How Come Some People Don't Like Reds?

[fillius nullius]

I like your post ReefMonkey. Thought provoking read and I agree with you. Especially the part about trying the not so popular so called trash fish. And to be honest, I don't even keep a redfish anymore. For one thing, I think they are a beautiful creature so I let them go. That is also why they are my favorite to hunt and fish for. Also, after eating flounder and specs I just don't want them anymore.
Yes, I think black drum is better than a redfish. Like you said though, no bigger than 17" or 18". Now, if we could legally keep a 16" or 18" redfish that might be a different story.

He had me at:

When sand trout are fresh, their meat is every bit as toothsome as their larger cousins the specks, they are excellent fried whole, or slashed and grilled with a little olive oil, lemon juice and herbs just like similar sized fish I've had in Greece and Turkey.

[karstopo]

Old thread resurrected but I’ve kept a croaker from my last two outings and croaker are delicious. I gutted and gilled this last one and then scaled and scored the flesh, rubbed in a little mustard and put on seasoned cornmeal and flour then deep fried whole in peanut oil. There’s something extra good about fish cooked whole, maybe the bones add extra flavor. It is heresy I know, but the croaker fried that way was every bit as good as the flounder fillet were.

Plan is to explore these “lesser” species like croaker, whiting, sand trout, black drum, sheepshead and find recipes to prepare them like in the previous posts mentioned up the thread from several years ago.

I have run across some pretty good, productive sand trout and croaker areas over the years and there’s no reason not to retain these little fish when they are so delicious. Filleted these little fish is sort of a waste, though, grilled or fried whole seems to make more sense.

[Ron Mc]

Easy, our slot fish are too big to pan blacken, and they've never tried grill-blacken half-shell fillets.

[karstopo]

That looks good. @Ron Mc, do you briefly blacken directly on hot metal the exposed side and then put the half shell fillets on the grill scales down or is the blackening seasoning applied to the exposed fillet and then grilled?

The thing with fresh caught fish and with garden vegetables is figuring out the best ways to prepare them. I’ve gotten better at building menus around what is currently fresh and available. I had a bunch of eggplant ripen almost all at once and I can eat only so much eggplant Parmesan so I decided to try to perfect a baba ganoush. One thing I discovered is that making tahini from toasting hulless sesame seeds and mashing them up in a mortar and pestle is superior to buying commercially available prepackaged tahini. Another key to baba ganoush is to char the heck out of the eggplant and then bring them off the direct heat and roast until the eggplant collapse.

Fish is the same I think, go with what is available to catch at the moment and then find the best ways to prepare these, whatever these be, sheepshead or black drum, whiting, sand trout, or the major three.

One thing I have learned is that fish tacos are almost always great and if there isn’t a lot of fish to go around then tacos are a good way to go. The sauces and add ons with fish tacos can be varied so they never seem routine. If I get one small slot redfish and have three people to feed, then it will be fish tacos.

[TarponTime]

Old thread resurrected but I’ve kept a croaker from my last two outings and croaker are delicious. I gutted and gilled this last one and then scaled and scored the flesh, rubbed in a little mustard and put on seasoned cornmeal and flour then deep fried whole in peanut oil. There’s something extra good about fish cooked whole, maybe the bones add extra flavor. It is heresy I know, but the croaker fried that way was every bit as good as the flounder fillet were.

Plan is to explore these “lesser” species like croaker, whiting, sand trout, black drum, sheepshead and find recipes to prepare them like in the previous posts mentioned up the thread from several years ago.

I have run across some pretty good, productive sand trout and croaker areas over the years and there’s no reason not to retain these little fish when they are so delicious. Filleted these little fish is sort of a waste, though, grilled or fried whole seems to make more sense.

Not sure, but i bet a raccoon turd will taste ok with enough seasoning piled onto it.

[Ron Mc]

That looks good. @Ron Mc, do you briefly blacken directly on hot metal the exposed side and then put the half shell fillets on the grill scales down or is the blackening seasoning applied to the exposed fillet and then grilled? ...

Hi David, drain the fillets on a stack of paper towels about 30 min. I brush the white side with butter before spicing.
The grill should be hot, like grilling a steak. You can also butter (or spray-oil) the grill to help with sticking.
White side goes down about 10 min, you can grill the skin 15 min. Metal spatula helps with the flip.
You just about can't over-cook this, because of the oils and Vit-A from the skin.
Best part is eating the charred meat from the ribs.



Yes Josh, you created a monster - I never liked eating redfish before you showed me this, now I can't get enough.

[Kayak Kid]

During my past twenty something years of retirement, I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to engage in many extensive fishing...,and catching..., experiences. During this overly indulgent period, of my life, I judiciously avoided killing animal or fish...,or judging others for doing so. The fish we enjoyed eating came from reputable fish markets. Broiled, or grilled is our favorite. Amondeine (sp?) even more so. En papolete (sp?) ain't half bad as well.

Without what might be perceived as an arrogant lecture, I will forego a discussion concerning the difference between, "fresh fish", and "properly, aged", fish, I'll just suggest that in the name of curiosity, you look into it. The difference between the two classifications is quite remarkable with reference to taste differences.

[Ron Mc]

Buzz, let's leave it at preferences.
I don't freeze fish, because to me, it's a waste - I don't want to eat it.
Learned from my guide buddy in Rockport over 3 decades ago, fillets go in the ice water, and come out when you're ready to cook them.

So I bring home what I can float until I eat it, whether redfish for grilled half-shell fillets, or trout and flounder to be sauteed for fish tacos.
Time in the ice water washes blood and bile from the fillets.
Also on trips with friends, make they sure they take home some fresh fillets, so their wives will let them play again.



Even this fly rod white bass limit, only keeping the 2-y-o males, which is the perfect freshwater meat fish, because they only live 3 years, spawn a half-M to 2-M, and deplete the forage bass for other species, (catch and release is less than beneficial to the fishery)
I let my friends fillet what they wanted, and I took home what I wanted to fillet and eat fresh.

[Kayak Kid]

RonMc,
Preferences definitely accounts for different tastes. Yet, aging fish is another thing all together.

Fresh beef, venison and fresh duck, for instance, make palatable fare, but aging them (usually controlled environment hanging) considerably enhances the flavor and texture. The same principle applies to the aging of fish, and while the difference is more subtle than when dealing with animal meat, the preference for "aged" fish can be readily, and joyfully acquired.

Aging of fish is accomplished with the use of shaved ice. Look it up if curious. Or, ask your local fish vendor to explain the process.

[motoyak]

I cut the gills to bleed them, then they go into a cooler bag with frozen bottles of ice. Clean them ASAP, filet out on half shell, rinse off, vac seal and fast freeze. Holds for several months in freezer(not years LOL). Thaw out in fridge for a couple days before smoking or frying. Good flaky white meat!