Texas Fishing Forum

Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet

Posted By: MUD-DABBER

Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 06:15 PM

Anyone ever fix crappie that were scaled the way Grandma used to do it (Remember her using a spoon to scale them). Put some oil in your cast iron skillet with a 10 inch or larger crappie (cornmeal and salt/pepper) you scaled rather than filleted? Man, we tried some today and I forgot how good those scaled fish actually taste. I guess it is something about the skin and bone adding flavor to it, but it was great. We even threw in a few extra large perch and it was really great.

Fillets are tremendous, but you might try scaling a few and see how you like it.

Good Fishing,
Mud-Dabber
Posted By: crappieScout Calvin

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 06:27 PM

Mud-Dabber,

I remember eating gutted/scaled whole fish too. To me, they're better tasting too. Plus, you get the bonus of the tail with whole fried fish. However, the taste does not outweigh storing whole crappies vs crappie fillets for me. My mother likes the 10 inchers gutted and scaled the best.

fish,
Calvin
Posted By: Cast

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 06:47 PM

They're more moist and tender with the bones. I prefer whole catfish vs fillets, and have never filleted a bream or crappie.

Now if I caught a bunch, I would fillet everything but what I'm gonna eat today or tomorrow.

We always ate what we caught when we got home.
Posted By: MUD-DABBER

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 07:00 PM

No doubt when storing them, filleting is the way to go; otherwise you might prick the sack and it takes up more room. Being fresh is probably a key in the taste also, but the largest disadvantage is feeding kids as the bones can be a problem and caution is an absolute when eating.

Like a lot of things, we get in such a hurry sometimes that we don't stop and enjoy the fish, which no doubt takes more time and effort to scale.

Mud-Dabber
Posted By: 9094

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 07:02 PM

I scale them and fillet them but leave the skin on quite a bit.
Best of both worlds crispy skin and no bones.
Posted By: BMART

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 07:08 PM

I never fillet mine unless it's a kitty that's over 8lbs. Hybrids scaled and steaked. Sandies, Crappies, big blue gill all gutted, scaled and fried whole, I have even grilled magnum sandies on the coal. They came out great
Posted By: BlueNitro

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/16/16 07:26 PM

Originally Posted By: BMART
I never fillet mine unless it's a kitty that's over 8lbs. Hybrids scaled and steaked. Sandies, Crappies, big blue gill all gutted, scaled and fried whole, I have even grilled magnum sandies on the coal. They came out great


And based on your signature, I bet you have ate a few fish. I'll try it some time but have always filet mine.
Posted By: BrazosRiverTom

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 01:15 AM

Mom always had bread and butter when serving fish as fish were never filleted when I was growing up. She said if you get a bone stuck in your throat swallow some bread. Some how all of us kids never did get a bone stuck in our throat. We chewed and chewed to be sure. A few years ago I fixed some whole fried fish too and my nephew had never had anything but fillets. He said he like the fillets better. But I did think the whole fish had a better taste too.
Posted By: JimmyA

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 01:29 AM

I always cook the bream that way. delicious! Crappie, occasionally whole.
Posted By: Gamblinman

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 02:10 AM

Oh my...crappie tails. Been a while since I had some.
Posted By: banker-always fishing

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 02:13 AM

I fillet my Crappie and scale/gut my Bluegills. I also fillet White Bass and Catfish. thumb
Posted By: ACE Ranger

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 03:01 AM

Yes Mud-Dabber,

That is a winning combination...UNBEATABLE!
Posted By: leanin post

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 11:28 AM

if you cook a perch just right, not over or under cook, you can grab the bone from the front, and the tail, and kind of twist it, and then pull it out, leaving the flaky white meat and skin.
Posted By: tboxfish

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/17/16 01:04 PM

Used to catch them out of the creek that ran into Cedar Creek at my Uncle Fred's when I was a young lad.
We always gutted and scaled them on a piece of plywood over the water well with about 6 or 7 cats under our feet wanting the eggs.
Then aunt Jan would fry them up in a cast iron skillet - YUMMY
Posted By: fmrmbmlm

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/18/16 01:35 AM

My two brothers and BIL get together most every Sunday afternoon and grill or fry supper. Couple weeks ago had whole scaled, fried blue gills. We ate a bunch.
Posted By: ikie1

Re: Whole Crappie and Cast Iron Skillet - 09/18/16 10:54 PM

Man that's the only way we eat them.
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