Air-Fried Crawfish: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Crawfish, a delicious and nutritious source of lean protein, can be cooked in an air fryer. This cooking method yields a crispy, crunchy texture and is perfect for those who are health-conscious or follow a keto diet. There are various recipes for air-fried crawfish, including crawfish cakes, fried crawfish, and crawfish Po'Boys. The crawfish can be coated in a variety of seasonings, batters, and breadings to enhance their mild, sweet flavour. The air fryer temperature and cooking time may vary depending on the specific recipe and model of the air fryer.

Crawfish cakes

Ingredients

• Crawfish tail meat
• Breadcrumbs
• Egg
• Mayonnaise
• Hot pepper sauce
• Mustard
• Parsley
• Red bell peppers
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Crackers
• Salt
• Lemon
• Garlic
• Your chosen spices or marinade

Method

• Ensure the crawfish are thoroughly cleaned before cooking. Purge them in salt water to remove any impurities or grit, then rinse them under cool water.
• Season the crawfish with your chosen spices or marinade. A classic mix is Cajun or Creole seasoning, garlic, lemon, and salt.
• Preheat your air fryer. This ensures even cooking and helps achieve a crispy texture.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the crawfish, egg, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, mustard, parsley, red bell peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and crackers.
• Form the mixture into small patties and place them in the refrigerator to firm up for about an hour.
• Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Then, place the patties into the basket and spray the tops with more cooking spray.
• Set the temperature to 350 degrees F and air fry for about 8-10 minutes.
• For an extra crispy texture, set the temperature to 330 degrees F and air fry for another 4-5 minutes.
• Serve hot with a dipping sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Tips

• All air fryers vary in cooking times and temperatures, so adjust according to your specific model.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
• Shake the basket halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking on all sides.
• Crawfish cook quickly, so monitor them closely to avoid overcooking.

Enjoy your delicious crawfish cakes!

Crawfish Po'Boys

Ingredients:

• Crawfish tails
• Remoulade sauce
• Buns
• Shredded lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Eggs
• Flour
• Cajun seasoning
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parmesan

Method:

Firstly, you will want to defrost your crawfish tails. While they are defrosting, you can whisk your eggs in one bowl and combine the flour and Cajun seasoning in another. In a third bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Now, take your crawfish tails and dredge them in the flour mixture, then dip them in the egg, and finally, coat them in the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture. Place the dredged crawfish tails into the air fryer basket, leaving space between each one. Spray the crawfish with baking spray and air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-6 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.

Once the crawfish are cooked, transfer them to a bowl and repeat the process with the remaining tails. Spread the cooked crawfish tails onto a platter lined with paper towels and use another paper towel to gently press and absorb any excess liquid. Slather remoulade sauce on the cut sides of each bun, then pile on the crispy crawfish, shredded lettuce, and sliced tomatoes.

Tips:

• Always preheat your air fryer to ensure even cooking and a crispy texture.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
• Shake the basket halfway through cooking to ensure the crawfish are cooked evenly on all sides.
• Crawfish cook quickly, so monitor them closely to avoid overcooking.
• Serve hot, straight out of the air fryer, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.

Enjoy your Crawfish Po'Boys!

Cooking spray

When cooking crawfish in an air fryer, it is important to prepare the seafood correctly and preheat your air fryer before adding the crawfish. This ensures even cooking and helps achieve a crispy texture.

To prepare crawfish cakes, mix crawfish meat with breadcrumbs, egg, and your chosen seasonings. Form this mixture into small patties, then place them in the preheated air fryer. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, then place the patties inside. Spray the tops of the patties with cooking spray. This will help the patties crisp up.

For crawfish po'boys, dredge the crawfish tails in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumb and parmesan cheese mixtures. Place the dredged crawfish tails into the air fryer basket, leaving space between each one. Spray the crawfish with cooking spray and air fry at 400 F for 5-6 minutes until crispy and golden brown.

For a keto-friendly option, use egg whites instead of whole eggs. Combine the egg whites with almond flour, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese. Dip the crawfish in the egg white mixture, then the flour mixture. Place the crawfish in the air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Set the temperature to 330 degrees and cook for 4 minutes. Check the level of doneness and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, depending on your desired crispness.

Defrosting crawfish

When defrosting crawfish, it is recommended to place the sealed bag in cold water for quicker thawing or to refrigerate it overnight. It is important to avoid defrosting crawfish at room temperature to prevent bacterial growth. Once the crawfish are thawed, they can be tossed in your desired seasoning and coated with flour or breadcrumbs.

For those who want to add an extra step to their defrosting process, you can purge the crawfish in saltwater to remove any impurities or grit, then rinse them under cool water. This will ensure that your crawfish are thoroughly cleaned before cooking.

After defrosting and seasoning, the crawfish can be air-fried at 375°F (190°C) for 3-4 minutes, adding more time as needed until the desired crispiness is achieved. If you are cooking frozen crawfish, simply increase the cooking time to 5-6 minutes.

For crawfish cakes, a popular dish made with leftover crawfish, the process is slightly different. First, mix the crawfish with egg, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, mustard, parsley, red bell peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and crackers. Form this mixture into small patties, then place them in the preheated air fryer. Cook the crawfish cakes at 400°F for about 8-10 minutes per side, adjusting the timing based on your air fryer model and the size of your cakes.

Cooking times and temperatures

When cooking crawfish in an air fryer, it's important to note that the cooking times and temperatures may vary depending on the model of your air fryer, the size of the crawfish, and your desired level of crispness. Here are some general guidelines to follow:

For Frozen Crawfish:

If you're working with frozen crawfish, it's important to defrost them before cooking. Place the frozen crawfish in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to allow them to thaw gradually. Once they are completely defrosted, you can proceed with the air-frying process.

For Reheating Precooked Crawfish:

To reheat precooked defrosted crawfish in your air fryer, set the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Place the crawfish in the air fryer basket and cook for 3-4 minutes. There is no need to preheat the air fryer or flip the crawfish during this process.

For Crawfish Cakes:

To make crawfish cakes, mix crawfish meat with breadcrumbs, egg, and your chosen seasonings. Form the mixture into small patties. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Place the patties in the air fryer basket and cook for about 8-10 minutes per side. The exact timing may depend on the size of your cakes and the model of your air fryer.

For Fried Crawfish:

To make fried crawfish, you can use a variety of breading options, such as flour, egg whites, or a combination of ingredients like almond flour, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese. After dipping the crawfish in the desired breading, place them in the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 330°F and cook for an initial 4 minutes. Then, check the level of doneness and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, depending on how crispy you prefer your crawfish.

For Crawfish Po'Boys:

To make Crawfish Po'Boys, dredge crawfish tails and place them in the air fryer basket. Spray the crawfish with baking spray and set the temperature to 400°F. Air fry for 5-6 minutes until the crawfish are crispy and golden brown.

Remember, these are just guidelines, and you may need to adjust the cooking times and temperatures based on your specific air fryer model and your personal preferences for doneness and crispness.

Frequently asked questions