Use a pointy knife to poke up under the carapace cutting all the way around the inside of the head untill the tail drops out.Pull off the bits of guts.Snap a feeler off about 1/2 way ,push the thick end of the thin half up the crays bum then pull it back out,bringing the shit chute with it.Lay the tail on its side and push down trying to crack the shell along its length the put it shell up and do the same,this should crack the back of the shell all the way to the tail or use kitchen shears to do same.

Peel the shell off and cut the flesh into bite size chunks and cook with butter and garlic paste till brown in a frypan.Some people like bacon pieces done with it to break the taste up a bit

With the head,use a glove to hold head,break legs and horns off,chuck them in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes and they're ready to go.

If you are boiling your crays in anything other than sea water,add salt and when you think you have enough double it,bring them to the boil then boil for 12-15 minutes,this won't make them salty to eat but stops them going black in the fridge the next day

thanks mate

Yeah i cook mine for 12.5min (A little longer for bigger crays) in salty water.

Not thought about doing in a fry pan

I did see a picture of a guys cray he had cut in half and done on the bbq... wonder how that would taste.

I cut mine straight down the centre line from head to tail. Clean all the guts out the head, Chuck them on the barbie plate still in their shell,flesh side down first to get the cooking started then flip them over (shell side down) then pour some honey and grated cheese on the flesh side and wiat till its all melted....mmmm

Angel Hair Pasta with Crayfish Ø    280g fresh angel hair pastaØ    60ml extra virgin olive oilØ    2 cloves fresh garlic finely mincedØ    160g freshly diced tomatoesØ    2tbsp freshly picked basilØ    2 red chillies deseeded and finely dicedØ    250g raw western Australian crayfish meatØ    150ml pouring creamØ    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper  Bring water to the boil and cook the pasta to al dentePour olive oil into a large heavy frypan. Add garlic, chillies and tomatoes cook over medium heat for one minute, then increase heat add Cray fish and cream tossing meat so that it cooks evenly. Cook for two minutes and then add pasta to fry pan.Sprinkle in basil, toss and season with salt and pepper.Serve immediately into four pasta plates with a glass of white wine. This quantity will serve 4 as a starter…..

I split the tails then put them on the barbie shell side down, then sprinkle a bit of butter and garlic onto the flesh. I cook them for 10 minutes or so, NEVER flipping the flesh onto the hot plate. This way the juices stay in. With about 2 minutes to go, I'll throw some beer or white wine onto the tails, and quickly cover them with a stainless bowl. This steams them from above, and seals all the goodness in!

Could you just steam them whole in one of the bamboo steamers ?

I wish I had an emo lawn so it would cut it self

Wicked Recipes Aus and BQ, gonna give them both a go!!

Cheers

1 cooked crayfish

1 1/4 cups milk

1 slice onion

1 bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

1 oz butter

2 tblsp flour

2 tblsp cream

pinch of nutmeg

2 oz cheddar, grated

pinch of paprika, to garnish

Using a sharp knife, cut the lobster in half lengthways through the shell. Lift the meat from the tail and body. Remove the cream colored vein and body matter and discard. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch pieces and refrigerate. Wash the head and shell halves, drain and pat dry and set aside. Heat the milk, onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a small pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and leave for 15 minute. Strain. Melt the butter in a large pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, or until pale and foaming. Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk. Remove from heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the cream. Season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Fold the lobster meat through the sauce. Stir over low heat until the lobster is heated through. Spoon the mixture into the shells and sprinkle with cheese. Heat the grill or broiler and place the lobster for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with your choice of sides.

This is something that I came up with a few years ago.  Thought it was time to let it out into the big wide world.

Snap feelers off (easier to fit crays in the oven…or under the hood in the BBQ).

Split crays in half length wise, clean guts and poop shute out (or use Carnarvonite’s method for the shute – I will be!)– don’t use water unless you have too.

Line a baking tray with Ali foil  - (makes it easier for the missus to do the dishes later).

Lay cray halves shell down in tray, alternating head to tail (because they fit better).

Spread mango chutney over cray halves.

Sprinkle pre cooked diced bacon over cray halves (not too much).

Finish with grated cheese over the top.

Pop in the oven (preheated to about 180) for about 12 minutes, a little longer for bigger crays.  Better to be under cooked then over.  A good indicator, is the meat swelling up above the shell. Serve with that green stuff and a few cold bevies.

Cheers Pete

Have got to agree tho, very much over-rated.......IMO  

Adam has put pics up of them raw, in a creamy marinade, vac-packed for the freezer. Would be interesting to see that recipe

Least the rest of it would taste good

My old man does his in a salad

Just boils the crays and pulls out the meat and slices it up.

Pits it into a green salad with Sliced cheese, and prawns.

Then runs a little italain salad dressing over the top.

Its actually pretty dam good!

Cut the cray in half and wash out all the gunk. Then carefully cut the meat free from the shell, taking care to keep the shell intact. Then, after placing the meat back into the shell, lightly coat the meat with olive oil infused with garlic and sundried tomatoes (Separate bottles; I bought the olive oil at Woolworths) and marinate for at least half an hour. I then cook it in the oven on 180 for 16-18 mins. The oil marinated through the meat helps to cook it evenly all the way through. While it is in the oven I dice one onion and half of a red and green capsicum and cook in some of the garlic and sundried tomato olive oil. Once the crays are cooked I take the meat out of the shell and lay it on top of the onion/capsicum. I can honestly say it is the best way to eat crays that I have found so far.
Enjoy it.
Three days without it and I get a little jumpy

Gf's mum pretty much does that up to where you out it in the oven - but puts it under the grill. They come up great!

Here is last nights dinner

Normal Boiled crayfish with an Island sauce.
Dhufish slowly cooked in a frypan, once half cooked add Lemon a little butter, some cream and salt and pepper.

topped off with a nice cold corona!! Best meal ive had in ages!!

SPEWIE LEWIE

Just get the meat out of the shell[mentioned earlier]and drop into a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and that bottled lemon juice,leave for 20-25 minutes and you're ready to nosh out.
You can watch the flesh turn from clear to white in 5 mins or so.
Another one is wrap the tail in alfoil and stick it on the turbocharger on the motor if you're running a diesel,take 25-30mins,a 50/50 mix of thousand islands dressing and sweet chilli sauce to dip them in and away you go

First few times i had cray, i pulled the heads off and spit the head and tail in half then cooked them same way you have chilli mussels, i just like mine chunky so it came out like a chilli cray salsa. Was pretty good, havent done that in a while, might give it another go soons.

cut tails in half,length ways,remove the shells.roll lightly in flour,dip in beaten egg and then roll in bread crumbs.shallow fry until golden brown.serve with lemon.in my opinion the nicest way to eat the most over rated seafood there is.

I was told to wait till the water boils add crays for 3 minutes, take out and cut in half, clean it but leave in shell and then add marinade with bacon bits and put under grill. This is how the resturants do it!

 I have just converted my cray/crab cooker over to enable them to be steamed .

6lts water and bring to boil=8 mins

place crayfish into cooker basket on there backs 

place basket into cooker above boiling water level (do not let crays/crabs touch the boiling water)

place lid on top to avoid evaporation

steam crayfish for 18mins and Place into ice water to avoid over cooking

allow to cool and remove from shells and Yummo

The bigger the crays the longer steaming time 

Crabs are the same just steam for 10mins and Yummo for 20 crabs

Add about 200-300ml of Soy sause and a healthy dash of Mirin to the salt water, and it increases the sweetness of the cray/crab.

Neels

Ginger goes well with crays.

Split the tail, dollop of butter, minced garlic, minced ginger and mozarella and bake bbq or grill

BBQ with sweet chilly sauce & lemon juice or also crayfish mornay but with a twist at the end just before you serve, heat some brandy up in a s/steel jug and pour it over the mornay and put a match to it "Crayfish Mornay Flombay " YUM YUM !