Things you'll need
- Pan with lid
- Steamer basket
- Boil crab seasonings (optional)
- Forceps
- Frying pan with lid
- Olive oil
- Chopped garlic and onion (optional)
- Colander
Thoroughly reheated crawfish retain their unique flavor and texture. irz79/iStock/Getty Images
Freshly boiled crawfish are a traditional Southern treat, especially in Louisiana, where old crawfish boil is as much a social event as it is a food. Leftovers are rarely a problem at most feasts, but if you're lucky enough to get your hands on boiled crawfish, reheat them with care. Moisture and quick cooking are key because the last thing you want is to dry out these wonderful mud bugs.
In the freezer
For longer storage, boiled crayfish can be frozen. They can stay in the freezer for a month or even longer. How to properly store boiled crayfish in the freezer?
It is best to put several pieces of crayfish in separate plastic bags or food containers and put them in the freezer. If you pour the broth over the crayfish, the shelf life increases. You can also put the crayfish in special bags for vacuum packaging, pump out the air and send them for quick freezing in a chamber.
There is no need to defrost boiled and frozen crayfish in the air before consuming them. They are prepared in the same way as frozen shrimp - thrown into salted water with spices and boiled for 1-2 minutes.
If there are a lot of crayfish (this also happens), and there is not enough space in the refrigerator or freezer, they will have to be taken apart. Clean the necks from chitin, place in a separate container, and seal tightly. Place the claws in another container without cleaning them. All that remains is the body with the legs. They can also be put in a bag and stored in the refrigerator, but in most cases this part of the boiled crayfish is simply thrown away, since there is little meat in them. The main gastronomic value is represented by crayfish necks and claws.
The disadvantage of this storage method is that the crayfish meat loses its juiciness. You won’t be able to taste them like they were just cooked, but you can find a way out of this situation.
How to bring crayfish home alive
The path of the “capricious” delicacy to our table begins from the river or from the store. Already at this stage, it is necessary to take care of creating a certain environment favorable for storage.
- It is necessary to transport crayfish in boxes made of wood, plastic or thick cardboard with a sufficient number of holes. As an option, deep wicker baskets can be used. The bottom of the container is lined with damp moss, grass or algae, and the live catch is laid out, not tightly and in one row, otherwise weaker individuals risk dying. Then the crayfish are quickly covered with a cloth soaked in water or another layer of plants before they crawl into the corners. Next, the boxes or baskets are additionally wrapped in a tarpaulin, lined with bags of ice and transported, carefully protected from direct sunlight.
- A wet bag is also suitable for transportation , provided that the journey does not take much time - no more than 4 hours.
- When purchased at the market or in a store, the problem of containers for crayfish is solved much easier - a large plastic bag with water will be enough . It will be a worthy alternative to a bag, because the path of your favorite delicacy to our table will be very short.
- For long-distance transportation, special thermal containers made of foam polystyrene are used . They also need to be covered with a damp cloth and protected from the sun.
How to store boiled crayfish?
Not all people have a weakness for seafood, despite its delicacy and benefits. But the tender, juicy, tasty-smelling meat of boiled crayfish leaves no one indifferent. Today, this delicacy can be bought ready to eat, since frozen boiled crayfish, like shrimp, are sold in all supermarkets. There you can also buy live crayfish, which, alas, are not cheap at all.
It is best, if, of course, there is such an opportunity, to catch crayfish yourself, and here we are not talking about kilograms - they always catch a lot of crayfish, whole buckets. However, in this case, the problem arises: “how to store boiled crayfish?”, because it is impossible to eat them all in one sitting, and it will not be possible to keep crayfish alive for a long time. In addition, this product is very delicate and perishable.
There are options. Right now we will look at how long and under what conditions you can store boiled crayfish.
Preserving live crayfish correctly
How to keep crayfish alive? There are several proven methods:
- in a large container with clean water;
- in a damp room, for example, in a cellar or basement;
- in a refrigerator.
With the so-called “dry maintenance”, this period will be reduced to two days.
How long can you store live crayfish in the refrigerator? It turns out that this is not so little - up to 4 days, but only at a temperature not lower than 0ºС.
Now about each method in more detail.
We imitate natural habitat
If conditions permit, the catch can be released into a bath filled with settled, well or river water.
Cancers need a lot of oxygen and regular nutrition, otherwise they begin to attack each other. To ensure that the temporary inhabitants of the bath are comfortable and live as long as possible, it is necessary to change the water daily and ensure an adequate supply of food.
In nature, all crustaceans eat fish, but at home it is better to offer them plant foods - peas, pieces of raw potatoes and carrots, nettles or salad. They will not fight for such unattractive “pickle pickles” from the point of view of the river inhabitants, so the chances of keeping all the individuals safe and sound will increase significantly.
Dead specimens must be removed immediately. A living crayfish is distinguished from a dead one by its tail (neck) - in the second case it will be straight and not curved towards the abdomen.
Storing crayfish in a humid environment
Crustaceans can stay without water for up to two days. It is important to create an appropriate environment for them - moist and cool. It is best to place the crayfish in a spacious box with holes, lining the bottom with moss, grass or cloth soaked in water. You also need to put something wet on top.
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Then the container is placed in a cool place with good air exchange, but without drafts. A cellar, unheated garage or bathroom are perfect for this purpose. To properly store live crayfish, they should be periodically sprayed with a spray bottle. Due to lack of moisture, lactic acid begins to be released, causing severe pain.
How to Preserve Crayfish Using the Refrigerator
Every housewife knows about the “freshness zone”. This is the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, as well as a compartment for vegetables and fruits, where the temperature is maintained at about 0ºC and a certain level of humidity. This is where the living “gifts of the river” are placed.
Before placing live crustaceans in the refrigerator, they must be washed under the tap and placed in a container or large plastic bag. You cannot forget about the contents of the “freshness zone”, since not all crayfish tolerate cold and cramped conditions equally well. Dead specimens should be immediately removed before the surviving brethren “feast on” them.
Why heating boiled eggs in the microwave is a bad idea. VIDEO
Experts have found that heating hard-boiled eggs in the microwave is quite a dangerous undertaking. The thing is that after such seemingly innocent manipulations, the product can unexpectedly explode, even if it is peeled.
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In one of the restaurants, a visitor ordered a peeled, hard-boiled egg, but the waiter brought the dish already cooled. The man asked the service staff to heat the egg, which was done using a microwave.
When the client took a light bite of the heated egg, it literally exploded.
The dissatisfied man decided to sue the restaurant, arguing that he received burns and even hearing damage. To resolve this issue, they turned to acoustics specialists for help, asking them to find out from a scientific point of view how true the incident was.
Scientists conducted an experiment in which they microwaved 100 eggs one at a time. Next, each of them was placed under a microphone to capture any sounds. Heating did not damage 2/3 of the eggs - they retained their integrity. About a third exploded when scientists pierced them with a sharp object.
The explosion of the eggs was accompanied by sound at levels ranging from 86 to 133 decibels. This range is safe at a distance of 30 centimeters. For example, when a person fires a shotgun, he hears a louder sound - around 160 decibels. Thus, experts agreed that the explosion of a heated egg is simply not capable of damaging hearing.
Next, scientists measured the temperature of the yolk after the explosion, and it turned out that it was quite high - more than 100 degrees Celsius. This is where the reason for the incident lies. The yolks of boiled eggs have a large number of cavities filled with water.
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It does not boil after heating quickly, but if the egg is pierced, the boiling water instantly turns into steam, causing an explosion.
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Experts have found that heating hard-boiled eggs in the microwave is quite a dangerous undertaking. The thing is that after such seemingly innocent manipulations, the product can unexpectedly explode, even if it is peeled.
What should you not do with crayfish?
How to properly store live crayfish? In the cool. But there is no need to overdo it: experts categorically do not recommend storing them in the freezer. Under such temperature conditions, animal meat can change its color and taste. In addition, as a result of freezing, the meat will become soft and lose all its beneficial qualities. The best way out in this situation would be to boil the crayfish and only then place their meat in the refrigerator. In this case, it is necessary to place the product in a glass container and place it on a free shelf. Such meat can be stored for a long time and will be an excellent snack for beer.
In a refrigerator
Crayfish boiled in salted water can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 2-4 days. The first option: drain the broth in which the crayfish were boiled, remove the dill and spices, cool and, without removing from the pan, put in the refrigerator. Second option: remove the crayfish from the pan, cool, transfer several pieces into food containers with airtight lids, close tightly, and place in the refrigerator.
The disadvantage of this storage method is that the crayfish meat loses its juiciness. You won’t be able to taste them like they were just cooked, but you can find a way out of this situation.
Firstly, you can store the crayfish directly in the water in which they were boiled or, as in the first option, put the pan in the refrigerator or pour the broth over the crayfish laid out in food containers. Secondly, you can boil the crayfish in a very salty brine for a couple of minutes after boiling, cool, put into containers and pour the same broth over them. In this form, they are perfectly stored for up to 5 days, but before eating the crayfish, they will need to be boiled additionally. This time 15 minutes. There is no need to salt the water.
How and for how long you can store live and boiled crayfish at home
Crayfish, inhabitants of freshwater bodies, are good for everyone, except for one thing: they can only be cooked live. Dead individuals release toxins that cause severe poisoning. Therefore, all lovers of this exquisite product are concerned with the question: how to store live crayfish at home, without harm to their own health?
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Crayfish meat is a healthy low-calorie product, rich in protein and essential microelements. There is especially a lot of sulfur in this delicacy, which is called the “mineral of beauty.” Crayfish meat is recommended to be included in therapeutic diets aimed at maintaining the functioning of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and gastrointestinal tract.
By regularly eating crayfish, you can significantly replenish your supply of B vitamins, which play an important role in metabolic and regenerative processes.
What to do with crayfish before cooking?
The opinion that it is necessary to use salt to clean crayfish is erroneous. Everything is a little simpler. Before that, you still need to wash them to get rid of dirt, and also carefully examine the body.
Also, before cooking, you need to pay attention to the quality of the meat. It must be juicy, elastic, have the usual color and aroma. If there is an unpleasant odor from the meat or if it is loose or soft, it is better to refuse to prepare such a product. Otherwise, you can get seriously poisoned.
Some useful tips
- When choosing crayfish to buy, you need to pay attention to their “neck” - actually, the abdomen, where the bulk of the meat is contained. Many fans mistakenly call this place the tail. The more a cancer bends its “neck” and presses it to the body, the healthier it is and is able to live longer in extreme conditions.
- What if the treat is bought ready-made? In boiled crayfish, the “neck” will also be pressed against the body. Otherwise, the specimen was boiled already dead and is not suitable for food.
- To enhance the taste and tenderness of meat, crustaceans are boiled in milk, beer, cucumber pickle or white wine with spices.
- Serve the dish generously with broth or specially prepared sauce. In this case, the meat will be more tender and juicy.
- Gourmets advise putting crayfish in milk for 30 minutes before cooking, then rinsing them again with water and cooking.
- For the dish you need to choose large individuals. Their meat has the best taste characteristics.
By following the basic rules for storing and preparing crayfish, you can please your family and guests with an excellent dietary dish that is suitable for both everyday and holiday menus.
Methods for storing boiled crayfish
It must be immediately emphasized that only freshly prepared crayfish meat will be the most delicious and healthy . However, in the case when it is not possible to consume the entire cooked portion at once, and it is not possible to store live specimens, it is necessary to again resort to low temperatures.
It is important to know how to store boiled crayfish at home so that the finished delicacy does not spoil and will delight you with a pleasant taste after some time.
After boiling the catch, it is cooled and placed in the same container on the top shelf of the refrigerator. Under no circumstances should you drain the broth in which the crayfish were cooked. The product remains usable for 5 days.
In the freezer
For long-term storage, boiled crayfish are sent to the freezer . If you put the delicacy in separate bags of several pieces, it will “last” for about a month, but if you place it in plastic containers along with broth, the shelf life will increase to three months.
It would seem a wonderful way to enjoy a delicious dish, long after it was prepared. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fully enjoy the delicate taste of meat after freezing - it will become “rubbery”, lose its juiciness and its unsurpassed aroma.
Here is the answer to the question of how long you can store boiled crayfish in the refrigerator and how to do it.
