Seafood offers a unique taste and aroma that makes your dining experience exciting and meaningful. It is also rich in healthy fats, lean protein, and omega-3 that can boost your overall health.
Some of the most popular seafood are lobster, shrimp, and crawfish. They may seem similar, but they have several contrasting characteristics that you should know about. To avoid confusion when buying or ordering seafood, use this as your guide in discovering their major differences.
Physical Differences
Lobster, crawfish, and shrimp may look very similar, but when you look a lot closer, their differences become apparent. For example, several species of long-tailed crustaceans are called shrimp. They are under 8 inches long and vary in colors, including white, brown, and pink.
Crawfish are normally 3 to 4 inches long. They can be found in various colors, such as red, brown, orange, dark green, and black. Their color doesn’t affect their taste. Crawfish have a pair of claws, which often gets them confused with small lobsters.
Lobsters are the largest among the three. They usually grow no longer than 8 inches, but can expand up to 20 inches in length. Furthermore, they are similar to crawfish in appearance apart from their size.
Habitat
Shrimp are usually found in saltwater on sandy or muddy bottoms. Lobsters, on the other hand, exclusively live in saltwater. Crawfish thrive exclusively in freshwater and can be farmed in rice paddies, swampy waters, and muddy bottoms of water. They tend to be the most active at night.
Harvest season
If you’ve ever tried ordering lobster during the first few months of the year, you may have noticed that they’re often a lot more expensive than they usually are. This is because during the colder months, lobsters move further offshore, making them more difficult to catch. Prices peak in early spring, but they drop as the fishing picks up during warmer months.
To get the best quality live lobsters, it’s best to enjoy them in May. They are at their firmest and meatiest as the weather warms up. If you want good, hard-shell lobster, fall is the best time to feast on them. Prices tend to stay reasonable until Christmas time.
Shrimp season often goes alongside lobsters season. Enjoy the best-tasting shrimp between April and October.
Crawfish season, on the other hand, begins in February or March and runs until June or July. However, the precise season typically depends on the previous winter, the temperature, and rainfall. Despite the short harvest season, it is available year-round. You can enjoy this delicious seafood by heading to reputable restaurants that specialize in serving fresh crawfish.
To get your crawfish fix in Houston, order from our crawfish restaurant. Crawfish is our signature dish, and you can try them in nine different flavors. Our specialty is so delicious that we have been featured in different Houston publications, including the Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, Houstonia, and various Houston Guides.
Conclusion
Shrimp, lobster, and crawfish are some of the most known seafood, and they can be cooked in various ways. Knowing their differences can help you enjoy them more and learn how to turn them into appetizing dishes.
If you’re craving for some quality seafood, head to our locations in Chinatown and Heights in Texas. We take pride in serving the best crawfish in Houston. Order now!
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