How to cook crayfish correctly and tasty? 7 recipes: with dill, in beer, wine, milk

Hello, my dear readers of the blog of mother Alla from Saratov! Surely, many of you love to eat boiled crayfish, but are not always satisfied with how they turned out.

And if you decided to cook them for the first time, then you will have many questions: how long to cook, how much salt to put in, what else to put in the water to make them extraordinarily tasty? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article. Today we will cook crayfish at home.

How to cook crayfish correctly?

How to choose the right crayfish to eat

The taste of meat depends on the fishing season. It is believed that it is most delicious in September and October. This is explained by the fact that the animals got stronger and gained weight for the winter. In summer, catching crayfish is prohibited as they reproduce.

You can buy chilled and frozen crayfish in stores. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the tail between its legs - the main indicator that a living specimen was boiled and frozen. The shell and claws must not be damaged.

Already cooked crayfish are sold frozen. They can be identified by their scarlet color; you need to know that they are stored for no more than 4 days. If the crayfish are frozen alive, storage is allowed for up to 4 months.

How to store boiled crayfish?

Not all people have a weakness for seafood, despite its delicacy and benefits. But the tender, juicy, tasty-smelling meat of boiled crayfish leaves no one indifferent. Today, this delicacy can be bought ready to eat, since frozen boiled crayfish, like shrimp, are sold in all supermarkets. There you can also buy live crayfish, which, alas, are not cheap at all.

It is best, if, of course, there is such an opportunity, to catch crayfish yourself, and here we are not talking about kilograms - they always catch a lot of crayfish, whole buckets. However, in this case, the problem arises: “how to store boiled crayfish?”, because it is impossible to eat them all in one sitting, and it will not be possible to keep crayfish alive for a long time. In addition, this product is very delicate and perishable.

There are options. Right now we will look at how long and under what conditions you can store boiled crayfish.

Features of choosing live crayfish

In a large fish store you can find an aquarium with live arthropods. In order not to make a mistake with your choice, you need to know the features of the appearance of healthy crayfish.

The color of living individuals is green with a blue tint or brown, always even throughout the entire carapace.
The tail of a healthy and viable crayfish is pressed tightly against the abdomen. An unpressed crayfish neck is a sign of a sick animal.
There should be no damage or foreign growths on the shell and claws.
Cancers should actively move, move their whiskers and limbs.

Some sellers convince that the arthropod simply fell asleep and the “sleep” will not affect the quality. This is wrong. Inactivity indicates imminent death, and poison accumulates in the meat of a dead creature, which causes severe poisoning. Therefore, crayfish are considered a perishable product.

Storing crayfish before cooking

After purchasing the crayfish, you need to deliver them home alive. To do this, use plastic bags with water or a wet bag for transportation.

Important! Crayfish should only be boiled alive. If only one dead animal gets into the cooking container, you will have to throw them all out to avoid poisoning.

Before cooking, you can preserve animals in several ways:

in a vessel with a large volume of clean water
in a cold room with a high level of moisture (basement, cellar)
in a refrigerator.

How to reheat boiled corn in the microwave?

Is it possible to reheat yesterday's boiled corn in the microwave? Will it become dry?

Since there is no moisture in the microwave (there is only food), under the influence of microwave rays water can evaporate from the food and, accordingly, the food can become dry. To prevent this from happening, you can add a little water to the container in which the corn is heated and heat it. The water will create a steam effect when heated and the corn will not become dry. I also cover it with a special cap for microwave ovens.

I reheated it and it turned out great. I put the corn in a suitable container (I had to break it in half), poured in some water and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes, then took it out, tested the temperature (it was enough for a child, but I wanted it hot), then sent it for another 5 minutes. It turned out juicy and tasty.

If you heat it up for a long time, it can definitely become dry.

But you can use a little trick. You can add some water to the container with corn. And then reheat as needed. 5-8 minutes will be enough.

When reheating boiled corn in the microwave, you do not need to add any water to the oven.

A proven method on both a loaf of bread and boiled corn.

You just need to put a small plastic bag on the ears of corn. The water will not evaporate anywhere, and the corn will look like it was just boiled.

On the microwave, I set the power to higher than medium and let the corn warm up for 2 minutes.

I do the same with a loaf of bread. The bread looks like it just came from the factory.

If you heat it up for a long time, it can definitely become dry.

Shelf life

You can store crayfish in a room without access to water for up to 2 days. To do this, use a large box, the bottom of which should be lined with a wet rag or moss. Place the crayfish on the mat and cover the top with a damp cloth. Just remember to spray it with water periodically.

To store in the refrigerator, arthropods are washed in running water, then placed in a spacious box or container and placed on the bottom shelf or vegetable section of the refrigerator. This method will extend the viability up to 4 days.

Can be stored for the longest time in clean water. By placing crayfish in a large basin or bath and filling them with clean water, they can be stored for up to 5 days. The main thing is not to forget to change the water and feed every day. Peas, potatoes, carrots, nettles or lettuce are usually used as food. Fertilizing does not require cooking.

Important! Dead individuals must be immediately removed from living relatives. They can be recognized by their straight tail, which is not pressed against the abdomen.

In water

If possible, place the crayfish in a large fish tank with a pump and compressor.

Place stones at the bottom (for holes) and attach greenery. In such an environment, close to natural, the crayfish will not only be stored for a long time, but will also grow. If you don't have a large aquarium, use an old bathtub.

Ideally, it should be filled with river water, but if this is not possible, then well or purified water will do. Change it every day. In such conditions, crayfish will live up to a week.

How to properly cook live crayfish

Before cooking, you need to clean the crayfish from dirt and rinse them several times with a brush in running water. Rinse the belly and paws thoroughly. When working with arthropods, gloves should be used to protect your hands from damage from mites.

Then place in a vessel with cold water for at least 30 minutes.

Don't be afraid to oversalt. The shell of animals is very dense and does not allow salt to pass through. You need to place the crayfish in boiling salted water, holding them by the back.

Don't fill the pan full. For 1 liter of water, take 10-15 individuals, depending on the size.

Cook over medium heat. Cooking time depends on the size of the animals. Small individuals take 12-15 minutes to cook, medium ones – 18-20 minutes, and large ones will have to be cooked for about 25 minutes.

However, you can’t overcook crayfish either; the meat will become tough. When the crustaceans turn scarlet, they are ready to eat.

Methods of soaking

When preparing salted fish, you need to remember a simple rule: the fish is soaked for as long as it was salted.

Many people mistakenly think that salt gives fish a special taste. This is wrong. During the salting process, excess moisture is removed from the fish. The salt dissolves in the liquid that the fish secretes and a brine is formed.

In order to prevent the proliferation of harmful bacteria, the resulting brine must be drained periodically. Fish salted with large amounts of salt can be stored for a long time.

Salty fish

There are several ways to soak fish, but they are based on a general technology that is suitable for soaking fish salted at home and bought in a store. This is the easiest way to soak.

When soaking, the salt from the fish carcass goes into the water. To speed up the process, use a larger container.

Soak should be in running or changing water. When using running water, the fish is placed in a colander and placed in a deep bowl. There should be a free distance between the bottom of the dish and the colander. Water will freely wash the carcass and flow over the edges of the container. This method allows you to soak the fish in 6 - 8 hours.

At home, fish are often soaked in changing water. To do this, the fish must be placed in a container with very cold water. To do this, take 2 liters of water per 1 kg of fish. It is enough to change the water every 1-2 hours during the day. You can use ice cubes to cool the liquid.

Using water has a significant disadvantage - it makes the fish meat watery. Therefore, it is better to use it for soaking salmon fish, since it is denser and more susceptible to harmful microorganisms.

For soaking fish, infusion of strong sweet tea. It improves the taste and is great for all types of fish. For the soaking procedure, it is enough to immerse the fish carcass in the prepared solution for 1 - 2 hours. The container should be stored in a cool place. Tea has a whole complex of tannins that prevent meat from becoming soft. To improve taste, you can use fruit and berry syrups.

Milk is well suited for soaking fish, as it quickly removes excess salt, reduces the specific fishy taste and smell, and makes the meat tasty and tender. The soaking procedure in milk lasts no more than four hours.

For soaking, chilled herbal decoctions of mint, sage, lemon balm, and oak bark are often used, which give the fish a specific taste.

You can use lemon juice to remove excess salt. The marinade is prepared at the rate of 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts chilled water. The fish carcass is placed in the marinade for 3 - 4 hours. Fish soaked in this marinade acquires a sour taste.

Fried, boiled and stewed fish

If the fish was not over-salted during the cooking process, you can serve it with an under-salted side dish. In this case, they will complement each other, and excess salt will not be so sensitive.

Salted fish can be used as a filling for pies. In this case, you should prepare unsalted dough.

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Over-salted fish can be stewed in a thick sauce made from flour or tkemali.

Some housewives cook over-salted fish with mashed potatoes or rice, which absorb excess salt well.

To improve the taste of over-salted fried fish, sprinkle the finished dish with lemon juice and add a small amount of sugar. Then place fried fish and sautéed onions and carrots in layers in a deep saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Lemon juice can be replaced with lemon slices, then the dish will become more piquant.

You can add onions, grated potatoes or white bread softened in milk to over-salted minced fish. Unsalted rice, boiled until half cooked, works well.

If cutlets have already been prepared from over-salted minced meat, you can serve them with under-salted sauce. It is necessary to pre-fill the cutlets with sauce and place them in the oven for a short time.

To prepare dishes from salted soaked fish, you can use some tips:

Vegetable oil will give the fish juiciness and mild taste. This is due to the fact that the fatty acids included in its composition, linoleic and arachidonic, dissolve well in vegetable oil and are more easily absorbed by the body;
Mashed potatoes, rice, pickled mushrooms, boiled eggs or apples are perfect for a side dish;
soaked cod, halibut, mackerel are ideal for making casseroles and grilling;
soaked fish can be used to prepare dishes with the addition of ingredients that give a bright, rich taste: cream, vegetable oil, sour sauces. You should also take into account that the flesh of such fish will be slightly drier than fresh;
It is not recommended to store soaked salted fish for more than a day. It is advisable to cook it immediately or serve it with the addition of butter or sauce.

Spicy salted fish

Spicy brining is distinguished by the use of a large number of spices and spices in the brine. It is used for salting herring, mackerel, and pink salmon.

Milk or water is often used to soak spicy salted fish. To do this, you need to prepare a large container. Pour milk or water into it so that the liquid completely covers the fish carcass. Add vinegar to the cold liquid at the rate of 1 part to 10 parts water so that the solution retains its sharpness and is not bland. Pour liquid over the prepared carcass and leave it in the refrigerator for several hours.

red fish

To soak red fish, you need to prepare additional ingredients. It is recommended to add cherry syrup to the hot marinade for soaking.

First remove the fish from the fins, tail and head. If desired, you can separate from the bones, remove the skin and cut into pieces.

Then completely immerse the fish in the hot marinade. When the composition has cooled completely, it must be strained and poured over the fish again. Soaking can last from several hours to several days. The container with fish should be stored in the refrigerator.

When soaking red fish in a solution of strong tea, some people add berry syrup or vodka.

Most often, the fish is soaked in milk, which makes it soft. For this you will need fresh cold milk. The fish must be placed in a flat dish and filled with milk. The soaking time depends on the salinity of the fish.

To soak large fish, it takes from a day to a week, for medium salinity - several hours.

Dry fish

In order to soak dry fish, you need to first soak it in water and then soak it in milk or water. The soaking procedure will take several hours. It should be remembered that lightly salted fish has a limited shelf life. It needs to be used in a short time. It has a delicate taste and a high content of nutrients.

Express method

To speed up the soaking process, it is recommended to use this common method, which is well suited for preparing small-sized fish.

The carcass should be cut lengthwise along the spine without damaging the skin. Then pour in a solution of strong sweet tea, which, thanks to the tannins included in the composition, will not allow the pulp to soften and lose its taste.

To speed up the soaking process, you can immerse the cut carcass in hot water for two minutes, then quickly remove it and place it in a container under cold running water. This method allows you to reduce the amount of salt and soften the taste.

I put 1 kg of over-salted salmon fish in 2.5 liters of boiled water overnight and added 10 peppercorns, 1 small bay leaf, zest of the tip of a lemon (2 tsp) and 20 ml of vodka as a preservative. In the morning I took out the fish, dried it with a paper towel and coated it with odorless sunflower oil. The result was an amazing lightly salted fish with a light lemon aroma.

Before soaking the fish, you need to rinse it thoroughly under the tap in cold water. If the meat of the fish is dense (sockeye salmon, perch, cod, flounder, burbot), then the salted fish should be soaked for 5 to 10 hours . During this time, you should change the water two or three times. As far as I know, salted fish is usually soaked for as many hours as the number of days it has been salted.

Lightly salted fish is used to create some traditional Russian dishes. But before using such a specimen, it is necessary to carefully gut it, remove unnecessary gills and head, and rinse thoroughly with fresh water.

Cooking frozen raw and frozen boiled crayfish

Before you start cooking boiled frozen or raw frozen crayfish, you need to defrost them. Defrosting in air takes from 2 to 5 hours. A faster way is defrosting in cold water.

Do not defrost in a microwave oven or other household appliances - the meat will lose its taste.

Frozen crayfish are cooked using the same technology as live ones. The defrosted product is placed in salted boiling water. Cooking time – 11-15 minutes. If the animals are frozen boiled, then it is enough to boil them for only 2-4 minutes.

What to do

We wash the crayfish in cold water.
Boil the crayfish in salted water for 15-20 minutes, then remove from the water. We do not pour out the remaining broth, but leave it on the fire for another 20 minutes.
While the crayfish are boiling, you need to prepare the marinade . To do this, sauté chopped celery and parsley root, carrots and onions in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Preparing the brine . Pour water and vinegar into the pan in a ratio of 1/1. Add cloves and peppercorns. Cook for 30 minutes, then strain
Cleaning the crayfish - this recipe involves marinating only the necks of the crayfish, that is, meat only from the tail part
Place the crayfish necks tightly in 0.5 liter jars. Pour marinade, remaining broth and prepared brine on top
Leave for sterilization - 1.5 hours, then close with sealing lids and store in a cool, dry place

How to deliciously cook crayfish with dill - a classic recipe

The classic recipe will allow you to cook crayfish tasty, quickly and with a minimum set of ingredients.

To prepare you will need:

crayfish;
dill;
salt (3 tablespoons for every 3 liters of water).

What to do:

Bring water to a boil, add salt.
Lower the crayfish (washed, peeled, defrosted).
Add dill.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn bright red.
Turn off the heat and leave in the pan for 20 minutes.
Serve in shell or peeled.

The prepared delicacy can be stored for no more than a day and must be stored in broth.

Why heating boiled eggs in the microwave is a bad idea. VIDEO

Experts have found that heating hard-boiled eggs in the microwave is quite a dangerous undertaking. The thing is that after such seemingly innocent manipulations, the product can unexpectedly explode, even if it is peeled.

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In one of the restaurants, a visitor ordered a peeled, hard-boiled egg, but the waiter brought the dish already cooled. The man asked the service staff to heat the egg, which was done using a microwave.

When the client took a light bite of the heated egg, it literally exploded.

The dissatisfied man decided to sue the restaurant, arguing that he received burns and even hearing damage. To resolve this issue, they turned to acoustics specialists for help, asking them to find out from a scientific point of view how true the incident was.

Scientists conducted an experiment in which they microwaved 100 eggs one at a time. Next, each of them was placed under a microphone to capture any sounds. Heating did not damage 2/3 of the eggs - they retained their integrity. About a third exploded when scientists pierced them with a sharp object.

The explosion of the eggs was accompanied by sound at levels ranging from 86 to 133 decibels. This range is safe at a distance of 30 centimeters. For example, when a person fires a shotgun, he hears a louder sound - around 160 decibels. Thus, experts agreed that the explosion of a heated egg is simply not capable of damaging hearing.

Next, scientists measured the temperature of the yolk after the explosion, and it turned out that it was quite high - more than 100 degrees Celsius. This is where the reason for the incident lies. The yolks of boiled eggs have a large number of cavities filled with water.

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It does not boil after heating quickly, but if the egg is pierced, the boiling water instantly turns into steam, causing an explosion.
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Experts have found that heating hard-boiled eggs in the microwave is quite a dangerous undertaking. The thing is that after such seemingly innocent manipulations, the product can unexpectedly explode, even if it is peeled.

Dish cooked in beer

Crayfish boiled in beer are considered a special delicacy. The following recipe will help you do it right. All ingredients are given based on 500 g of the original product.

dill;
salt 100 g;
water 500 ml;
beer 250 ml;
black peppercorns;
half a lemon.

How to cook:

Boil water and add salt, pepper, dill.
Place the crayfish and cover until boiling.
After the water has boiled, pour in the beer.
Next add half a lemon, cut into slices.
Cook until reddened (about 15 minutes).
Turn off the stove and leave in the broth for 15 minutes, covered.

To serve, place on a plate and garnish with dill sprigs and lemon slices, you can sprinkle with lemon juice.

Recipe for cooking crayfish in milk

Cooking crayfish in milk differs from the classic recipe and takes longer. But this is compensated by the most tender meat, bright taste and aroma.

How to cook:

First, boil the milk, remove from heat and let it cool.
Then place thoroughly washed arthropods in the liquid and leave for 2-3 hours.
Separately, boil water with spices. Place the crayfish marinated in milk there and cook until done.
When the crustaceans are hot, return the milk in which they were soaked. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
You can serve the finished dish with a dairy-based sauce.

How and for how long you can store live and boiled crayfish at home

Crayfish, inhabitants of freshwater bodies, are good for everyone, except for one thing: they can only be cooked live. Dead individuals release toxins that cause severe poisoning. Therefore, all lovers of this exquisite product are concerned with the question: how to store live crayfish at home, without harm to their own health?

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Crayfish meat is a healthy low-calorie product, rich in protein and essential microelements. There is especially a lot of sulfur in this delicacy, which is called the “mineral of beauty.” Crayfish meat is recommended to be included in therapeutic diets aimed at maintaining the functioning of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and gastrointestinal tract.

By regularly eating crayfish, you can significantly replenish your supply of B vitamins, which play an important role in metabolic and regenerative processes.

Method of cooking in brine

Cucumber brine is often used to prepare seafood, including crustaceans. We offer two interesting ways at once. The ingredients in both cases are given for 500 g of crayfish: