Smoked Crayfish

[EnglishGuy]

Okay, still my first day on the site. I've done a search, but I can't find a reference to crayfish.

I wonder if anyone has ever tried them smoked? As I mentioned on my introductory post, I have river at the bottom of my garden, and we have a serious problem with an alien species, American Signal Crayfish, that escaped into the wild about 20 years ago. These things infest the river, and there aren't any natural predators (apart from mink, but they aren't really interested).

I found a Google hit on smoking them (crayfish, not mink  :D), but wondered if anyone has ever tried them? I did try them boiled in Australia, but we didn't manage to catch enough of them to make a good meal.

http://www.crayfishremovaloxon.co.uk/cookingcrayfish.html

These guys are incredibly easy to catch (a bit stupid if you ask me), and are there in incredible numbers

[Smoking Duck]

I've had many a crawfish boil when I was down in Mississippi but none since.  I think they're awesome and really like them boiled in Old Bay Seasoning.  Never had them smoked but would be willing to give it a try sometime.

[KyNola]

Haven't smoke crawfish but I have smoked shrimp and they turn out really good.  Trying to decide how to "sedate" the crawfish first so you can peel the tails out and just smoke the tail meat.  Anybody have an idea?  I brined the shrimp in a standard salt/sugar brine for about 20 minutes.  Out of the brine to air dry to form the pellicle.  Brush with melted butter and your favorite cajun seasoning such as Tony Chacere's and then into the smoker until they turn a beautiful golden color.  Out of the smoker, mix up a remoulade sauce and get out of the way lest I knock you down trying to get to those shrimp.

KyNola

[MoSmoke]

KyNola,
I've taken a cooler 2/3 full of Maryland blue crabs and covered them with ice and it slowed them down real fast.
I would think the same would work with crawfish.

MoSmoke

[manxman]

Think Hugh Fearnley Whittingsall has some recipes for Signal Crayfish either in his new book.....Fish, or online at River Cottage.

Sounds like a great source of free food!!  ;) :D

[EnglishGuy]

Well, I caught a few last year, and put them in a large tub to purge themselves (they can be a bit 'muddy' apparently).  Problem was that they were all dead the following morning, so I expect the tub needed an air bubbler to stop them suffocating.

The only problem with Signal Crayfish is that their shells are very tough. Although I have heard from anglers that signal crayfish can be spread out along the riverbank to act as an early warning system for approaching bicycles.  ;D

The river has some big pike, which make good eating, and supposedly there are trout and eels in there. But it is the Crayfish which are the most numerous. If the water is clear, you can spot dozens of them in a very small area on the bottom - its infested with them.

[manxman]

Sounds like investing in a crayfish trap may be in order.......... and an aerated tank!!  ;) :D

http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://www.abfishingtackle.com/acatalog/PrawnTraps.html&sa=X&oi=product_result&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=3&cad=AGwuUXjv02mnM0OiHNNw7vadvs4rLKqhcAAAAAAAAAAA&usg=AFQjCNHkZTEMGCtx1GczkGc4IqoAlk0z6Q

[Gizmo]

English,
If you have never had a crawfish boil feast, I would suggest giving that a try.  Typicaly the crawfish is boiled in a cajun seasoning (whole) and then when you are ready to eat, you tear off the tail, suck the juice out of the head and then pull the tail meat out of the shell.  It will take several dozen to fill you up but usually you do up 20 to 30 pounds of them and have a few friends over.  Good eatin and fun with the friends.  If you have left overs, you can pull the tail meat and use it in jumbalaya with some tasso, cajun sausage and other goodies. 

[iceman]

Man Giz yer bringing back some good memories. We used to cook up 100 lbs. and have a block party at the cabin. It was a two day affair with people coming and going 24 hrs a day. Plenty of good friends and food for sure.

[KyNola]

Sign me up Ice!  Every year there is a crawfish boil in my town.  Last year, they boiled something like 3,300 pounds of crawfish.  Good stuff!

KyNola

[iceman]

Sign me up Ice!  Every year there is a crawfish boil in my town.  Last year, they boiled something like 3,300 pounds of crawfish.  Good stuff!

KyNola

Now that's my kind of town KyNola! ;D

[Gizmo]

Sign me up Ice!  Every year there is a crawfish boil in my town.  Last year, they boiled something like 3,300 pounds of crawfish.  Good stuff!

KyNola

Don't mean to brag but the LSU Annual Boil in San Diego trucked in 6.5 tons of live crawfish from Lafayette last year.  Can't wait til this year.

[iceman]

You guys are killing me! I'm rolling on the floor drooling and dreaming of jumping in a big pile of crawfish and eating myself into a coma.
I know Ann thinks I'm crazy too!!! That and crab feeds are hard to beat sometimes. :P :P :P ;D

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

Here you go; 12 tons of crawdads in three days on Fathers Day. http://www.crawdadfestival.org/

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Gizmo]

Now that is some might good eating as well.  Does the $5 admission include the crawfish or is that just to get in through the gate?
The boil here is about $45 but that includes the crawfish and all the beer you can drink (until 2 PM or so).