Nothing says spring in Louisiana like a crawfish boil! You don't have to live there to appreciate this tasty tradition, though—although you might find yourself wondering how to eat crawfish. And what exactly are these creatures that look like miniature lobsters?

Also referred to as crawdads, crayfish, or mudbugs, crawfish aren't fish at all—they're crustaceans that live in fresh water, like rivers and marshes. Slightly sweet, they taste like a cross between their cousins, lobster and shrimp. You can find crawfish all over the world, but more than 95% of the crawfish eaten in the U.S. are harvested in Louisiana. Festivals like the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival highlight the popularity of the crustaceans, especially from March to May (aka peak crawfish season). Tucked into regional specialties like crawfish bisque and étouffée or eaten out of hand with Cajun seasoning, they're the state crustacean for a reason! You can also find crawfish in states like Mississippi and Alabama—and if you don't live in the Southeast, you can buy them online from retailers like LA Crawfish.

The most common way to cook crawfish is by boiling them. But because they're usually served shell-on, you might be a little intimidated if you’ve never tried one before! Read on for a foolproof, step-by-step guide to eating boiled crawfish.

Louisiana Cajun Seasoning

Cajun Seasoning

Louisiana Cajun Seasoning

$8 at Walmart

Which part of the crawfish are you supposed to eat?

Crawfish meat is located in the tail. That doesn't mean, though, that you should ignore the head. Which leads us to...

Can I eat the yellow stuff in the crawfish's head?

Absolutely! The juice in the head is totally edible and has a briny, sweet taste that many consider a delicacy—and the best part of the crawfish eating experience. Simply suck it out of the shell with your mouth once you've separated the head from the tail.

Step-by-step instructions for eating boiled crawfish:

  1. Hold the crawfish on either side of the tail joint. Your thumbs should be on one side of the shell and your index fingers should be on the other side.
  2. Using a twisting motion, snap the head away from the tail.
  3. Optional but recommended: suck the yellow stuff, also known as "crawfish butter," out of the crawfish head.
  4. Discard the head, then using your thumbs, peel the shell away from the widest part of the tail, as you would peel shrimp.
  5. Holding the tail with one hand, tug out the tail meat with your other hand. Enjoy!