How and how much to cook crayfish to make them juicy

How to choose crayfish

First, make sure the crayfish are alive. If they do not show activity and do not move, it is better to refuse them. Another sign of a living cancer is that if you peel back the tail, it again presses against the abdomen. If it just stays flat, chances are the cancer isn't fresh enough.

How to cook crayfish: choose only live crayfish

Don't boil dead crayfish. When stale, the product is dangerous, as crayfish quickly begin to decompose. This can cause food poisoning.

How to prepare crayfish

Start by placing the crayfish in a basin or bucket. Fill with water at room temperature and leave for an hour.

Then rinse under running water. If the crayfish is in sand, silt or other dirt, use a brush to scrub everything. Otherwise, the finished dish will not have a very pleasant aftertaste.

Washed crayfish can be additionally soaked in milk. This will make their meat more tender and juicy. To do this, pour the crayfish with fat milk so that they are completely covered, and leave for half an hour. Then rinse thoroughly under running water.

How many crayfish to cook

Depending on the size, the crayfish are boiled for 8–20 minutes. Please note that the time is counted from the moment the water boils again.

Try not to overexpose the food on the stove, otherwise the meat will not be as tasty. The readiness of the dish can be determined by the color: the cooked crayfish turn bright red.

When the crayfish are cooked, leave them to infuse in the broth.

What you need to cook crayfish

The classic option is to cook in water, but milk or a mixture of water and light beer in equal amounts can also be used instead. A kilogram of crayfish will require an average of 2, 5–3 liters of liquid. Choose a large, deep saucepan for cooking. Pour the liquid so that it takes up about half the volume.

Traditionally, when boiling crayfish in water, milk or beer, a bunch of fresh dill is added - preferably with umbrellas. They also throw in salt, about 1 tablespoon per liter of liquid. You can also put a few peas of black and allspice, bay leaf. When boiling crayfish in water, sometimes they additionally put a whole onion and carrots, an apple cut into pieces, black currant leaves and a teaspoon of honey. All this will help make the dish even more delicious and aromatic.

When the boiled crayfish are infused in the broth, you can add butter, about 50–100 g. This makes the meat even more tender, with a pleasant creamy aftertaste.

How to boil crayfish in water

Boil water. Add salt, a bunch of dill, and other ingredients of your choice. Wait a few minutes and gently submerge the crayfish in boiling water. Try to hold them by the backs so as not to injure your hands, and lower your head down. If cooking for the first time, use a towel or oven mitts for safety.

Cook small crayfish for 8-10 minutes, medium - about 15 minutes, and large - about 20 minutes. After that, be sure to leave to infuse under the lid for 15 minutes.

How to brew crayfish in beer

Take equal proportions of light beer and water. Boil in a large saucepan, add salt, dill, and other spices to your liking. After a couple of minutes, one by one, dip the crayfish into the boiling liquid, try to keep them head down.

Small ones will be ready in 8-10 minutes, medium ones in 15 minutes, and large ones will take 20 minutes. Then leave the crayfish covered for another 15-30 minutes.

Put it into practice?

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How to cook crayfish in milk

Boil the milk in a saucepan. Add salt, dill, and other spices if using. After a couple of minutes, dip the crayfish into the boiling liquid one at a time, holding them upside down.

Cook in the same way as in ordinary water: 8-10 minutes small, 15 minutes - medium and 20 minutes - large. After cooking, leave covered for 15-30 minutes.