Let's Eat

[Steve Stinson]

I

 

[TrepMan]

Steve - For Catfish and bream we usualy use the powdered Beer Batter stuff. Just follow the directions on the box, use Beer for water (if you just get the traditional batter) and heat the frying pan in 1/2 inch of oil till it's hot, carefuly lay each bite dipped in the batter into the pan, flip when done on one side, then when both are golden brown remove and let them drip oil thru paper towels or paper bag. The way to tell when any fish is done is when the meat flakes off not having to be cut/pulled hard!



I know some of the other gang will have lots of home made recipies. Also, for Bass/stripers and walleye I use just a little butter in the pan and sprinkle some lemon/pepper on each side and lightly brown.



Trep

 

[Greg Meyer]

Steve,,



Here's some simple tips...the ones I started with for Boy Scouts...11-15 yr old Chefs. (1st) Keep the fish alive and cool until you clean them... (I presume you have mastered cleaning) (2) Soak the fillets or cleaned fish in cold ice water with baking soda dissolved...1-12 hours then rinse and pat dry with paper towels... (3) Mix eggs 1 egg and 1/4 cup of milk... enough for the fish you have... (4) Mix yellow corn meal 1 cup and 1 tablespoon flour (enough for the fish you have)... Dip the fish in the milk and egg mixture then roll in the cornmeal mixture... fry in Canola Oil at 350 degrees for 6-10 minutes...fish should be "flaky" when done...do not overcook and do not undercook...but 6-10 minutes should not do either...8 minutes should be an average... I use an electric skillet or a wok or a regular deep fryer with a basket. Good eating.



Tartar Sauce 1/2 cup of Salad dressing...1 Tablespoon of Dill relish and 1 table spoon of sweet relish and 1/2 teaspoon of dried onion flakes... mix one to two hour before eating to let the onions soak... Salt fish and eat!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Here in Missouri, with crappie and bass, I use Andy's seasoned breading. It's like corn meal with different seasonings. I really like the Spicy bag (bright orange).



Wash the filets (boneless, if possible) in clean water and put them in a bowl of cold, clean water. Take a filet out of the water and let let it almost stop dripping, then drop it in the breading. Roll it around in the breading and coat it really well, then set it off to the side on a plate. The breading kind of "melts" together as it sits there. When you have a few breaded filets, test the oil before you drop them into it (400-425 is the correct temp, I think). The oil has to be hot enough, but not so hot that it's smoking. Peanut oil is great if you can get it, but we usually use Canola oil. To make sure its hot enough, put a little drop of water in it. If it snaps and pops and throws grease everywhere, its hot enough. If the oil is smoking, turn down the heat and wait a bit before you drop in the first filet.



As the filets fry, they'll clump together, so you have to use a spatula or slotted spoon to keep them apart. You have to keep adjusting the heat as you fry up your filets. Each batch will lower the temperature a bit if you don't pause between them.



Now, here's the secret: You have to leave them in there until they begin to float. Then watch as the amount of "bubbles" begins to die off. If you leave them in too long, the bubbles will stop and you'll have a dry, chewy filet. If you take them out too soon, the fish will be rubbery. I like to pull them out when they're just "sighing" bubbles around the edges. Take a fork and try pulling one apart. If it flakes and steams, you've done it just right.



Place the filets in a pan with several layers of paper towels to abosorb any excess oil.



MMmmmmm gooooodd, dontchaknow.

 

[Rich D]

Soak fillets in Italian dressing for about 15 minutes. Too long will overpower the fish. Lay on a grill over a medium fire for about 4 minutes a side depending on thickness. Should be flaky when done. It helps to use tin foil or a "fish basket".



Rich D

 

[Tony Payne]

I use "Andy's" coating as well...



My "trick" is to add a little "Wasabe" powder to my egg mixture... My egg mixture == 2 eggs, 2 tsps water.



Wasabe, for those that don't know, is a Japanese HorseRadish... You can get it dry in the spices. It can be hot, so experiment a little before you add too much.

 

[Mike Levesque]

Ok, here's a catfish one I got years ago, bear with me, it IS good........

A couple catfish fillets

A couple potatoes, cut into small pieces, squares or wedges

A carrot or 2, cut into small slices

An onion, cut into small slices

1 TBSP butter

2 TBSP your favorite bbq sauce

put all the above into an aluminum foil pouch, with a flat bottom, looks like a bag, leaving just a little open at the top for steam to escape, drop that baby on the grill, and if all goes well, when the fillets are done, the potatoes are too... p.s.- All those recipes above sound great! Gonna try 'em out.....

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Here's a different one.



3-4 eggs beaten in a bowl



Another bowl of flour



Plastic sealable freezer bag (hefty zipper work well)



Crushed and seasoned saltines (Tony Sachres or other seasoning)



Soak filets overnight in milk in refrigerator

take out of milk dip in egg

take out of egg dip in flour

take out of flour dip back in egg

put in plastic bag filled with crushed cracker crumbs and shake.

drop in Turkey fryer filled with peanut oil at 375.



There's one major problem when I cook them this way....THEY NEVER MAKE IT TO THE TABLE. Everyone is always walking up and eating them off of the platter LOL!! When you are done, leftover egg and cracker crumbs makes fritters (add egg to cracker crumbs make into balls and drop in oil)!!



You can also use just egg and pancake mix for a lighter batter (dip once in each, egg first).



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

A shore lunch taste if you can cook on a campfire, if not a frying pan will do. Best for walleye but also b...b....bass, (I hate saying that)

dip fillets in an egg wash (2 eggs and 1/2 cup of whole milk mixed well)

coat wet fillets in crust mix, (liptons instant french onion soup mix still dry obviously and bread crumbs with a little pepper)

heat up REAL butter, or olive oil for the health nuts, in a frying pan until searing preferably over open camp fire

place fillets in pan and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Cooking too slow allows fillets to absorb oil or butter and makes them soggy.

Then garnish and top with drops of lemon juice if desired.

You can top it with whatever condiment you prefer, I like ketchup with tabasco. It's like a kick in the pants cocktail sauce.

 

[Steve Stinson]

This is too good. I can't wait for Santa to bring me my deep fryer this Christmas. I'll be ready. Thanks

 

[Ken Neeley]

Take 'em off the hook, whack 'em in the head, open wide and take a big bite!!!

Sushi...Ken Neeley style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

That's how dam beavers eat 'em!

 

[Larry Harp]

Ken

We've got Sushi here in Oklahoma too, except here we call it bait. ;-)))

Harpo

 

[Tim King]

Sorry Ken,I like my sushi southern fried!!!



I take mine and soak them in the fridge over night and then I freeze them in water in a zip lock(if I'm not going to eat them right away). I then roll them in Harold Ensley's Fish Fry and breading seasoning. There is no need for egg or anything. You take them straight from the water and I put it in a ziplock for easy covering. I then either use a fry daddy or my fish fryer and cook them to a golden brown and voila!!

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Nobody has spoke up for Drake's batter...

1 box of Drake's mixes nicely with 1 can (aluminum rocks!) of your favorite beer.

Add some of your favorite seasonings to the batter...I add garlic power and some hot pepper.

Dip the fish in the batter and then deep fry 'em...

mmm mmm good!

bluegills work the best!!!



az