Cleaning catfish for taste

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.

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.

Meant to add; Only freeze clean fish, smell them, if they have a "fishy" odor at all then clean them some more.

I use salt water on mine.
I rinse a couple times.
Soak in salt water and then rinse a couple more times.

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.

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.

Cover in mustard

Keep smaller fish

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I always put my cats in salt water and my crappie in Sprite.

But with white bass, it doesnt ruin them.

Yep, use a sharp knife to take an extra 1/8 inch off the skin side of the filet.
Ive seen cutting boards with higher sides to keep the blade higher than the red when the filet is placed red side down in it.
After the fish is ready for cornmeal give it a liberal dose of lime juice and hot sauce.

If you know of a model name or a link to such a board, please post.

I throw my cats on ice as soon as we catch them. The cold helps draws the blood out of the meat back to the organs while they are still alive. Plus this helps keeps the meat fresh if they die on you while fishing.

Just leave them on ice for 12 hours. That does the trick for me.

Cutting the tail while still alive will drain all the blood out in about 10-12 minutes if they are still alive before. I use the 5 gal bucket with a gallon of water then drop them in to bleed. Then cut a very clean pair of fillets with no bloodied meat or mess. I do this inside my house kitchen where it is very cool and comfortable with no mess except at the sink to wash out.

The blue and channel whiskers I catch here on Conroe never taste fishy at all.

Just buy a jerky board. They come in all different depths.

http://www.meatprocessingproducts.com/32025.html?gclid=CPaFwLOn_c0CFUFbhgodLKcPqA

Get all the red meat, skin, and fat off. Keep your fish alive or iced until they are eaten or in the freezer. Cut thin enough such that they cook all the way through when frying.

The only fishy taste you will have is what fish is supposed to taste like. I have never soaked fish in anything and have eaten fish over 80 lbs that were great but following that process.

Rinse them really well after you clean them. Also remember it is fish they taste like fish.