Where does one go to buy shrimp/crawfish off the boat in New Orleans?

Jonnysouth

I’m working in Hammond, LA and brought a couple ice chests with me in hopes of getting some fresh Jumbo shrimp off the boats? Does anyone have any recommendations?

buzd504

I think the closest thing you will find is the shrimp lot in Westwego.  Crawfish are usually brought in from the Lafayette area and they are pretty much out of season anyway, so no luck there.  The shrimp at the shrimp lot are great though - had some last week.

nolaegghead

buzd504 said:

I think the closest thing you will find is the shrimp lot in Westwego.  Crawfish are usually brought in from the Lafayette area and they are pretty much out of season anyway, so no luck there.  The shrimp at the shrimp lot are great though - had some last week.

This ^^^

Pro-tip:  If you want the freshest and you don't want to eat immediately: Ask if they have the shrimp (in whatever size you want) frozen in the back.  They Freeze them right on the boat and weight them out in 5 pound boxes of IQF (probably that part at the dock, but they're frozen the whole time). 

The shrimp they sell there and just about everywhere is thawed out from those boxes.  I have literally bought them unfrozen right off the dock, but those are often smaller boats that don't have the resources to freeze and their shrimp has been in the hold on ice thawed for more time than the flash frozen shrimp.

Anyway, I'm just saying that you'll save between a buck and a buck fifty a pound if you buy them frozen and they really don't get any fresher than that if you thaw them out when you use.

Very important: if you buy them IQF, you need to keep A LOT of ice around them.  I would even pour salt on the ice or consider dry ice if you want to keep them IQF.  If they start to thaw even it bit, you are stuck having to thaw the whole 5 pound block rather than pull what you need.

Jonnysouth

Thanks guys, awesome info!! I’m looking forward to some awesome shrimp meals in the near future!