Texas Crawfish 101: Everything You Need to Know About Seasonality and Where to Find It
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This week I want to go into detail about the very best shellfish (What wine goes well with shellfish?) in the Deep South. An ingredient that through sweet meat and even sweeter memories has an immediate euphoric response from me. A tiny morsel of goodness that heralds spring for many of us, especially those from the Eastern part of Texas. A crustacean that blows all other exo-skeletoned, ten-legged critters out of the water: Crawfish.
Juicy Crawfish & Their Habitat
I imagine anyone reading this is more than familiar with the look and the taste of crayfish, but I’m willing to bet there’s something in these next few paragraphs you don’t know.
Crayfish go by a ton of different names based on where you're at. Crayfish if you're in the North. Crawfish, crawdads, or crawdaddy's if you're in the South. Some also call them freshwater lobsters (What wine goes well with lobster?), mountain lobsters, rock lobsters, mudbugs, or yabbies. In Texas though, they're crawfish.
Like most other shellfish on the market, crawfish can be caught in the wild or farmed. They can be farmed alongside rice (how long does rice last?) making use of all that water much more efficiently. Wild crawfish live throughout slow-moving or still freshwater streams, rivers, crawfish ponds, lakes, swamps, and marshes.
Crawfish vs Crayfish vs Crawdads
So, "crayfish", "crawdad", and "crawfish" are regional terms used to refer to the same type of freshwater crustacean.
There is no biological difference between crayfish, crawdad, and crawfish, and all three terms can be used interchangeably to describe this type of animal.
The differences in terminology mostly come down to regional dialect and personal preference. In the southern United States, "crawdad" and "crawfish" are more commonly used, while in the northern United States and in Canada, "crayfish" is the preferred term. While Crawfish in Spanish is cangrejo de rÃo.
"Whether you call it a crayfish, crawdad, or crawfish, there's one thing we can all agree on: they taste shell-tastically delicious, no matter what side of the Mason-Dixon line you're on."
Crawfish Production in Texas
Texas is not a major crawfish producer. The reason for that however is that Louisiana supplies over 90% of the American crawfish market. Louisiana is both the third-largest producer of rice in the US and has ideal habitat for them to thrive in the wild.
Even so, Texas comes in at a distant second to its sister state. The demand for crawfish however is going up every year and to keep up with demand, little cray farms have started popping up all over the Lone Star State amongst the 160,000 odd acres of rice paddies.
Fishing for Freshwater Lobsters
It’s much more about the species of crawfish than anything to do with your location. You can practically have a free for with species like rusty, red Swamp, and white river crayfish. Species like the Brazoria or Kisatchie painted crawfish are pretty much thought to be extinct and you’d be doing their species a big disservice by eating one. The rusty crayfish, an invasive species that wreaked havoc on the native Texan population are one of the tastiest.
Introduced by fishermen in the 19th and 20th centuries as live bait, they quickly became an invasive species and took over the marshlands of Texas and Louisiana. This makes catching and eating them a sustainable option.
Of course to catch any mussel, clam, shrimp, or crayfish, you need a valid Texas fishing license and the correct freshwater endorsements.
So, are crawfish seasonal? And are crawfish in season right now? While crawfish are available from early spring to late fall, they’re at their fattest in March and April. If you want help identifying species or figuring out legal and ethical fishing methods these are some great sources. Lastly here’s a list of all the crawfish species found in Texas for your convenience.
What do Crawfish Taste Like?
Crayfish or Crayfish have a distinctive, slightly sweet taste that is similar to other types of shellfish, such as shrimp or lobster. The flavor can vary depending on the species of crayfish, as well as the environment in which it was harvested.
Crayfish can be prepared in various ways, such as boiled, fried, grilled, or sautéed, and the flavor can be enhanced by adding spices, herbs, and other seasonings.
In general, the taste of crayfish is highly regarded by many people, particularly in areas where it is a popular food source. It is often enjoyed as a delicacy or as a festive food item for special occasions, such as leisurely crawfish boils in Louisiana.
Best Places in Texas to get Crawfish
Here are some of the cities and places in Texas that are crawfish capitals in their own right.
Beaumont, Texas: Located in southeast Texas, Beaumont is known for its annual "Crawfish Festival," which attracts thousands of visitors each year to enjoy crawfish dishes and live music.
Nacogdoches, Texas: Nacogdoches is home to the annual "Texas Blueberry Festival," which features a variety of food vendors including crawfish dishes.
Fredericksburg, Texas: This Texas town located in the Hill Country region hosts the annual "Crawfish Festival," which features crawfish dishes, live music, and other family-friendly activities.
Shiner, Texas: This small town in south-central Texas is famous for its "Shiner Bock Beer" but also has a strong crawfish culture and hosts a "Crawfish Festival" each year.
Crawfish for Sale: Where to Buy the Best Crawfish
As a result of unpredictable weather patterns in Texas (longer winters and shorter summers which can significantly impact the crawfish season Austin), many people have resorted to farming to have a steady supply throughout the Spring and Summer.
The very best place to get live crawfish for sale is at a seafood market. Coastal markets aren’t the best, as crawfish are freshwater critters. Consider how far they would have traveled to get to the market and your plate.
Getting freshwater lobsters as close to the source as possible is always ideal when it comes to any edible aquatic animal, particularly shellfish.
Cooking with Crawdaddy
While craws are delicious cooked in any number of ways, you can pretty much forget about all of them. When it comes to the crustacean, everyone's favorite is an ol’ fashioned, newspaper-lined, skull-sucking crawfish boil.
Skull-sucking isn’t a metaphor, either. I’ll never forget the day I witnessed a group of older rancher-type men suck the contents out of a freshly pulled juicy crawfish’s head. Naturally, crawfish boils never lose their cajun or creole twist, at least when it comes to a boil. The seasoning used is very cajun as well as some of the ingredients like lemons, smoked sausages, and of course freshwater lobsters.
While boiling and steaming are by far the best ways to cook crawfish tails, it’s what you do with them after that makes an unforgettable difference. Sticking them under the smoker for example or sauteing them in garlicky herb butter. As I mentioned previously, I’d choose crawfish over lobster any day and the two are pretty much interchangeable.
Keep in mind, though: the meat of shellfish and crustaceans deteriorates unbelievably quickly, making it very toxic; it’s why, after we buy live crawfish for sale, we boil them alive. Do not by any means cook, let alone eat a dead crawfish. Finding a couple of dead ones in big batches is common. throw them out and thoroughly clean and purge the rest.
Crawfish to the south is like a softshell crab (What wine goes well with crab?) to Maine or razor clams (What wine goes well with clams?)to Oregon. It’s one of the most sustainable and delicious water delicacies you can find in the world, especially when they’re made that special Cajun Texan way.
When is the Crawfish season 2023? Crawfish season in Texas typically runs from January to July, with the peak from March to May. And when does crawfish season end in Texas? That varies from year to year, depending on how mild the weather is and how cold the water is. Rainfall also affects the water levels in the swamps and bayous.
Looking for some crawfish boils? We've gathered some of the best spring crawfish boils around the state here.
I also made a quick Texas-style crawfish boil recipe here!
For best markets to buy fresh seafood, click here!
