Jay K wrote:Is this a brussel sprout?!?!?

Even with the brussels sprout the crawfish still look damn tasty.

I recommend you here. crawfish.com

They're good.

In case anyone might be in need, there was a large bucket of very feisty crawfish for $3.50/lb (I think!) at Tai Nam Market. Didn't take any but thinking about going back tomorrow and boiling some up to freeze and use later when I might be so inclined. Haven't seen the actual live bugs since my college days...

thanks for the tip on this local source Jen,

I have designs on a crawfish bisque recipe that requires a few pounds of live crawfish.

I'm planning to go over there in a bit--I'll be sure to ask how long they expect to have them.

Good photos. Love to find some live ones to boil. Any good markets to pick these guys up at?

I just ordered from these folks. 10# party pack(with seafood boil, beads, bibs, koozie, & seasoning). $59(used an online coupon) delivered via Fed-Ex next day priority to my door.

Gonna boil and eat some of these bad boys, and some are destined for a bisque.

I believe these are the cats Danny Toons uses for his legendary boils. Been in business 25 years,they are the source, no middleman.

http://www.lacrawfish.com

Cool...anyone catch them around town? Was thinking of buying a few traps this year and seeing what kinda of craw dads I can get. Looks like its legal as long its for person use and the traps are a certain size.
http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/IllinoisFishingInformation.pdf

Cbot wrote:Cool...anyone catch them around town? Was thinking of buying a few traps this year and seeing what kinda of craw dads I can get. Looks like its legal as long its for person use and the traps are a certain size.
http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/IllinoisFishingInformation.pdf

Lol, we used to catch a few for smallmouth river fishin'! Ain't nothin' that tastes like a crawfish, I don't care if you're fish or human!




Thanks for the source guys and gals, I've been wanting to do a live crawfish boil for a couple of years now, nice cold nights in early springtime around here would be perfect for some crawfish, smoked products, a campfire and beer!

WoooHooo,
Dan

gonefishin wrote:



Thanks for the source guys and gals, I've been wanting to do a live crawfish boil for a couple of years now, nice cold nights in early springtime around here would be perfect for some crawfish, smoked products, a campfire and beer!

ill be watching for my invite, I would even consider breaking my bbq boycott & do some ribs.

jimswside wrote:

gonefishin wrote:



Thanks for the source guys and gals, I've been wanting to do a live crawfish boil for a couple of years now, nice cold nights in early springtime around here would be perfect for some crawfish, smoked products, a campfire and beer!

ill be watching for my invite, I would even consider breaking my bbq boycott & do some ribs.

Is that bbq boycott still going on?

say it ain't so!

Cbot wrote:Cool...anyone catch them around town? Was thinking of buying a few traps this year and seeing what kinda of craw dads I can get. Looks like its legal as long its for person use and the traps are a certain size.
http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fishing/Documents/IllinoisFishingInformation.pdf

Trapping them is legal, but transporting live rusty crayfish is not as they are an invasive species. Eat as many as you want, just dont get pulled over by a CPO on the way home!!!!!

gonefishin wrote:
Is that bbq boycott still going on?

say it ain't so!

yeah, at least traditional stuff(that pork belly I smoked and braised on the WSM last weekend was great). let me know if you are going to do a boil, I know a couple other folks that would love to do something like that.

Ill post pics of the crawfish when i get them Friday. The crawfish were looking big on some pics they posted on their FB page a couple days ago.

great sack of bugs from louisiana crawfish. out of 10 lbs, only 3 dead ones. After purging these bugs were fighting mad. Made for some good eats. I wouldnt waste my time with any local sources for mudbugs, get them shipped in from LA. to your door, cut out the middleman, and/or chinese crawfish from an asian market.

victim:



post boil soak:



feast:





carnage:



brilliant.

That looks like a good time.

Cbot wrote:That looks like a good time.

It was my friend.

Crawfish stock, butter, stuffed heads & bisque were off the hook the next day.

worth its weight in gold(spoonfull o' crawfish butter):

Jim great photos! The taster of the bisque you dropped off was magnificent! Really well done. I am a big fan of Louisiana Crawfish Company. http://www.lacrawfish.com , I have purchased over #3500lbs. of live crawfish from them over the years and they are the best! Delivered to your door or picking up at the Fed Ex depot out by O-Hare I have always had great luck with them. Ask for Avery and she will hook you up!!

jhawk1 wrote:Jim great photos! The taster of the bisque you dropped off was magnificent! Really well done. I am a big fan of Louisiana Crawfish Company. http://www.lacrawfish.com , I have purchased over #3500lbs. of live crawfish from them over the years and they are the best! Delivered to your door or picking up at the Fed Ex depot out by O-Hare I have always had great luck with them. Ask for Avery and she will hook you up!!

thanks man,

LA Crawfish Co. is a class act. Ill be using them again for sure.

I am going to order live crawfish for a party of 12 over memorial day. I am unclear how much crawfish meat you get from 10 lbs of live crawfish. I will be making etouffee and sauted crawfish of some kind.

Also I have seen references to purging them. If I order from http://www.lacrawfish.com/ , as several of you have, do I need to purge them and how do I do that.

Thanks for any help

Not a lot and certainly not enough for 12 people.
Your purveyor should be able to help with the amount but if making etouffee and sauted crawfish of some sort, why live? Live are usually for a crab boil where individuals then shuck the meat themselves. It will take a lot of work to get enough tail meat for 12 people from live crawfish after they are cooked. Most of the places that ship live crawfish, also handle tail meat. Just be sure its US and not a Chinese product.-Dick

Because I want the shells for stock and the fat for the etouffe.

Then I would suggest keeping your 10lb order of "live' and supplementing with tail meat for the additional--I think you get about 1 1/2 lbs. of "meat" out of the 10lbs of crawfish, give or take. So for 10 people, you're probably needing at least a few more pounds. But I would never subject myself to shelling 40+ lbs of crawdads!!!

Good idea. And I now see that tail meat only comes with fat.

I am going camping in Wisconsin in a couple weeks and am thinking about doing a crayfish boil. I found a guy who sells WI crayfish and said he will deliver to a campground - http://www.crayfishman.com/. I have never done a crayfish boil before so I'm trying to procure all the necessary supplies. I have a turkey fryer purchase lined up and since I only have charcoal grills, I do not have a propane tank. I am wondering if I can get buy with just a couple of those small, disposable 1-pound propane tanks they sell at places like CVS and Walgreens (pictured below). Does anyone know how much propane I would use to boil a large pot (26 quarts) of water and cook in it for an hour or so?

Check the output of your burner in BTUs and divide by 21,000 (the energy in a 1-lb tank). From what I can see a "typical" turkey-fryer type burner will kick out about 60,000 BTU, requiring a tank change every 20 minutes (in a perfect world) and I would get at least 6 tanks. Personally, I think it's a bad idea and would go with a 20lb tank ($50 or so for a filled tank vs. $30-$35 for 6 1lb tanks).

Can't help you with the propane question but unless you're planning on cooking something else on that fire besides crawfish, you'll end up with spicy rubber (or mush if the bugs are less than fresh) if you boil them for an hour. Probably not more than a half hour total...and only about 10 minutes or so for the crawfish themselves...

thanks, sounds like I need to find a full propane tank, I'd rather be safe than sorry anyway.

boudrealuicious - don't worry, I wasn't planning on boiling them for an hour. I figure it'll take about 20-30 minutes for the water to boil initially, throw in the zataran's boil mix for a few minutes, toss in the sausage/corn/garlic/lemon for 10-15 minutes, then toss in the crayfish for another 5-10 minutes. I figure the gas will need to run for about an hour or so, does that sound about right?

BigT wrote:thanks, sounds like I need to find a full propane tank, I'd rather be safe than sorry anyway.

boudrealuicious - don't worry, I wasn't planning on boiling them for an hour. I figure it'll take about 20-30 minutes for the water to boil initially, throw in the zataran's boil mix for a few minutes, toss in the sausage/corn/garlic/lemon for 10-15 minutes, then toss in the crayfish for another 5-10 minutes. I figure the gas will need to run for about an hour or so, does that sound about right?

Sounds perfect! don't forget the corn and potatoes!!