Whether you call them mudbugs, crayfish or crawdads, the cities of Tomball and Magnolia have several eateries serving crawfish by the pound from March until June.
Hosting a crawfish boil
Crawfish boils are an annual tradition for many residents in communities along the Gulf Coast. Lou Caporale, owner of Go Crawfish, sells live crawfish brought in daily from Louisiana and recommends a basic recipe for a first-time boil.
The necessities
- live crawfish (about 3-4 pounds per guest)
- seasoning of choice
- vegetables
- a large pot for boiling
- a paddle for stirring
- a large cooler to store crawfish before boiling
- long metal tongs for serving
- a scoop with holes or a colander to scoop vegetables and crawfish from pot
- newspaper to line tabletop
The seasonings
Caporale recommends a basic recipe to start before adding more ingredients based on taste preferences:
- lemon juice
- chopped onion
- garlic cloves
- corn cobs
- potatoes
- andouille sausage
- stick of butter
The boil
Caporale said he recommends putting vegetables, such as corn cobs and quartered potatoes, into the boil first and cooking until them they are soft. The vegetables can be removed before the crawfish is added to the pot. To cook the crawfish, boil them in the pot for five minutes before removing the pot from the heat. Allow the crawfish to continue cooking in the hot water for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep seasonings from settling at the bottom of the pot. This allows the crawfish to soak up additional flavor.
The meal
To serve, Caporale said it is traditional to layout the entire meal on a tabletop covered with newspaper, allowing guests to serve themselves.
Where to eat:
Boiling Cajun 13730 Alice Road, Tomball 832-761-1188 www.boilingcajun.com
Cajun Cantina 19010 FM 1488, Magnolia 281-259-8212 www.facebook.com/cajuncantinamagnoliatexas
The Crawfish Joint 9201 FM 1488, Magnolia 281-908-1321 www.thecrawfishjoint.com
The Crawfish Shack 38925 FM 1774, Magnolia 281-789-4555 www.crawfishshack.com
Go Crawfish 6923 FM 1488, Magnolia 281-814-3655 www.gocrawfish.com (Only available for catering and to-go orders)
Tad’s Bar & Grill 1000 W. Main St., Tomball 832-843-6440 www.tadsoftomball.com
Tailgators Pub & Grill 33418 Egypt Lane, Magnolia 281-259-5343 www.tailgatorspub.com
Festivals! Mark your calendar:
Historical Katy Crawfish Festival: March 29 No Label Brewing Co. hosts the second annual festival in Katy with live music, food, craft beer and crawfish from Texas Mesquite Grill. Noon. $8 (prepaid admission), $10 (at the door). No Label Brewing Co., 5351 First St., Katy. 281-693-7545. www.nolabelbrew.com
Rails and Tails Mudbug Festival: April 30-May 1 The annual Tomball festival features two days of food and live music, including the John Evans Band, Bayou Roux and The Fab 5. Activities include a boudin ball eating contest, a kids zone and crawfish racing. Noon-6 p.m. Free (admission). Tomball Historic Depot, 201 S. Elm St., Tomball. 281-351-5484. www.tomballtx.gov
Texas Crawfish Festival: April 29-May 1, May 6-8 The 30th annual festival is held in Old Town Spring and includes vendors serving a variety of food, including more than 50,000 pounds of crawfish. The crawfish festival also features a live music lineup on two stages as well as family-friendly activities. 6-11 p.m. (April 29 and May 6), noon-11 p.m. (April 30 and May 7), noon-6 p.m. (May 1 and 6). $12 (adult admission), $5 (children ages 6-12). Old Town Spring, 209 Gentry St., Spring. 281-353-9310. www.texascrawfishfestival.com
