All seafood lovers are happy when crawfish season rolls around.
Most home chefs start searching through their cabinets to find the right pot to boil crawfish as soon as the season opens.
Whether you make a classic Louisianna crawfish boil or a classic crawfish, no one can eat an entire crawfish boil in one sitting.
Therefore, you must know how to reheat crawfish to avoid dry, rubbery crawfish meat.
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Can You Eat Leftover Crawfish?
Of course, you can consume leftover crawfish. However, it is important to note; crawfish are extremely perishable.
Therefore, you must make sure it is stored properly in the refrigerator or freezer within 2 hours of preparing it.
When you are in the mood for crawfish, you can simply remove it from the fridge or freezer, reheat it and eat it.
How To Store Leftover Crawfish
As previously mentioned above, cooked crawfish must be stored properly within 2 hours after it is cooked.
Allowing the crawfish to sit out at room temperature could cause bacteria to develop and lead to foodborne illness.
To store leftover crawfish, place it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze your crawfish. Simply place your crawfish into an airtight container or resealable freezer-safe bag and freeze it.
Cooked crawfish has a life span of 3 months in the freezer as long as it is kept at a temperature at or below 0°F.
Although crawfish will last longer than 3 months, the quality of the crawfish will diminish.
Why You Shouldn’t Reheat Crawfish in the Microwave
Although the microwave can reheat foods in no time at all, it should never be used to reheat crawfish.
The microwave’s heat will dry out the crawfish meat and make it tougher to chew.
In addition to this, the aroma from the crawfish may remain in your microwave for some time. No one wants a microwave that smells like crawfish all the time.
How Long Does Crawfish Last in the Fridge?
Crawfish have a 3-4 days shelf life when stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to place your crawfish into an airtight container before refrigerating them.
How to Reheat Crawfish
The key to reheating crawfish is not to overcook it.
Like reheating crab legs, overcooking crawfish will alter the texture, resulting in meat that is hard to peel away from the shell and difficult to chew.
How to Reheat Crawfish by Steaming It
Ideally, the best method for reheating crawfish is by steaming it quickly.
Steaming infuses the crawfish with moisture, preventing them from becoming tough and chewy.
To reheat your crawfish, place the same spices you used to cook the crawfish in the bottom of a large soup pot.
Alternatively, you can create your own seasoning by combining bay leaves, salt, dried herbs, old bay, mustard seeds, or any of your favorite seasonings.
Add 1/2-1 cup of water into the bottom of the pot, place the steamer basket on top of the pot and set it over medium-high heat.
Make sure the steamer basket does touch the water.
Once the water and seasoning mixture comes to a boil, add the leftover crawfish, cover the pot with the lid and cook it for 4-6 minutes.
Remove one crawfish from the steamer basket with a pair of tongs and check if it is thoroughly heated through.
If the crawfish is still cold, continue steaming the crawfish until it is hot, checking it every 3–45 seconds to prevent the crawfish from overcooking.
Arrange the crawfish onto a platter and dig in.
How to Reheat Crawfish by Sauteing It
Sauteing crawfish is also an excellent way to reheat it. Simply add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into a skillet and set it over medium-low heat.
You can also use equal parts butter and olive oil.
To add more flavor to the crawfish, add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic and a thinly sliced small onion as well as your preferred seasonings.
Cook the mixture for 30 seconds to a minute, then arrange the crawfish in an even layer in the skillet.
Cook the crawfish for 3-4 minutes, turning them over every minute to coat the crawfish in the flavored oil and ensure it heats evenly.
You can also add 2-4 tablespoons of wine to the crawfish to enhance its flavor and ensure it stays moist.
Place the lid onto the crawfish, remove it from the flame and let it rest for 3-5 minutes.
Allowing the crawfish to rest will ensure it heats up evenly without drying out.
Place the crawfish onto a serving platter and dig in.
How to Reheat Crawfish by Boiling It
Like steaming, boiling is also an easy way to reheat crawfish.
Although boiling the leftover crawfish will ensure it stays moist, do not boil them for too long as it will alter their flavor.
To reheat your crawfish, ill a large pot with water.
You can also add spices such as old bay, onions, garlic crab boil, or any of your desired seasonings to the water.
The additional seasonings will give the crawfish more flavor.
Bring the water and seasoning mixture to a boil, then gently lower the crawfish into the water with a pair of tongs.
Cook the crawfish for 6-8 minutes, then remove oner crawfish from the pot and carefully peel it to see if it is heated thoroughly.
Drain the reheated crawfish in a colander, then place them onto a serving platter. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the reheated crawfish and serve.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve got leftover crawfish, then you are one lucky person.
After all, you only get to indulge in crawfish for a limited amount of time.
However, cooking the crawfish is only half the battle.
You must know how to reheat the crawfish so you can restore it to its moist, succulent form.
No one likes dry, tough crawfish. Luckily you know how to reheat crawfish 3 using different techniques.
You might also be interested in:
- How To Reheat Crab Legs
- How To Reheat Lobster
- How To Reheat Salmon
- How To Reheat Crab Cakes
- How To Reheat Shrimp
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.