Crawfish Cleaning Guide: The Best Ways to Clean Crawfish

July 24, 2024

They are called mudbugs for a reason! Washing your crawfish is a crucial step that ensures your seafood is clean and ready for boiling. Crawfish burrow themselves in muddy environments and are typically covered in mud and debris when purchased. Properly cleaning them not only removes this unwanted grime but also prevents the muddy flavor from overpowering your spices. Taking the time to wash your crawfish sets the foundation for a perfect boil. Here’s how you can clean them effectively using two simple methods.

The Ice Chest Method

1. Fill your ice chest with live crawfish.
2. With your cooler drain closed, use a garden hose to fill your cooler with water.
3. Once filled, stir your crawfish around to kick up as much dirt as possible.
4. Remove your drain plug and drain the dirty water.
5. Repeat this process until the water in your chest appears clear.

Note: Remove any dead crawfish and pick out any remaining debris. 

The Crawfish Cleaner Method

1. Attach a Crawfish Washer to a standard water hose and begin filling with water.
2. Add 20-40 lbs of live crawfish.
3. Once the water has filled the washer, open the drain at the bottom.
4. Allow the constant flow of clean water to wash the crawfish.
5. When the water is clear, your crawfish are ready to go into the boil.

Crawfish Cleaning Tips

Some extra tips before you start washing your crawfish: 

Get started early

Cleaning crawfish can be a time-consuming task, depending on your set-up and how muddy they are. That’s why we’ve made it the second step in our detailed step-by-step PDF guide. Staying ahead of this process ensures it’s not rushed.

Set up near a drain or natural runoff

Whether you’re using a crawfish cleaner or an ice chest, you’ll want to be near a drain or natural runoff to dispose of the dirty water. This set up keeps your area clean and prevents water from puddling.

Keep them cool and out of the sun

Once you get your crawfish home, keep them out of direct sunlight. Instead, store your crawfish in a cool, shaded area to maximize survival before cleaning and boiling. Some recommend using a large cooler with the lid off or cracked.

Get Ready to Boil

At Boil Boss, we can’t stress the importance of washing crawfish enough. It is an essential step to ensure they’re free from mud and other debris before boiling. The only ingredients that belong in your boil are crawfish, a seafood boil seasoning bag, onions/garlic, and your other lagniappe! We recommend cleaning crawfish with a commercial crawfish cleaner, but as long as the water runs clear, you’re good to go. The end goal is always clean crawfish that’s ready to head into your crawfish boil equipment. Discover innovative supplies for your seafood boil today!

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