I ate some carp last weekend!
I was wanting to catch some catfish and I was having a hard time finding shad. Then I got to thinking about those trained carp I had at the slip.
Soooo, I caught a carp AND CUT IT! It was around 7-8 pounds and I thought that was a good size to be removing from my swim.
I used an electric knife and cut down the spine on both sides to remove the meat from the spine. I threw the carcass in a cooler to cut later if I needed it. I then started cutting strips off of the fillets. It is amazing how much meat there is on an 8 pound carp. Way more than what I needed for bait so I got to thinking:
Yep! I kept 4 pieces that were maybe 4x4 inches. I removed the scales but left the skin. I then cut the meat into 1/2x1/2 inch chunks leaving it on the skin. (I'd forgot how tough carp skin is. It's like leather.) I rinsed them real good getting as much of the blood out as possible. I then put them in a quart storage container and covered them with whole milk and salt. I put it in the fridge and went fishing.
I didn't catch a single catfish that day, on the carp or any of my punch baits! I was at the same place I cleaned up the day before, including a 22 1/2 pounder, but nothing doing. What a waste of a good carp!
After I returned from fishing, and catching a 12 pound carp at my slip to make sure the Carp Gods hadn't abandoned me, I fired up my deep fryer. I cooked some french fries first to make sure my oil was as hot as it could get before I put the carp in. I patted the carp down with paper towels then rolled it in Louisiana Fish Fry blue bag, getting the mix down into the cuts, and dropped it in the oil. I let it cook at 425 degrees for about 8 minutes.
Was it good? I'll put it this way: There was nothing left but the skin! And I was wishing I'd kept more as I was still hungry. I sprinkled it with Louisiana Hot Sauce and picked the meat off of the skin with a fork. I washed it down with an excellent Paulaner Octoberfest! I am not going to say it compared with crappie or blue cats but it wasn't bad and I'd do it again with smaller carp. I doubt I will ever keep an 8 pounder again but those 1 to 3 pounders better watch out! I just couldn't make myself eat the skin. I don't know why, as I have in the past, but I just couldn't do it.
Thinking down the road, if I do it again, I will cut the carp so all of the best eating parts are separate. On a carp that size there is plenty of catfish bait just using the rib cage and the carcass. I won't waste the best meat on the cats, I'll waste it on me.
Anyway, there's my confession and report!
Kevin
