Pinch the tail and suck the head: how to peel a crayfish |
Peeling a crayfish is somewhere between peeling a shrimp and eating a lobster. The crayfish's shell is significantly harder than the former, but the critter is much smaller than the latter.
In situations where crayfish are served whole, as is often the case, a little finesse is required. First, pinch the tail at the base of the thorax, and pull the tail meat away from the head. True aficionados suck the head to enjoy whatever juices from cooking, as well as crayfish fat, remain within. Then take the tail and squeeze it to break the shell, peeling from the fattest part down to the tip. Pinch the base of the tail to free the meat.
Sounds labor intensive? You're not quite done yet. You'll want to remove the intestine (the darker, string-like item running down the back of the tail) before popping the juicy tail meat into your mouth. Best served with beer, friends and loud conversation.
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