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Your Crawfish boiling routine / Recent crap article

Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:39 am
Posted by DucksnBucks37
Dallas
Member since Dec 2013
158 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:39 am
Recent article that went viral in LA made the below claims:

-Purging unnecessary
-Straight tails weren't dead.. just got stuck against put during boiling process.

I disagree with both. Below is my usual process. How is yours?



-Entire container of ProBoil or Crawfish Boil + few ounces liquid boil, 2 sticks of butter, few lemons, 2 cups white vinager.

-Rinse crawfish in icechest until water drains clear - agitating them a bit with hand or paddle.

-1/2 keg of salt in filled icechest for 10 mins(the water runs dirty as shite again so I know its working)

-Throw out straight tails and crushed/rotten ones which usually float in the salted water (another reason salt helps)

-Potatoes, garlic & onions in boiling 6-7 minutes.

-Add Crawfish, bring to boil, 2 mins, kill flame.

-Add frozen corn, frozen deer sausage and giant shell pasta (its great - try it!)

-Hose outside of pot for 10 mins or so

-Sit around and continue drinking beer for 40-45 min soak.




Posted by AlxTgr
Kyre Banorg
Member since Oct 2003
81604 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:41 am to
quote:

-Purging unnecessary
It's not even a real concept. Washing it great. There is no purging.
quote:

-Straight tails weren't dead.. just got stuck against put during boiling process.
True. I go through mine very carefully. All are alive when they hit the water. I still end up with a few straight.
Posted by Sampson
Chicago
Member since Mar 2012
24560 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:46 am to
quote:

-1/2 keg of salt in filled icechest for 10 mins(the water runs dirty as shite again so I know its working)

Annnnnnd we're off!
Posted by hardhead
stinky bayou
Member since Jun 2009
5745 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:47 am to
i throw in a little salt and purge them.

I think it makes them shite, but the most important part is cleaning them.


I use louisiana seasoning and extra cayenne and a lot of lemons

I also do onions garlic and celery

I put the potatoes in first then crawfish and onions and celery boil for two or three then turn off and sit for a little while than add lots of ice.
Posted by OldSouth
Folsom, LA
Member since Oct 2011
10940 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:47 am to
Article is right.
Posted by TexasTiger01
Lake Houston
Member since Nov 2013
3215 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:48 am to
Good topic, I'm curious how everyone else does it also.

I wash in fresh water, no salt. Wash and drain 2-3 times depending on how clean the crawfish are.

I throw dead ones and questionable ones out.

Boil water, Zatarain's Pro Boil extra spicy, 1.5 times what the package says.
Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, 1 bottle.


Same boiling sequence as OP, boil and soak time changes based on hardness of crawfish.

I never use butter, ice, or cool the pot down. I'm going to start trying that this year.
This post was edited on 3/31/14 at 9:50 am
Posted by Clyde Tipton
Planet Earth
Member since Dec 2007
38727 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:49 am to
quote:

Recent article that went viral in LA made the below claims:

-Purging unnecessary
-Straight tails weren't dead.. just got stuck against put during boiling process.

I disagree with both.



"Once again, mama is wrong..."

Posted by Tbooux
Member since Oct 2011
1680 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:49 am to
quote:

-Purging unnecessary


I agree, I Don't waste time with extra salt. Rinsing them thoroughly with water is sufficient. I'm not aware of any caterer/restaurant that purges with salt. To each his own.

quote:

-Straight tails weren't dead


Agree with this as well. I've spent alot of time before cleaning out dead ones and still have straight tails in the pot when served.

1 bag Louisiana seasoning, 1 quart of lemon juice concentrate per sack of crawfish.

Start with 1/4 bag seasoning to Boil potatoes, onions, garlic 15 min, add corn, sausage, cheese filled hot dogs, Chinese corn, grean beans, brussel sprouts, etc. and boil another 5-10.

Remove all veggies once done and serve as appetizer or put on side.

Bring back to rolling boil, add remaining seasoning and put in crawfish as soon as water starts to boil shut off fire, add 1# butter per sack and soak until they sink (30-40 min). Add veggies back in for 5 min to re-warm and serve!
Posted by TheDrunkenTigah
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
17314 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:50 am to
People get very high and mighty when it comes to boiling crawfish. Only thing I get uppity about is cooling the pot quick after bringing to a boil. I'm gonna make a fortune when I invent some kind of heat exchanger that isn't a pain in the arse to use.
Posted by DucksnBucks37
Dallas
Member since Dec 2013
158 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:50 am to
I was always told the salt is to get the trash out of their mouths/head and not the poo line. I feel like I can tell the difference sucking the head of crawfish that have been "purged" vs not. Less gritty.

Maybe I'm hard headed but .50 cent keg of salt and 10 minutes doesn't bother me
This post was edited on 3/31/14 at 9:55 am
Posted by AlxTgr
Kyre Banorg
Member since Oct 2003
81604 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:50 am to
Mr. Colonel Sanders...
Posted by Motorboat
At the camp
Member since Oct 2007
22666 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:51 am to
This was discussed on the FDB ad nauseum.

Purging is BS but if it makes you feel better, then do it. your process is alright, I guess.

I use Louisiana brand powder and add zatarains liquid when they soak. Had a guy at the camp this weekend go through this elaborate cooking process for a bout 40 minutes while I washed my crawfish.

when mine were done, dude told me they were the best he'd ever had.
Posted by bluemoons
the marsh
Member since Oct 2012
5504 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:52 am to
I don't purge with salt. I've followed the same general processfor years but may try something new this year. This event I was at last year had a guy from St. Amant catering it with crawfish and they were the best I'd ever had. He boils first in clean water with no seasoning or anything, then soaks in pre-boiled, then cooled seasoned water.

I hate proboil. I use Zatarains liquid crab boil and the packs of coarse crab boil. Cayenne, garlic, onions, artichokes, mushrooms, potatoes, corn, and sometimes pineapple. A couple of other things too. My recipe changes every time I boil.
Posted by TexasTiger01
Lake Houston
Member since Nov 2013
3215 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:54 am to
quote:

My recipe changes every time I boil.


Guilty
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6839 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:54 am to
quote:

Article is right
Posted by hardhead
stinky bayou
Member since Jun 2009
5745 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:54 am to
quote:

when mine were done, dude told me they were the best he'd ever had


every body says this

but it is also proper etiquite to talk shite about hou yours are better on the way home.
Posted by AlxTgr
Kyre Banorg
Member since Oct 2003
81604 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:54 am to
quote:

Only thing I get uppity about is cooling the pot quick after bringing to a boil.
One of my BILs forces me to do this. If he is not around, I don't. I hate the swamp it creates in my yard.
Posted by bluemoons
the marsh
Member since Oct 2012
5504 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:55 am to
Easier way - drop a bag of ice in the water.
Posted by TheDrunkenTigah
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
17314 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:55 am to
quote:

He boils first in clean water with no seasoning or anything, then soaks in pre-boiled, then cooled seasoned water.


I've heard of this. I want to try it. Like I said I think the biggest trick is cooling the bugs quickly so they don't overlook, but not so much that they're cold and take forever to absorb seasoning. Having a separate warm pot accomplishes both.
Posted by TheDrunkenTigah
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
17314 posts
Posted on 3/31/14 at 9:57 am to
quote:

Easier way - drop a bag of ice in the water.


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