crawfish/crawdads??

[Rare Feathers Farm]

My husband and I found a lake that's about a 2 mile hike from where you park and at this lake are bazillions of crawdads! We checked with the Fish & Game Dept and they are a non-native species--so no limit! We went up on Memorial Day and the lake was still frozen solid.

We have had no problems catching them with hotdogs in the past but we always just let them go because we weren't sure if there were "rules" about catching them.

I've never eaten them and hubby says they're really good...

So tips?

Recipes?

These are pretty good sized

 

[burquechick]

Boil live crawfish in a pot with Zatarain's crawfish boil, red potatoes cut in half, garlic with tops cut off, corn cobs, and onions. Cook until bright red. Enjoy.

 

[krcote]

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I'll have to see if I can find that seasoning--do you know what's in it? The lake we're going to is the opposite direction from town (store) so I don't think I'll be able to get any today...do you clean them or just put them in there whole?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I've never had them...I don't care for crab but hubby says they're different from crab?

 

[burquechick]

If you like, you can put them in an ice bath with tons of salt when you first get them (lots of people don't even bother). This causes them to purge out the poop you don't want to eat. The water will get pretty funky. You can do a couple changes if you like. Then, yes, you boil them whole. Crawfish boil is mustard seed, coriander seed, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, dill seed, and allspice. All in large quantities.

 

[burquechick]

Quote:
I've never had them...I don't care for crab but hubby says they're different from crab?

I hate to tell you this, but if you don't like crab, you probably aren't going to like crawfish. No, they don't taste the same, but they are just as fatty and even scarier to eat than crab if you aren't used to it. Just remember, lots of seasoning. Then you should try it at least once and see if you like it. It's really good to make etouffee with the left overs. And then put the etouffee in an omelet in the morning. It's delicious. One of my favorite things I remember from childhood.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
Are you really from NM?????? I grew up in SE Louisiana, and you sound like a pro!

As a true "Cajun" I back burquechick 100%.

 

[aprophet]

almost any type of crab boil with work I use Mc comrmicks it is pretty good I always purge mine they are kina like shrimp kina like crab a little. some of the crab boil spices have either garlic salt kosher salt or sea salt I have always used a minnow pot to catch mine I enlarge the holes at each end just a little that and either a cou[pla peices of bacon or some cat food the cat food can I just take a can opener and punch a coupla holes in each end

 

[EweSheep]

I remember eating them from schools and various restaruants, they are good. The school always served crawdaddies in rice and have lima beans with it. Being a northerner, it was strange seeing that and I brought in my sack lunch of peanut butter and jelly which they looked at me rather strangely LOL! Well schools are yucky in most cases but delicious in mom and pop backyard gumbo fest!

I agree with Burquechick, on the seasonings and taste of crabs vs crawdaddies. They are two different flavored lobster/crab families. However I do NOT like clams (except for clam chowder yummy!), mollusks, oysters, etc.

I love their Cajun seasoned fried chicken..it is out of this world. The Popeye resturaunts down there have a different flavorings than the ones up here. I was disappointed that they didn't taste the same.