Time and temperature – two incredibly important variables when cooking. Think BBQ competitions, a place where chefs use exact science to produce mouth-watering results that only come from following consistent cook times and cooking temperatures. The meat is monitored with multiple probes as it cooks to perfection. Two minutes too long, or five degrees too cool, and the meat is ruined, dry, or stringy. When preparing to boil seafood, we prepare the wallet. As an expensive occasion, we shell out hundreds of dollars at the grocery stores and seafood markets but ignore an imperative variable when cooking for our family and friends – the seafood boil temperature.
Tossing hundreds of dollars of ingredients into our pot, we follow an age-old technique and recipe that is entirely based on a time sequence. We think potatoes… fifteen minutes, mushrooms… eight minutes, crawfish… three minutes, shrimp… 1 minute. What about the soaking temperature? Sure, we all know boiling water is 212 degrees, but we don’t want to overcook our seafood by soaking it in water that will overcook it.
Though often overlooked, temperature can make or break your boil. Many will turn off their propane jet burner and wait until their crawfish sink – but this method continues to cook your seafood. Others will dump gallons of ice or frozen corn into the pot, which causes uneven seafood boil temperatures and inconsistent absorption of your seafood boil seasoning. That’s why boil temperature is so important.Putting it simply, you have to drop the temperature quickly following the cooking of any food in order to prevent overcooking and maximize flavor. Seafood meat is no exception and, in addition, is incredibly delicate. It cooks quickly, and in some cases, seconds and minutes can make or break the outcome of the boil. It is imperative that we drop the temperature quickly before soaking. No ice, no frozen corn, no spraying the pot with a single-hose stream—these methods won’t cut it. Using the Boil Boss crawfish cooler, you will rapidly cool the temperature of your crawfish, shrimp, or crab boils in under 5 minutes – without recipe dilution. Just attach it to your pot, connect it to a garden hose, and watch your seafood sink to the bottom. As you rapidly cool the water (preparing to soak), your seafood will contract and take on the flavorful liquid and stock you have placed them within, which will cause them to sink.
As the temperature continues to drop, the seafood will sink and stop cooking. The temperature at which seafood meat will stop cooking is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. So, anywhere over 160, the meat will continue to cook. The Boil Boss temperature-sensing crawfish paddle can help take the guesswork out of your crawfish, crab, and shrimp cooling processes. No more inconsistent boil temperatures. No more rough guesses. The Thermo-Paddle puts control back in your hands, so you can avoid overcooked or hard-to-peel seafood.
So, time AND temperature. It is imperative that we think about both variables when boiling to create a consistent process every time. As your friends and family say, “That was the best batch I’ve ever had,” remember the two variables that can make every batch exactly the same. Dropping the temperature quickly following the cooking time of your seafood makes all the difference between a tough and flavorless crawfish tail and one that slides out easily and is packed with juicy flavor. Monitor and drop your seafood boil temperature quickly using the most effective crawfish boil equipment and temperature-control products in the boiling game from Boil Boss.
Steamed vs. boiled crawfish is a hot topic among Louisianans who love a good Cajun seafood feast—and the same goes for shrimp. While it all comes down to personal preference, after years of hosting and attending seafood boils, we’re firmly in the boil camp. Here’s why!
Steamed vs. boiled shrimp and crawfish—let’s start the showdown!
Down here in Louisiana, a good Cajun seafood boil is a way of life. Most folks know crawfish are the star of the show, but shrimp? They're another crowd-pleaser that'll bring that bold Southern flavor to the table. Whether it's crawfish, shrimp, or a mix of both, you're gonna end up with a pot full of good eats—but there's a little trick to getting it right.
Seafood boils are (quite literally) steeped in Cajun tradition. Here in Louisiana, people have been getting together to boil crawfish, shrimp, and other seafood since the 1700s. Good food with good company—what better way to pass a good time? The classic crawfish boil is a classic for a reason. That said, sometimes you may want to change it up to keep things interesting.