Call ‘em crawfish, crayfish, crawdaddies or mudbugs — whatever the name, crawfish are a staple of Cajun cuisine and a hallmark of Southern culture. After all, what would become of étouffée, gumbo and po-boy sandwiches without crawfish?

The first crawfish harvesters were Native Americans, who used reeds baited with bits of venison to attract crawfish. Cajun settlers learned from them to appreciate the tasty crustacean while ignoring its less-than-appetizing appearance. By the 1950s, crawfish traps were in widespread use, although it took several more decades for crawfish to attract national attention.

Crawfish are now a multi-million dollar industry, with close to 2,000 farmers annually harvesting crawfish from over 111,000 acres of man-made ponds. Not surprisingly, Louisiana is the largest producer of crawfish in the world.

Crawfish tail meat is tender, firm and slightly sweet, with a taste somewhere between shrimp and lobster.

Sources
U.S.

Availability
Crawfish are harvested during the spring and summer.

Cooking Tips

• Boiling crawfish is a popular method of preparation, since the meat can be used in a variety of ways. Plan on 3-4 pounds of whole crawfish per person, and between 3/4 to 1 pound of crawfish per gallon of water. Crawfish yield approximately 15% in tail meat, so count on 10 pounds of whole crawfish to get 1 1/2 pounds of meat. Bring water to a boil, and then add the live crawfish. Begin cooking time once the water returns to a boil, with time depending upon how the crawfish will be prepared.
• If you plan to use the peeled crawfish in bisque or gumbo, boil them for no more than 5 minutes. If you plan to eat them immediately, boil for 10 minutes.
• For a traditional boil, season the water by adding lemon wedges, onion, red pepper, garlic, commercial crab-boil seasoning and salt (1/2 to 1 pound of salt per 5 gallons of water). Add whole small potatoes, onions and sweet corn. After boiling for 10 minutes, turn off heat and let the crawfish soak up the spices for another 10-15 minutes. Remove the crawfish and allow them to cool before peeling.
• For some variation, try adding some other kinds of spices and herbs to the water: bunches of dill, vegetables like carrots and celery, herbs like tarragon and parsley — even a little wine!