# The Boil is On!



## CraigC (May 25, 2016)

A 40# sack of mudbugs will be arriving via SW air cargo at noon on Friday. The boil will commence on Saturday! Pics to follow! Laissez les bons temps rouler!


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## tenspeed (May 25, 2016)

Is that an invitation?


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## salt and pepper (May 25, 2016)

CraigC said:


> A 40# sack of mudbugs will be arriving via SW air cargo at noon on Friday. The boil will commence on Saturday! Pics to follow! Laissez les bons temps rouler!


 Can't wait to see it. Sounds so good..


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## LizStreithorst (May 25, 2016)

That's some good stuff.  Beer is a necessity.  Y'all will have a blast.


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## CraigC (May 25, 2016)

LizStreithorst said:


> That's some good stuff.  Beer is a necessity.  Y'all will have a blast.



Yes! Beer from the Abita Brewery, Abita Springs, LA! Amber is a must, Purple Haze and maybe some Tourbodog! Of course there is Jackson's Brewery's, Blackened Voodo Lager. It's all good.


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## CraigC (May 25, 2016)

tenspeed said:


> Is that an invitation?



Long trip. but come on down!


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## LizStreithorst (May 25, 2016)

Were are you?  Can I come?  I'm a bundle of fun.


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## medtran49 (May 25, 2016)

Well over 8 hours from you.  I used to stop in Defuniak Springs when I would drive to visit my dad in Coffeeville, MS.  That was a little over half way for me.


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## Kayelle (May 25, 2016)

Sounds fantastic, but way too far for us. Seriously, how many guests do you expect?
We'd love pictures!!


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## Dawgluver (May 25, 2016)

And here I thought you were planning an event for us!  

My favorite tshirt is a Blackened Voodoo beer one from NOLA.  It's my dress tshirt.


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## Andy M. (May 25, 2016)

Sadly, I won't be able to make it.  Have a great time.


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## Silversage (May 27, 2016)

I can be there!  Text me the address!


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## CraigC (May 27, 2016)

Silversage said:


> I can be there!  Text me the address!



I would but between us and the neighbors, there won't be any left.

Well, the mudbugs have arrived and are resting comfortably on ice. However, they didn't make the original, direct flight and visited Washington, DC before hitting FT. Lauderdale at 5:20 PM, just in time for rush hour!


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## CraigC (May 28, 2016)

Getting closer!

The veges and sausage.







The spices.






In an hour or so, I'll get the boil water started, add the spices and lemons. While that gets going I'll start the purging process for the crawfish. More to come!


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## GotGarlic (May 28, 2016)

Looking good! We're doing a low-country boil for the teachers next Thursday. Already got the Zatarain's!


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## medtran49 (May 28, 2016)

Be careful with the Z.  Craig said he did absolutely nothing different but the spice is hot as he// and is almost painful to eat.  I've been crying while eating....  He is of the opinion they changed their recipe.  

Eta.  It may have been the boil mix he got with the mudbugs, I misunderstood, which considering the tears and the nose and the resultant cough should be understandable.  Even the potatos are too spicy.


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## GotGarlic (May 28, 2016)

medtran49 said:


> Be careful with the Z.  Craig said he did absolutely nothing different but the spice is hot as he// and is almost painful to eat.  I've been crying while eating....  He is of the opinion they changed their recipe.
> 
> Eta.  It may have been the boil mix he got with the mudbugs, I misunderstood, which considering the tears and the nose and the resultant cough should be understandable.  Even the potatos are too spicy.



Oy, that's not fun. And we need to be careful since we're cooking for a crowd and don't know everyone's heat tolerance. Sounds like we'll be okay with the Zatarain's. We'll also have hot sauce for people who want to kick it up.


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## medtran49 (May 29, 2016)

Even Craig admitted it was too hot and his tolerance is extremely high.  He's going to pick the tails of what is left today while I work and we'll freeze for use in etouffe or something.  We'll probably make boil soup with what's left of the potatos, corn and sausage.  Hopefully, the cream and chicken broth for the soup will seriously calm down the spice.  We probably won't need any salt though, it was also pretty salty.  I think he's right about somebody changing recipes and I'm guessing it's probably the spice mix that came from the mudbugs, either that or somebody messed up when mixing that batch because it's never been so spicy or salty when we've ordered from there previously.


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## Mad Cook (May 31, 2016)

CraigC said:


> A 40# sack of mudbugs will be arriving via SW air cargo at noon on Friday. The boil will commence on Saturday! Pics to follow! Laissez les bons temps rouler!


Ok, so I'm a foreigner but what the h*ll are mudbugs?


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## medtran49 (May 31, 2016)

Crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs.  Take your pick!  They look like tiny northern lobster.


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## CharlieD (May 31, 2016)

I still, after 25 years in US, can't understand why they are so small. That size crayfish in Russia were considered babies, and one was not allowed to keep, ad to throw back in the water. The crayfish we used to get was the size of grocery store lobster. And it tasted so good it didn't need any spice. Some salt and fresh dill for boiling. Lots of beer to wash it down. 


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


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## medtran49 (May 31, 2016)

That kind don't get much bigger than 6 inches or so.  The GDs kept one as a pet for a long time and it maybe got to 6.5 inches.


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## GotGarlic (May 31, 2016)

CharlieD said:


> I still, after 25 years in US, can't understand why they are so small. That size crayfish in Russia were considered babies, and one was not allowed to keep, ad to throw back in the water. The crayfish we used to get was the size of grocery store lobster. And it tasted so good it didn't need any spice. Some salt and fresh dill for boiling. Lots of beer to wash it down.



CharlieD, it's a different species from what you had in Russia. 

Also remember that this dish is from the southeast and south coasts of the United States, where spicy foods are common. It's not that the crawfish *need* spice - it's that the people living in these areas like spicy food. 

It's very much like the New England boiled dinner, except that smaller shellfish are used instead of lobster. Where I live, shrimp is more common because it's available locally. Crawfish are not as common here.


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## Dawgluver (May 31, 2016)

GotGarlic said:


> CharlieD, it's a different species from what you had in Russia.
> 
> Also remember that this dish is from the southeast and south coasts of the United States, where spicy foods are common. It's not that the crawfish *need* spice - it's that the people living in these areas like spicy food.
> 
> It's very much like the New England boiled dinner, except that smaller shellfish are used instead of lobster. Where I live, shrimp is more common because it's available locally. Crawfish are not as common here.




We have native crawfish up here, they're mudbug size.  You probably have them where you are too, Charlie.  A friend says they tear up her somewhat swampy backyard every year.  Apparently they're edible as well.


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## CraigC (Jun 2, 2016)

Better late than never,right? I cook the veges and sausage separately from the crawfish and then remove and keep warm. During the time for the pot to get to a rolling boil and while the veges/sausage cook, I rinse/soak the crawfish until the water draining from the coolers runs clear. It took 3 rinses with this sack. Then they are purged (soaked and drained) using kosher salt.

Veges and sausage in the pot.







Crawfish after soaking and rinsing, waiting to be purged.











Once the crawfish are done, they go in a cooler with some of the boil liquid and bags of ice to stop the cooking. They then soak for 20 minutes before being served along with the veges and lots of ice cold beer.


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