Main Dishes

Boiled Crayfish

by Editorial Staff

Boiled crayfish is a delicious snack for gatherings with friends. But not every housewife knows how to cook crayfish correctly, and most often she trusts the male half. Thanks to this recipe, you will learn all the intricacies of cooking crayfish and will be able to surprise your soul mate with your skills.

Summary

Prep Time2 hrs
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time2 hrs 45 mins
CourseMain Dish
CuisineRussian

Ingredients

  • Fresh live crayfish – 10 large or 20 small
  • Lemon – 0.5 pcs.
  • Carrots – 1 pc.
  • Bulb onions – 1 pc.
  • Allspice peas – 10-15 pcs.
  • Dry dill – 1-2 tbsp
    or fresh dill – 1 bunch
  • Salt – 2-4 tbsp
  • Water – 2 l

Instructions

  1. Select live crayfish - the tail should be firmly pressed against the abdomen when alive. Soak in cold water for 2 hours or rinse thoroughly one by one. Discard any dead crayfish.
  2. Peel and wash the carrot and onion.
  3. Fill a large pot with 2 liters of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Cut the carrot into large pieces and cut the onion and half the lemon into 4 pieces each.
  5. Once the water boils, add the carrot pieces, onion pieces, lemon pieces, dill, and allspice peas to the pot. Add 2 tbsp of salt, stir, then taste and adjust salt to your preference - the water should taste well-salted.
  6. Optional: Remove the intestinal tract from the crayfish before adding them - locate the fins under the tail and pull in a circular motion.
  7. When the broth returns to a boil, verify all crayfish are alive, then add them to the pot.
  8. Cook for 15 minutes from when the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if using small crayfish).
  9. Remove the pot from heat, cover with a lid, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
  10. Remove the crayfish from the broth and serve hot in portions.
  11. Serve with white sauce such as aioli, lemon slices, and a separate bowl of acidified water. Use kitchen scissors to crack the shells. Edible parts include meat from the claws and walking legs, caviar under the tail, and meat beneath the shell at the neck. Avoid the liver and intestines as they can taste bitter.

Enjoy your meal!

Editorial Staff

About Editorial Staff

The Boss Kitchen editorial staff oversees content review, fact-checking, and recipe verification across the site. Published articles pass through the editorial team before going live, ensuring ingredient lists, techniques, cooking times, and nutritional claims hold up in a home kitchen. The team coordinates contributions across the site writers, handles reader corrections, and maintains consistency in measurement conventions, safety guidance, and dietary labeling. Posts under this byline typically represent team-reviewed reference material, site announcements, or editorial roundups rather than individual-author features, and they are held to the same sourcing standards as bylined recipe and product coverage.

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