How Long To Boil Crawfish
Wondering How Long to Boil Crawfish? Learn how to boil your crawfish so they’re perfectly cooked every time to enjoy in etouffee, a creamy pasta dish or for a good ole’ crawfish boil alongside sausage and potatoes!
🦞How Long Does It Take To Boil Crawfish?
The size of the crawfish you are boiling will play a role in how long they take to boil. As a general rule, it takes about 3-4 minutes to boil smaller crawfish (1-2 pounds) and around 5-6 minutes for larger crawfish (3+ pounds).
To ensure your crawfish cook properly, you should make sure the water is at a rolling boil before adding crawfish to your pot.
Crawfish are a great source of low fat and high quality protein! They are high in vitamin B, iron, and selenium; which are minerals that can be difficult to find in your average diet. These crustaceans also provide a good source of calcium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.
Crawfish can be prepared in a variety of ways, including grilled, baked and steamed. However, boiling is the most traditional preparation of these crustaceans and is a great opportunity to get together with friends and family to enjoy a time-honored, tasty, and surprisingly nutritious meal.
📖How To Boil Crawfish
1️⃣Boil water: Fill a large pot with enough water to cover about 2 pounds of crawfish.
2️⃣Add seasoning: Next, you will want to season the water. For seasoning, you should use two tablespoons of either seafood boil seasoning or Old Bay seasoning, along with four cloves of crushed garlic.
3️⃣Add crawfish: Once your pot of water has reached a rolling boil, carefully add your crawfish to the pot. You will want to boil small crawfish for 3-4 minutes and larger crawfish for 5-6 minutes.
4️⃣Turn off heat: When the crawfish are done boiling, turn off the heat and allow them to rest in the pot for an additional 10-15 minutes before draining the water.
How Long To Boil Frozen Crawfish: If you are using frozen crawfish, make sure to thaw them completely before boiling or increase the boiling time by a few minutes.
👩🍳Cooking Tips
- If you are using a crawfish boil seasoning along with your crawfish, you will want to follow the instructions on the package. Most packages recommend boiling for 8-10 minutes or until the shells turn bright red and the tails pull away from the body easily.
- Add in potatoes and sausage (or other vegetables) a few minutes before you add in the crawfish. This will ensure that they are cooked through when the crawfish are done boiling.
❔FAQ
How long does it take to boil 1lb of crawfish?
Boiling 1lb of crawfish will take approximately 3-4 minutes.
How long does it take to boil frozen crawfish?
If you’re preparing from frozen, you should add about 5 minutes of boiling time as the crawfish will require time to thaw and cook.
How do you tell when crawfish are done boiling?
Crawfish are ready to eat when they begin to sink. Ideally, the tail should be firm. A rubbery tail indicates the meat is undercooked, while a mushy texture likely implies the crawfish is overcooked.
All crawfish will turn a bright red color when they are cooked and the meat will be a clean white color as opposed to the grayish colored raw meat.
How Long To Boil Crawfish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Crawfish
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay or crawfish boil seasoning
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all the crawfish.
- Add in the seasoning, such as crab boil or Old Bay seasoning along with the garlic.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil and then add in the crawfish.
- Boil for 3-4 minutes for small crawfish and 5-6 minutes for larger ones.
- When the crawfish is done boiling, turn off the heat and let them rest in the pot for an additional 10-15 minutes before draining.
- How Long To Boil Frozen Crawfish: If you are using frozen crawfish, make sure to thaw them completely before boiling or increase the boiling time by a few minutes.
