The time to purge crawfish effectively depends on the method used:
- Commercial purging involves holding crawfish in a flowing water system for at least 12 to 24 hours. This method significantly cleans out the crawfish's digestive tract and removes most of the material in the gut, including the black vein in the tail meat
- Home purging with water baths typically lasts from 5 to 10 minutes per rinse cycle. Some recommend repeating rinses multiple times with fresh water to remove mud and debris. Adding salt to the water does not significantly improve purging and may even harm the crawfish if used for extended periods
- Crawfish naturally self-purge over 24 to 36 hours, excreting waste through their gills, so simply holding them in fresh water for this length of time can also clean them
- It is important not to keep crawfish submerged without oxygen for too long, as they can drown in 3 to 6 hours without supplemental oxygen
Summary:
- For a thorough commercial purge: 12 to 24 hours in flowing water.
- For quick home rinses: 5 to 10 minutes per water bath, repeated as needed.
- Natural self-purge: 24 to 36 hours in fresh water.
Salt is not necessary and can be detrimental if used for long purging times
