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Cleaning catfish for taste
#11713402
07/09/16 01:46 PM
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 22
livemusic
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 22 |
Has anyone found a method to optimize the taste of your fried catfish so that they don't taste 'fishy?' The last batch of blues I caught had more red meat on them than usual. In the pasts, it would be a small strip of red down the centerline and I would just cut it out. But this last batch has a broad area of red. What to do? Or do you do anything?
I have a friend who says when he takes his fish out of the freezer, he thaws them and then soaks them in salty water.
After I clean mine, I also soak them in a large bowl of cold ice water and it draws some blood out.
I know some people bleed their live fish by cutting the tail but I really don't want to do that, lol.
Prior to this last batch, after I got my blues dressed, it was really pretty white meat, and they tasted great.
~~~ Bill
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713408
07/09/16 02:02 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244
KQT
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244 |
Some blues seem to just have more red. Takes time to learn but try filleting an 1/8th inch or so higher off the skin then you have been. You basically push the knife (SHARP!) thru the fillet with the handle resting parallel to the cutting board. After some practice you will adjust the angle so you get a little more clean meat. You are doing everything else right. The warmer the weather the more you need to soak in fresh ice water, change the water 3-4 times. Don't soak in salt water, you are not trying to brine them.
Common carp 26 Goldfish 9.78lb Mirror Koi 14lb Koi 16lb Channel Catfish 26lbs Blue Cat 30lb Bass 9.5lb
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713414
07/09/16 02:05 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244
KQT
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244 |
Meant to add; Only freeze clean fish, smell them, if they have a "fishy" odor at all then clean them some more.
Common carp 26 Goldfish 9.78lb Mirror Koi 14lb Koi 16lb Channel Catfish 26lbs Blue Cat 30lb Bass 9.5lb
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713449
07/09/16 02:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 478
JasonB23
Angler
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Angler
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 478 |
I use salt water on mine. I rinse a couple times. Soak in salt water and then rinse a couple more times.
Last edited by JasonB23; 07/09/16 05:05 PM.
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713452
07/09/16 02:30 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 541
Tex
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 541 |
Fishy taste comes from the red meat on the fish. As stated above, remove the red meat. When I soak my fish prior to cooking, I do add salt to the solution mentioned above. Rinse good before cooking fish.
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713613
07/09/16 04:59 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244
KQT
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,244 |
Tex I'm glad you said rinse them good, I had a friend that always fried striper soaked in saltwater and he never rinsed it. It was kind of slimy going into the batter and never very good even through he took great care in removing the red meat. Rinsing would have done the trick.
Common carp 26 Goldfish 9.78lb Mirror Koi 14lb Koi 16lb Channel Catfish 26lbs Blue Cat 30lb Bass 9.5lb
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713762
07/09/16 06:48 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,154
opus
TFF Celebrity
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TFF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,154 |
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713821
07/09/16 07:50 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,606
ChuChu1
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,606 |
Snowflakes and entitled brats will be the doom of America!
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713828
07/09/16 07:58 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 220
jmh004
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 220 |
Try bleeding them by cutting them at the "throat" area, right behind the gills. Cut down to the bone. That fish will pump every ounce of blood out from there.
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: jmh004]
#11713859
07/09/16 08:21 PM
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 22
livemusic
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 22 |
Try bleeding them by cutting them at the "throat" area, right behind the gills. Cut down to the bone. That fish will pump every ounce of blood out from there. My fish are dead when I clean them.
~~~ Bill
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713898
07/09/16 08:54 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,865
crappieking95
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,865 |
Fillet them. One the fillets are removed from skin and bone, cut the strip of red meat running rhe full length of the fillet down the middle. That's the bloodline, it can be found in stripers and white bass also.
Philippians 4:13
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: jmh004]
#11713937
07/09/16 09:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,097
mjmetro0719
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,097 |
Try bleeding them by cutting them at the "throat" area, right behind the gills. Cut down to the bone. That fish will pump every ounce of blood out from there. I saw that method years ago by an ole timer, he put them in a five gallon bucket and let them bleed out for about fifteen minutes before he cleaned them, it works.
Mike
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11713951
07/09/16 09:21 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,700
SALLYSUE
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,700 |
Get you a plastic bucket and put your garden hose in it with water running Than put your meat in there and leave them in there while you clean your mess up It will wash the blood out of the meat I even do my dove breast that way Really makes the difference in the flavor
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11714411
07/10/16 02:39 AM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,116
taterpop
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,116 |
Rinse them in cool water let them set a few minutes then put them in salt water rinse them hard and let them set for about 15 minutes in the salt water after that rinse again in cool water bag them in water for freezing or send them to the fish cooker.
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Re: Cleaning catfish for taste
[Re: livemusic]
#11714934
07/10/16 03:34 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,382
Freeman Clark
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,382 |
I always put my cats in salt water and my crappie in Sprite.
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