How to Clean & Purge Crawfish

Key Takeaways

• Sort through the crawfish to find and remove dead crawfish and debris.
• Put the live crawfish in a large bucket, tub, cooler, or other container.
• Fill the container with fresh, cool water.
• Refresh the water until it stays completely clear.
• Use our patented Cajun Cleaner to clean crawfish quickly, easily, and thoroughly.
  

Cleaning crawfish removes unpleasant, gritty textures and “muddy” flavors that spoil the experience. Even if you buy pre-cleaned crawfish, it’s best to clean them anyway, just to be safe.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean crawfish like a pro.

Is Purging Crawfish Really Necessary?

Some boilers purge crawfish by soaking them in saltwater to empty their digestive tracts. However, salt purging is widely viewed as ineffective, can alter the flavor, and often causes crawfish to expire before the boil begins.

A true purge requires soaking the crawfish in oxygenated water for 12-24 hours. Because an aerator and regular water changes are required, most boilers skip this optional step. It takes a lot of work and time, and a proper cleaning will still produce delicious crawfish.

Here in Louisiana, everyone has their own opinions about how to purge crawfish and whether purging is or isn’t necessary. We’ll leave it up to you!

How to Clean Crawfish

1. Start With a Thorough Inspection

Before you start cleaning, pour the crawfish out, ideally on a proper crawfish sorting table or something similar. Sift through them and remove any debris and dead crawfish.

2. Put the Crawfish in a Container

Pour the live crawfish into a large container, such as a bucket, tub, or ice chest.

3. Fill the Container With Water

Use a garden hose to fill the container with cool, fresh water.

4. Refresh the Water Until Clear

Now, for this step, you could manually change out the water over and over, but we have a much better solution for how to clean crawfish easily and efficiently: our patented Cajun Cleaner!

With our Cajun Cleaner, you simply pour up to one sack of crawfish into the bucket, attach your hose, and let the water flow out of the lid’s holes until it’s running crystal-clear.

At High Performance Cookers, we also have equipment for the commercial environment that can clean crawfish on a greater scale. Check out the Crawcuzzi Automatic Crawfish Cleaner!

Shop the Industry’s Best Seafood Boil Equipment

At High Performance Cookers, we make top-of-the-line crab, shrimp, and crawfish cookers that outperform the competition every time. Whether you need a better boiling pot for Louisiana crawfish boils or a commercial-grade crawfish purger for your restaurant, we have you covered.

If you have any questions about how to clean crawfish, how to purge crawfish, or anything else at all, get in touch. Shop now!