Crawfish PPP (Pick Prep Portion)

 

The Meat Hook

If shrimp taste like vacation, crawfish taste like celebration. A crawfish boil isn’t just a meal — it’s an event. Buckets of steaming mudbugs poured across newspaper, folks elbow to elbow peeling tails and sucking heads, cold drinks flowing, and laughter rolling. That’s how memories get made.

But let’s be real: crawfish can also confuse first-timers. Live vs. frozen? Field run vs. select? How many pounds per person? It’s easy to overbuy, underbuy, or end up with crawfish that feel like more work than reward.

That’s why this PPP matters. Pick the right sack, prep them properly, and portion them for your crew, and you’ll have a boil that people talk about long after the shells are gone.

 

By the end of this post, you’ll know:

• How to choose live vs. frozen crawfish
• What “field run” vs. “select” means when buying
• How to purge and prep crawfish before boiling
• How to portion crawfish for different types of gatherings
• Pro tips for pulling off a boil like a seasoned Cajun

 

Picking: What to Buy

Crawfish are sold by the sack, typically 30–40 pounds.

What to know:

• Live crawfish: The gold standard for boils. Look for lively, hard-shelled crawfish without excess mud.
• Frozen tails: Great for étouffée, gumbo, or pastas, but not for a boil.
• Field run vs. select:
  
• Field run: Mixed sizes, usually cheaper.
• Select: Larger, more consistent size, easier peeling.

👉 Tip: Buy in season (spring into early summer). Out-of-season crawfish are often smaller, weaker, and pricier.

 

Prepping: How to Clean & Purge

Crawfish prep is about cleaning and purging.

• Rinse thoroughly in a large tub or cooler until water runs mostly clear.
• Purge: Traditionalists use salt; others argue clean water soaks are better. Either way, the goal is to flush mud and grit.
• Sort out floaters: Dead crawfish don’t get cooked — discard them.

👉 Pro move: Add a few halved lemons and extra garlic cloves into the boil. The crawfish pick up subtle flavor as they cook.

 

Portioning: How Much Do You Need?

• As the main event (boil): 3–5 pounds live crawfish per person.
• As part of a spread with other proteins/sides: 2 pounds live per person.

Example: A 35-pound sack feeds 7–10 people as the main event, or 12–15 people with additional meats and sides.

Pitmaster’s Tips

• Buy live crawfish during peak season for best size and flavor.
• Purge until the water runs mostly clear.
• Figure 3–5 pounds per person when crawfish are the star.
  
  

Pair It

• Corn on the Cob: Sweetness balances spicy boil.
• Red Potatoes: Classic filler in any crawfish spread.
• Andouille Sausage: Spicy bite alongside the mudbugs.
• French Bread: Mops up boil juices.
• Cold Beer (lager): The backyard classic with crawfish.
• Sweet Tea (zero-proof): Southern staple that cools spice.

 

Closing Thought

Crawfish boils prove that BBQ and outdoor cooking are about community as much as food. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s a little chaotic — but that’s the point.

When you do it right, the table isn’t just covered in crawfish shells. It’s covered in stories, laughter, and the kind of memories that stick long after the boil pot is cleaned.

That’s why crawfish belong in the PPP series — because they’re proof that food doesn’t just fill bellies, it fills lives.

 

The PitMaster’s Toast

Here’s to the humble mudbug — small in size, mighty in spirit. Crawfish aren’t just food. They’re a reason to gather.

Cheers!

 

Pitmaster/Grillmaster

Michael McDearman is a PitMaster/Grillmaster, Restaurateur, and Good Ol’ Country Boy with a Passport full of Cook-Offs and a Phone full of Grill Photos — not a backyarder playing PitMaster online. He’s represented 50+ Major BBQ & Grilling Companies, served 3 Years as Grillmaster for Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner., Won Contests Around the World, earned SIX Straight Golden Tickets to the Steak World Championship, and Judges Food Competitions on the World’s Largest Food Sport Stages.

Michael’s the BBQ Buddy who shows up with Tongs, Temps, and a Plan: Honest Temps, Natural Fats, Good Drinks & Good Times! If it’s a fake outfit or accent or just bad info, it’s OUT. Life is too short. Let’s have FUN! If it helps you win Saturday Dinner for your “Judges” — Family, Friends, and Folks — it’s IN. Steak, Brisket, Burgers, or Ribeyes for a Crowd — BBQ, Grilling, Outdoor Living is the Way.

 

If you liked this PPP, check out:

• Shrimp PPP (Pick Prep Portion)
• Salmon PPP (Pick Prep Portion)
• Pork Belly PPP (Pick Prep Portion)