Our crawfish guide goes from pond to pot to platter

Organic radishes are pretty in a salad, but perhaps one of the purest expressions of the “farm to table” concept is the humble Louisiana crawfish boil. Baited traps are set in ponds within flooded fields and then retrieved the next morning brimming with the nocturnal creatures. Somewhere between a few hours and a few days later, the live mudbugs are made available to backyard boilers or cooked to spicy perfection in area restaurants. Whether you boil them yourself or order them off a menu, it’s a feast worth waiting months for.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, at least 80% of all crawfish produced in the state is consumed within our borders. Nostalgic expats in neighboring states report that it’s getting easier to find crawfish these days, but the vast majority of those big purple sacks are staying right here at home.

We’re taking a closer look at the full gamut of that farm-to-table process, so roll up your sleeves and dig in!

From their family farm to their crawfish-centric restaurants, Cody and Samantha Carroll cook up a marriage built on mudbugs

Backyard boiler Kevin Burke shares his tricks of the trade

The Crawchicks prove that boiling isn’t just for the boys

Here’s how local restaurants use crawfish in signature dishes

Where to find boils and other mudbug tasting events around the Red Stick this season

What to add to your pot this crawfish season