What To Do With Rusty Crayfish?

I just saw the following in a recent issue of the 'zine Science --

"What else are you going to do with them but eat them?"
--Jake Vander Zanden, an ecologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, tells The Wall Street Journal about the tasty benefits of a project that has trapped and removed about 100,000 invasive rusty crayfish from Sparkling Lake in northern Wisconsin.

With some experience in the matter, eating them loses its novelty after the first few 5-gallon buckets of crayfish.

If it's already lost its novelty, then either you didn't put enough cayenne in the water, or you didn't invite enough guests to your boil.

If it's already lost its novelty, then either you didn't put enough cayenne in the water, or you didn't invite enough guests to your boil.

Amen!!


You can use the tail meat for bait. That works well.

That's funny. Man, well cooked crawdads last as long as my apetite when I'm around!

What To Do With Rusty Crayfish?

When I first read the title, my first thought was to suggest Rustoleum...works wonders!

Amen!!


You can use the tail meat for bait. That works well.

Oh yeah just using the tail with a bit of the meat exposed is a surefire recipe for a nice fish.

lol, true, I was always unprepared and in the middle of nowhere when I cooked them, and they went into whatever I had at the time. Went in to a lot of basic recipes, but a boil would have been ideal. Any good recipes?

lol, true, I was always unprepared and in the middle of nowhere when I cooked them, and they went into whatever I had at the time. Went in to a lot of basic recipes, but a boil would have been ideal. Any good recipes?

Pre-packaged crab or shrimp boil mixes are fine and pretty cheap.
I've always boiled a hundred or so pounds craw dads at a time so I started my boils from scratch.
I quarter 10~20 pounds of yellow onions, toss in sacks of red potatoes, 6 or more complete heads of celery, a dozen or more heads of garlic (peeled), handfuls of bay leaves, two heaping handfuls of coriander (cilantro seed), handful or two of peppercorn and also mustard seed, enough salt to get to nearly saltwater levels (several pounds), a whole lot of corn (on the cob), I also use about a gallon of hot sauce since I like a slight pepper flavor. I toss all but the potatoes and corn in a drum and wait for it to get nearly to boil and add the potatoes and corn. Once that boils, I add the craw dads and you serve in a big self serve pile.

I'm sure you could do this on a smaller scale but it might not be as much fun!

I also use about a gallon of hot sauce since I like a slight pepper flavor.

I'd hate to see how many gallons you put in it for a moderate pepper flavor!!

Pre-packaged crab or shrimp boil mixes are fine and pretty cheap.
I've always boiled a hundred or so pounds craw dads at a time so I started my boils from scratch.
I quarter 10~20 pounds of yellow onions, toss in sacks of red potatoes, 6 or more complete heads of celery, a dozen or more heads of garlic (peeled), handfuls of bay leaves, two heaping handfuls of coriander (cilantro seed), handful or two of peppercorn and also mustard seed, enough salt to get to nearly saltwater levels (several pounds), a whole lot of corn (on the cob), I also use about a gallon of hot sauce since I like a slight pepper flavor. I toss all but the potatoes and corn in a drum and wait for it to get nearly to boil and add the potatoes and corn. Once that boils, I add the craw dads and you serve in a big self serve pile.

I'm sure you could do this on a smaller scale but it might not be as much fun!

100 pounds of crawdads? Wow! Do you ever worry about them escaping and pinching you to death? LOL! Seriously, how many people does that serve?

Dean

100 pounds of crawdads? Wow! Do you ever worry about them escaping and pinching you to death? LOL! Seriously, how many people does that serve?

Dean

About a dozen serious eaters but up north it's more of a novelty so about 20 people.
I use steel a steel drum so a gallon of hot sauce doesn't go as far as you might think.
I have them aired in potato sacks, packed in ice. When that cold, they aren't too frisky and the sacks keep them in place.
It would be nice to get the gang together and do this again this spring.

+16
eating them sounds like a fantastic idea!
they also go good with pasta in a cream sauce !

About a dozen serious eaters but up north it's more of a novelty so about 20 people.
I use steel a steel drum so a gallon of hot sauce doesn't go as far as you might think.
I have them aired in potato sacks, packed in ice. When that cold, they aren't too frisky and the sacks keep them in place.
It would be nice to get the gang together and do this again this spring.

ULAND JUST CALL i will be there.

It would be nice to get the gang together and do this again this spring.

With great happy feet I would be there in a moments notice
Always love a good Crawfish boil.

On a different note though we have been boiling up Rusty's for some time now over here. I use them actually in a bunch of different dishes. Have never found a good use for Round goby yet but I'm thinking of maybe making them into fish sauce and see how that goes.

Edited by Brooklamprey, 17 March 2011 - 06:51 PM.

Throw it on your hook, catch a largemouth, and have a feast!

Crayfsh and beer. Pure Heaven.

Oh, and heavy on the cayenne/hot sauce.

Usil

Edited by Usil, 27 October 2011 - 10:18 PM.