re: Boiling crawfish technique Boil in clean water

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I do it this way all the time. I can boil 10 sacks of crawfish in just over an hour with two boilers. The crawfish meat doesn't overcook, is firmer, and is easier to pick out of the shell. The seasoning is adjusted in the soaking pots.

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Do you have to adjust the boil time when you use this method? 5-7 minutes or so, then directly into the soak pot? I guess they soak for the same amount of time, then get dumped? Do you just keep the rotation going and re-season the soak pot every couple of batches?

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But I prefer to boild my seasonings. I would never cook a dish let it cool, and then add all my seasonings when cold.

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Yeah, I agree with this. I like to let the seasonings boil awhile (fresh onions and lemons added a little later). That's part of the reason the second and third boil in the same pot of seasonings always tastes better.

I guess if you're doing a really large quantity, it could save time, but I don't mind running multiple pots with seasonings and get 3 boils per pot. For family gatherings (50 people) 2-3 pots timed right will keep everyone eating crawfish with no problem.

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If you're trying to cool the water, putting the lid on it only slows the process down.

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That's a solid point.

I cook this way as well.

another plus is it keeps the seasoning pot clean if you are doing multiple batches. can change the boil water without losing all the seasoning

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have any of ya'll ever been to the Crawfish Festival in Biloxi

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No but just pulled up the website...hell of a music lineup IMO

Sorry, I just got back to this board. I generally boil for 3 to 6 minutes depending on the size and tenderness of the crawfish. My soak mixture is more concentrated than typical to promote a quick soak. I do replenish the seasonings periodially with predissolved mixture based on how long the individual batches are taking to season.

I also use nylon bags, because I can pre-load several of these in advance.

OK guys I've done it both ways many times. If you serving them straight out the pot your boiling liquid needs to be strong. If you are not serving the right away you can parboil em in a lesser strength solution and shock them in a heavily seasoned ice water. giving them time to soak up the juices. When you reheat em the re boil needs to be seasoned too. if you shock them in plain ice water they will be bland. Both techniques work very well and sometime the soaked ones turn out better.

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Thoughts?

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Is this guy an engineer? Somebody has too much time on their hands.

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Weird because my dad seasons after and I've never had any seasoning on my hands. He steams, then puts them in styrofoam, then adds crystal hot sauce and his dry seasonings, covers them, and lets them sit while he keeps cooking. Never had any seasoning on the outside when we go to eat and I've never had anyone eat his crawfish that didn't rave over them. Like I said...

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Umm, if you put seasoning on top of the crawfish while it is in an ice chest and not in a pot of water, where do you think that seasoning goes? By magic it leaves outside the shells and goes into the shell?

As far as the OP method, seems like a good idea if you are doing multiple pots. Just one or two it might just be extra work.

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Kajungee

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Holy shite! Where is that?!?!? I wanna go!