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Started By
Message
Chinese Crawfish for Living Out of the SE
Posted on 11/24/15 at 5:58 pm
Posted on 11/24/15 at 5:58 pm
Living in Colorado, it's difficult to get access to any fresh seafood, especially at a reasonable price. there is a specialty meat market here who used to carry both Chinese and Louisiana frozen crawfish tails. Chinese were $13.50/lb and Louisiana were $36.00/lb, but they stopped offering Chinese crawfish which left me in quite a bind. For an etouffee that calls for 2-3 lbs of crawfish tails, this quickly gets out of hand for a dinner.
I discovered that Walmart carries frozen Chinese tails for $8.00 a lb here and it's really hard to justify spending $36.00/lb when this is available for such an affordable price. I know everyone swears by Louisiana crawfish, but I really couldn't tell much of a difference the few times I made it with Chinese crawfish. I know a lot of folks will not be happy with this, but I can't really justify spending that kind of money to make an etouffee.
I've looked into order tails from online places like CajunGrocer and the best I can find is $15.50/lb plus a $17.00 minimum shipping fee for Ground Delivery (can they actually stay edible?). Compare $16.00 for two pounds of tails vs $48.00 shipped from LA. Call me crazy, but I just don't see where the quality difference could warrant the price difference.
I discovered that Walmart carries frozen Chinese tails for $8.00 a lb here and it's really hard to justify spending $36.00/lb when this is available for such an affordable price. I know everyone swears by Louisiana crawfish, but I really couldn't tell much of a difference the few times I made it with Chinese crawfish. I know a lot of folks will not be happy with this, but I can't really justify spending that kind of money to make an etouffee.
I've looked into order tails from online places like CajunGrocer and the best I can find is $15.50/lb plus a $17.00 minimum shipping fee for Ground Delivery (can they actually stay edible?). Compare $16.00 for two pounds of tails vs $48.00 shipped from LA. Call me crazy, but I just don't see where the quality difference could warrant the price difference.
9
Posted on 11/24/15 at 6:02 pm to 1MileTiger
Use shrimp in lieu of crawfish.
Posted on 11/24/15 at 6:03 pm to Martini
I'm actually not a fan of shrimp etouffee. Even shrimp prices are absurd here. If I'm lucky enough to find non-gulf frozen shrimp on sale, it's for $8.99/lb. Frozen jumbo gulf-shrimp run around $16/lb
Posted on 11/24/15 at 6:10 pm to 1MileTiger
$16/lb, damn
we are so spoiled here with our seafood prices
we are so spoiled here with our seafood prices
Posted on 11/24/15 at 6:22 pm to 1MileTiger
Well what do you expect? If I want domestic lamb it is Colorado and I pay out of my arse here in BR.
A seafood gumbo I build probably cost a hundred bucks. But just make it less often and enjoy it more.
A seafood gumbo I build probably cost a hundred bucks. But just make it less often and enjoy it more.
Posted on 11/24/15 at 9:04 pm to 1MileTiger
I used the Chinese, and the result was muddy tasting. Next time, we rinsed them off in a colander, and results were much better.
Since, we've gone with LA, but I'd go Chinese at the price spreads you see.
Since, we've gone with LA, but I'd go Chinese at the price spreads you see.
Posted on 11/24/15 at 9:32 pm to 1MileTiger
If you can't tell much difference, what's the problem?
It's not like you're courting a bunch of F&D board snobs for dinner
It's not like you're courting a bunch of F&D board snobs for dinner
Posted on 11/24/15 at 9:42 pm to tunechi
More so looking for opinions on if there is a real noticeable difference between the two. As I generally serve my southern dishes to friends and family, I want to make sure my taste buds don't detect any problem while others are like, "Wtf is this shite?".
Doesn't rinsing the tails get rid of all the fat and seasoning that is on them?
Doesn't rinsing the tails get rid of all the fat and seasoning that is on them?
Posted on 11/24/15 at 10:11 pm to 1MileTiger
Buy the Chinese tails and don't sweat it. At those prices no one should blame you.
Posted on 11/24/15 at 10:55 pm to 1MileTiger
My experience with Chinese crawfish tails is that they are bland/lacking in flavor. Rinsing them off just removes what fat is included in the package would just exacerbate the blandness. If you are from Louisiana, you should have people/family back home that can ship you LA crawfish tails. 
ETA: If your friends/family hate you (sic), someone here (me!) would probably swap crawfish shipping with microbrewThatWeCan'tGetHere shipping
ETA: If your friends/family hate you (sic), someone here (me!) would probably swap crawfish shipping with microbrewThatWeCan'tGetHere shipping
This post was edited on 11/24/15 at 10:59 pm
Posted on 11/25/15 at 3:42 am to 1MileTiger
I will not use Chinese crawfish for any reason. They taste awful.
Find something else to serve or sub shrimp
Find something else to serve or sub shrimp
Posted on 11/25/15 at 6:32 am to Gris Gris
quote:
I will not use Chinese crawfish for any reaso
Yup. Maybe try Rocky mountain oysters.
Posted on 11/25/15 at 7:03 am to 1MileTiger
Cook something else
$36 a pound is stupid to pay anywhere
$36 a pound is stupid to pay anywhere
Posted on 11/25/15 at 7:07 am to 1MileTiger
quote:
Doesn't rinsing the tails get rid of all the fat and seasoning that is on them?
There's no seasoning on them but I don't know how you'd make étouffée without the fat
Posted on 11/25/15 at 7:09 am to Gris Gris
quote:
I will not use Chinese crawfish for any reason. They taste awful.
Find something else to serve or sub shrimp
This times eleventy billion!!!
Posted on 11/25/15 at 8:07 am to 1MileTiger
quote:
I've looked into order tails from online places like CajunGrocer and the best I can find is $15.50/lb plus a $17.00 minimum shipping fee for Ground Delivery (can they actually stay edible?).
Just put together a big order of stuff. That's what I do. I get andouille, boudin, crawfish tails, gator, etc. The Chinese crawfish taste like crap.
Posted on 11/25/15 at 8:25 am to 1MileTiger
They are bland, muddy, and the meat if mushy. I just moved to OKC and can't find fresh tails anywhere so I finally broke down and bought some Chinese - never again. I did recently find 26-30 count frozen gulf shrimp on sale for $5/pound and I loaded up.
Posted on 11/25/15 at 10:17 am to The Last Coco
Guess I ought to pester the family to ship some tails up to me. Fortunately there are some quality cajun/creole restaurants near be in S. Denver, so I can get my fix that way.
Posted on 11/25/15 at 12:04 pm to yellowfin
quote:
There's no seasoning on them but I don't know how you'd make étouffée without the fat
There is a huge difference between a fresh crawfish etoufée and one with packaged tails.
I would advise everyone to wash packaged tails. That "fat" spoils quite quickly.
Posted on 11/25/15 at 12:20 pm to X123F45
You would wash something like this?
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