up. once i see the water is pretty clear, I'm good to boil. just a contraption i made and works if you have an old ice chest.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 6:03 am to Tino
quote:
Tino
Crawfish washer
Thanks. Buying my one right now
Posted on 4/17/17 at 7:52 am to Tino
Holy crap! $50 for a 5 gal bucket with a hose connection? I'm in the wrong line of work.
Op just buy a large blue garden bucket, pour in the crawfish, pour in water, wait 5 minutes and use the sack as a lip drain. Do that 2/3 times and the crawfish will be as clean as possible.
Op just buy a large blue garden bucket, pour in the crawfish, pour in water, wait 5 minutes and use the sack as a lip drain. Do that 2/3 times and the crawfish will be as clean as possible.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 8:36 am to CoachChappy
Yes, I use a champagne basket and the bottom of a plastic 55 Gallon drum. No need to make it difficult.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 8:44 am to CHEDBALLZ
quote:
Yes, I use a champagne basket and the bottom of a plastic 55 Gallon drum. No need to make it difficult.
This
Posted on 4/17/17 at 11:42 am to CHEDBALLZ
quote:
champagne basket
What is this?
Posted on 4/17/17 at 11:47 am to Willie Stroker
quote:
What is this?
I have no clue why some are calling it this but it's a freaking fish basket where I come from.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 11:51 am to Willie Stroker
I use a #3 galvinized tub. Put the crawfish in, then fill with water and let set for five minutes (you can get the dead one out that rise to the top at this time). Drain using the crawfish sack. I do this 2 or 3 times until water is clear! You can do the same using an ice chest, half of 55 gallon drum, etc.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 1:28 pm to LSUtigahhz
If you can't find the fish basket, you can get two of these, drill holes in one to get the same effect. These are usually a lot cheaper than a fish basket.
This post was edited on 4/17/17 at 1:30 pm
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:55 pm to Dam Guide
I was actually thinking about getting a spa multi jet attachment (see below) and somehow attaching this to the bucket to jet blast the crawfish and create a cleaning whirpool.
This post was edited on 4/17/17 at 3:56 pm
Posted on 4/17/17 at 3:56 pm to Dam Guide
I appreciate many of the comments pointing out variations of rinse, drain, repeat that didn't get my crawfish as clean as I would have liked after multiple time consuming repetitions with my beer hand occupied with non-beer labor, but it still gives me some options.
After looking at Cowboy's Crawfish Washer and the cost (not really that much of a big deal to pay for someone else's trial and error), and the baskets posted above, I'm thinking about rednecking something like this:
Buy one of these:
and using plastic ties to strap the sprinkler to the inside of this
Then place that basket inside of this:
Total cost of all of these ($25 sprinkler+$20 for each fish basket) comes out pretty close to the Crawfish Washer linked above. Since I started this thread to find a lazy man's version of rinse, drain, repeat, I might just pay for the "professional", non-redneck version and compare it to a homemade version to compare the results when doing multiple sacks.
Edit: if only I could find those baskets in purple & gold...
After looking at Cowboy's Crawfish Washer and the cost (not really that much of a big deal to pay for someone else's trial and error), and the baskets posted above, I'm thinking about rednecking something like this:
Buy one of these:
and using plastic ties to strap the sprinkler to the inside of this
Then place that basket inside of this:
Total cost of all of these ($25 sprinkler+$20 for each fish basket) comes out pretty close to the Crawfish Washer linked above. Since I started this thread to find a lazy man's version of rinse, drain, repeat, I might just pay for the "professional", non-redneck version and compare it to a homemade version to compare the results when doing multiple sacks.
Edit: if only I could find those baskets in purple & gold...
This post was edited on 4/17/17 at 4:00 pm
Posted on 4/17/17 at 4:22 pm to Willie Stroker
Why do you need the sprinkler at all? Just run the end of the hose down to the bottom of the champagne and let the water circulate upwards and drain out the top.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 4:30 pm to Willie Stroker
I get the concept of the sprinkler but, it'll really only affect the crawfish nearby - and on top of it.
I like the idea of creating a whirpoll and jets shooting across the side of the bucket because it keeps the crawfish moving and the jets are hitting the crawfish directly and doing more dirt removal.
I like the idea of creating a whirpoll and jets shooting across the side of the bucket because it keeps the crawfish moving and the jets are hitting the crawfish directly and doing more dirt removal.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 4:31 pm to Honky Lips
quote:
Just run the end of the hose down to the bottom of the champagne and let the water circulate upwards and drain out the top.
Won't that cause some crawfish to escape? Ideally, you'd have a drain hole that keeps the water flowing out enough so that the water doesn't go over the top.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 4:42 pm to Willie Stroker
Why do people overthink crawfish so much? Have we ran out of ideas of overthinking cooking crawfish so now we are gonna overthink cleaning crawfish before cooking them? I can't wait for crawfish season to be over. Maybe this board will be tolerable again.
Posted on 4/17/17 at 5:04 pm to Honky Lips
quote:
Why do you need the sprinkler at all? Just run the end of the hose down to the bottom of the champagne and let the water circulate upwards and drain out the top.
Because the old school method of running a hose wasn't working for me. After numerous cleaning cycles, I was still getting lightly cloudy water. I'm getting too lazy for that as the years pass. I figured what was missing is some volatility.
Think about it this way - What gets your a-hole cleaner:
1) taking a shower ?
Or
2) getting in a hot tub ?
Answer: you don't want me in your hot tub
Posted on 4/17/17 at 6:03 pm to Willie Stroker
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