Crawfish are similar to lobsters, but are much smaller.Mud bugs are often referred to as "mud bugs" because they live in the mud of freshwater bayous.Crawfish are a part of southern cuisine and Cajun cooking in Louisiana.Crawfish are usually boiled but they need to be cleaned first, which is referred to as purge.The crayfish of mud and grass can be made more appetizing by purging them.
Step 1: If you don't cook the crawfish right away, keep them in the sack.
Crawfish should be left in the air if they are stored in water for too long.
Step 2: To store them for longer, place them in a container with ice and briefly hose them down.
For a few days, live crawfish can be kept at 36oF to 46oF.You don't want to leave them submerged in water.Remove the ice before you cook the crawfish.
Step 3: Take the live crawfish out of the sack and put them in a large plastic tub or cooler.
Make sure the container is large enough to thoroughly clean.Make sure they can't crawl out.
Step 4: Put salt in the tub.
Take your grinder or salt box and shake it over them.This isn't intended for seasoning.The bugs will go crazy when you do this.Salting is not required.Some cooks believe that salting may help clean the crawfish by forcing them to vomit and purge any mud and waste in their system.The risk of killing the crawfish increases during the purge.
Step 5: Use a large instrument to stir them up and salt them again.
You want to salt the whole batches at the same time.
Step 6: If you want the live crawfish to be submerged, put fresh water over them.
You can either fill their tub with a hose or use another bucket.When this happens, the crawfish spit out the dirt in their system, which reduces the taste and smell of the fish and decreases the size of their sand vein.
Step 7: For 3 minutes, stir gently with an instrument.
The mud from the crawfish's shells and gills will be washed off by the moving water.
Step 8: Keep your crawfish in their tub by pouring out salt water.
The salt water should be drained completely.
Step 9: You can refill the tub with fresh water.
If there are dead crawfish that float to the top, remove them and throw them away.
Step 10: One more time.
The water should be less grimy after giving it a stir.You are done purge if you are satisfied with the cleanliness.
Step 11: The water should be drained and boiled your crawfish.
Step 12: If you don't want to use salt, fill the tub with water and let the crawfish sit in it for a few minutes.
You can stir them occasionally to help loosen the dirt.
Step 13: Remove the dirty water and refill the tub with fresh water.
For another 5 to 10 minutes, let the live crawfish sit.
Step 14: Remove dead crawfish from the top.
Crawfish can be boiled live.
Step 15: Put the container back in it's container and fill it again.
Check the muddiness of the water by giving them a last stir.It should be clear now.