Buy live or cooked crawfish from a reputable source
If live, purge if needed (follow store instructions) and rinse
Boil or steam crawfish in seasoned water or boil with a prepared crawfish boil kit
Cook until shells turn bright red and meat is opaque (follow package timing)
Drain well and let cool slightly
Spread newspaper or use a tray for shelling
Grab a crawfish, pull the head away from the body
Use your fingers to peel back the shell
Remove the tail meat
Suck or peel out any meat from the head and tail sections you can access
Dip meat in additional seasoning or butter if desired
Discard shells and non-meat parts
Eat right away for best flavor
Store leftovers in a sealed container and refrigerate; reheat gently or eat cold within 1–2 days