How to Eat Crawfish (Without Embarrassing Yourself)

Here's how to eat crawfish: hold the head in one hand and the tail in the other, twist them apart, peel back the first ring or two of shell on the tail, then pinch the bottom of the tail and pull the meat out with your teeth. Sucking the head is optional, though the people at the table will notice.

That's it. That's the whole technique. The rest is practice, a little nerve, and a roll of paper towels.

We've watched a lot of first-timers at a lot of boils, and almost nobody gets it right on the first crawfish. Most people mangle the first dozen. By the second tray, they've found a rhythm. By the end of the afternoon, they're explaining it to the next new person like they grew up in Breaux Bridge.

The Basic Move, Step by Step

1. Pick one up. Grab it by the body, head in your left hand and tail in your right (or the other way around, nobody's checking).

2. Twist and pull. Hold the head steady and twist the tail. It should come apart with a gentle pull. If you have to fight it, you've grabbed too far up the head.

3. Peel. Pinch the top ring of shell on the tail between your thumb and finger and peel it off. Sometimes the second ring comes with it. Sometimes you have to go back for it.

4. Pinch and pull. Squeeze the very end of the tail, near the fan. The meat will slide forward. Grab it with your teeth or your fingers and pull.

5. Repeat. Somewhere around number forty you'll stop thinking about it.

Small crawfish are harder than big ones, and early-season crawfish tend to run small. Don't let a handful of tiny ones convince you that you're bad at this.

About the Head

Here's where people get nervous.

After you twist the tail off, there's a pocket of orange-gold stuff inside the head that everybody calls the fat. Technically it isn't fat. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Beth Reames has explained that it's the hepatopancreas, an organ that works like a liver. Knowing that will either make you more curious or less. Either reaction is fair.

What it is, flavor-wise, is a concentrated shot of everything that went into the pot. Put your lips to the open end of the head and draw it in. Some people use a finger to scoop it out instead.

Is it required? No. Plenty of New Orleanians skip it, and nobody will throw you out of the backyard. But if somebody at the table offers to show you, let them. It's a kind of welcome.

While we're busting myths: you may hear someone say a crawfish with a straight tail was dead before it hit the pot and shouldn't be eaten. According to that same LSU AgCenter piece, a crowded pot can keep live crawfish from curling, so a straight tail doesn't prove anything on its own. Use your nose. If something smells off, skip it.

Seasoning: In the Pot or On Top

You'll run into a few ways of doing this, and people will argue about all of them.

The classic Louisiana boil seasons the water. As 64 Parishes describes it, crawfish get boiled in highly seasoned water in big pots over propane burners and dumped out on long tables with corn and red potatoes. The flavor soaks in while they sit after the burner goes off, which is why the boil master keeps saying "five more minutes."

Some boils hit the crawfish with another shake of dry seasoning after they come out of the pot, so the outside of the shell is coated. Your fingers will burn. Your lips will burn. Don't rub your eyes.

Then there's the garlic butter style, where the crawfish come out wet and tossed in sauce. You'll usually see it called Viet-Cajun. It's messier and richer, and it has a lot of fans in this town.

We're not going to tell you which one is correct. We have a store to run and friends we'd like to keep.

How Many Pounds of Crawfish Per Person?

The boil spots around the state usually sell three- or five-pound portions per person, according to 64 Parishes. That's a good guide.

When we're buying for a backyard, three pounds a head works if there's a lot of corn, potatoes, sausage and other food on the table. Bump it toward five for a crowd of serious eaters, or if crawfish is the only thing you're serving. Kids and first-timers eat less. The uncle in the folding chair at the end of the table eats more than you'd believe.

When in doubt, buy the extra sack. Leftover crawfish turn into étouffée, or a very good Tuesday night pasta. Nobody has ever complained about leftover crawfish.

Boil Etiquette for First-Timers

A few things that'll keep you on the guest list:

• Bring something. Ice is never the wrong answer.
• Eat from the pile in front of you. Reaching across the table to dig out the big ones is noticed.
• Don't skip the corn and potatoes. They've been sitting in the same water as the crawfish.
• Toss your shells in the bucket or the pile, not back on the table.
• Compliment the boil master. Even if it's the first boil of the year.

There's more where that came from in The Unwritten Rules of a New Orleans Crawfish Boil. And if you're the one hosting, start with our guide to the backyard crawfish boil.

Gear for the Table

You don't need much. A cold drink and a lot of paper towels will do, plus maybe a shirt that tells everybody you already know what you're doing. Our Pick Pinch Pull Suck shirt is the whole technique printed across your chest, which is helpful for the person sitting next to you.

Keep the drink cold with The Last Boil Koozie. It's a crawfish boil take on the Last Supper, and yes, Judas ate the biggest crawfish and all the mushrooms. Typical.

And when the table can't decide who has to go get more ice, settle it with the Heads or Tails Crawfish Coin. It's the one coin flip everybody in Louisiana already agrees on.

Crawfish season comes back every spring. Our guide to crawfish season will tell you when to start watching the prices.

How to Eat Crawfish: FAQ

Do you have to suck the head of a crawfish?

No. It's optional, and plenty of locals skip it. The head holds a concentrated hit of the boil seasoning plus the hepatopancreas, the orange-gold "fat," so it's worth trying once.

Is it safe to eat a crawfish with a straight tail?

A straight tail on its own doesn't mean the crawfish was dead before cooking. LSU AgCenter notes that crowded pots can keep live crawfish from curling. If it smells bad, don't eat it.

How many pounds of crawfish do you need per person?

Plan on three to five pounds per person. Boil spots in Louisiana commonly sell three- or five-pound portions; go lower if there are plenty of sides and higher for serious eaters.