Crawfish Boudin:
A Compendium
It is Lent and for many folks in South Louisiana that means a time to replace the amount of pork boudin they consume with some crawfish or seafood boudin. Some places, like NuNu's, only make the crawfish variety at Lent and at other places you can get it year round. Still, not everyone makes crawfish boudin and it is little tricky to get the right flavor profile. You're looking for "crawfish" but not "crawfishy" flavor. In each of the assessments below we took the time to dissect one whole link, search out the number of whole crawfish tails, and document them. Many of the links include pulverized crawfish meat, but for a lot of folks, if they are eating crawfish boudin, they want to have some solid crawfish meat as part of the experience.
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Le Blanc's Crawfish
Boudin (From St. Amant, LA) GRADE D-  Assessment: If you're looking for a link of crawfish boudin that also has PORK in it (!) then this just might be the link you're looking for. If, on the other hand, you don't want PORK in your crawfish boudin and if you prefer something less dry and pasty where you can discern the rice from the filling (pork or crawfish), then you should head to another location for your crawfish boudin.  Availability: Found in various grocery stores throughout the region. These links were purchased at the Corner Pantry in Lafayette, LA |
 One of the links had the casing burst before we opened it. Not appetizing.  We agree: There should be a lot more than four tiny specks of yucky crawfish in your link of "crawfish" boudin. |
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Comeaux's Crawfish Boudin GRADE: B   Assessment: This link is creamy and flavorful. The crawfish tails were surprisingly tender and juicy. The filling did, however, suffer from a certain pasty quality. Availability: Found in various grocery stores throughout the region and available online. |
  Here we have thirteen crawfish tails from one link. A decent showing. |
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Charlie -T's Seafood
Boudin GRADE: B   Assessment: This link of seafood boudin has a heavy tomato taste and the distinct lack of actual seafood is a bit of a bummer. It is rice-heavy and dense. Availability: Buy it at Charlie T's Specialty Meats, 530 Berard Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 |
 Check it out. A total of 12 pieces of seafood. That's four tiny crawfish tails and eight little pieces of shrimp (not whole shrimp). [The little bitty shreds of shrimp in the picture were not counted.] You can also find the review of Charlie-T's regular boudin. Or, you can check out how Charlie-T's boudin is being used at Cafe Des Ami. |
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Tony Chachere's Crawfish
Boudin GRADE: C+   Assessment: The interior of this chubby link is on the dry side and the full-grained rice mixture is surrounded by an orangish glint. Seems that there may also be particles of ground crawfish in the link, but that is hard to tell. The crawfish tails themselves are few and far between. They are also tiny tiny tiny, and not particularly tender. Availability: Online and in grocery stores throughout the region. |
 The entire link had only these 10 crawfish and they had the consistency of something that had been rehydrated.  |
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NuNu's Crawfish Boudin GRADE: A+   Assessment: The best crawfish boudin we've found. The buttery filling is chock full of real Louisiana crawfish. It is full flavored, possesses a delightful etouffeeish aroma, and provides a satisfying and unique culinary treat. |
 A staggering TWENTY-FIVE decent sized crawfish from one 1/3 lb link. The link is about the same size as the others, but it has TWICE as much crawfish!! You can also check out the review of NuNu's regular boudin as served at their Fresh Market location and at the location in Milton. Availability: Available at NuNu's Fresh Market, 509 Lafayette Street, Youngsville, LA 70592-5409 |
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Baudin's Crawfish Boudin GRADE: B-   Assessment: The aroma of a plate of boiled crawfish will envelop your olfactory senses. Embrace it. There are woefully few whole crawfish tails in this link, but you can find the ground meat and there is no denying the bold and HOT punch of crawtastic mudbuggery that awaits. Availability: Available in a limited number of regional grocery stores, particularly in the area around St. Martinville. |
   An unimpressive three pieces of crawfish. Only one of the three is a whole tail. |
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Poche's Crawfish Boudin GRADE: B-   Assessment: This link is pale and filled with an overly mushy and pasty rice mixture. It tastes good and the heat builds after a few bites. It seems that there must be ground crawfish in the link as well as the two pieces of whole crawfish, but it is hard to fully determine. The filling is made from a base of cream of mushroom soup. Availability: Available at Poche's, 3015-A Main Hwy, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517and online. (Photo to Right: That is one mangled crawfish tail, one chunk of a crawfish tail, and one itty bitty portion of a tail.) |
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Ray's Grocery: A Legend in Boudin
GRADE: A+
  16 tasty morsels of crawfish flesh. |
  Assessment: Crawlicious! You’ll pay a premium for this one ($12 per pound) and it doesn’t have the highest tail count, but it is such a wonderfully clean explosion of crawfish goodness that you’ll want to find the resources. Some of the crawfish tails are downright huge and they’re all supple and juicy. Availability: Available at Ray's Grocery, 904 Short Vine, Opelousas, LA 70570 |
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Bayou Boudin and
Cracklin
GRADE: A-
 A slightly misshapen link.  Crab! Crawfish! & Shrimp! |
 A respectable 12 pieces of shrimp and crawfish (and there is also crab in the link).
Assessment: A rich seafood and mushroom stock
serves as the foundation for the gravy that binds this seafood
rich link together.
It is earthy and satisfying with plenty of crawfish, shrimp, and
crab. We’re not aware
of any others offering a link with all three meats, but we’re glad
Rocky and Lisa have concocted this delicious blend. |