Looking to boil up some crawfish for your next seafood feast? Getting the cooking time just right is essential to achieving tender, flavorful crawfish. Discover the secrets to perfecting your crawfish boil with our guide on how long to cook crawfish.
How Long to Boil Crawfish
Crawfish only needs to boil for 3-4 minutes to cook through. However, if you’re doing a crawfish boil with lots of flavor, I recommend you allow the crawfish to soak in the spices from the boil for 10 minutes. Total cook time will range 13-14 minutes if you are looking for optimal flavor.
How to Tell When They Are Done
It’s important to boil them for the right amount of time to ensure they are fully cooked but not overcooked, which can make them tough and rubbery. Here are some tips and signs to watch for:
- Color: Crawfish will turn bright red when they’re fully cooked. Keep an eye on the pot as they cook and look for this color change.
- Texture: You want the crawfish to be firm but not tough or rubbery. Test the texture of the meat by removing one from the pot and pulling the tail away from the head. If the tail comes away easily and the meat inside is firm and white, the crawfish is likely done.
- Timing: As a general rule, crawfish should be boiled for no longer than 15 minutes. Once you add them to boiling water, start timing. Keep an eye on the pot and check for color and texture as described above.
Overcooked Crawfish
Overcooking can make crawfish tough and rubbery while undercooking can result in an unpleasant, chewy texture. So be careful not to undercook or overcook them. Here’s what you should look for:
- Texture: Tough and rubber; difficult to chew.
- Appearance: The shells may appear to be cracked, broken, or mushy. The meat inside the may also look shriveled and dry.
- Taste: Bland or slightly bitter taste, as the prolonged cooking time can cause the natural flavor of the crawfish to break down.