06-29-2003, 11:28 AM
[cool]Whassa matta, Shrimpboy? You don't like my pretty pink nails? I wear them for catfish, but prefer dark red for largemouths and hot pink for trout.
The dark red flesh and the orange (when it occurs) are two different things. The dark strip along the lateral line is present in most fish. It is sensory tissue, used by the fish to pick up vibrations in the water...from predators or prey. It can have little or no adverse taste...or it can impart a definite nasty flavor to the fish...depending on species, size and water quality. If you find that the fish above a certain size...from certain waters...have an objectionable flavor, it will be a good idea to include this step in the preparation process (removing the dark strip).
Just for the record, I have caught larger trout from many waters that were terrible tasting until I filleted them and removed the dark strip. Largemouths, stripers and wipers are all potential candidates for a "stripectomy" too. An overnight soaking in a mild salt water solution...or milk...can also help mellow out adverse flavors. There are a lot of old family recipes for this stuff.
The "orange" spot is an accumulation of oily tissue, unique to larger members of the catfish tribe...expecially where they are able to feed on crustaceans, like crawdads. It is usually a sign that the fish has been feeding well. But, as you have discovered, it don't taste like grade A butter.
The strong taste is actually a concentration of the flavor unique to catfish. Some people love it. Others can't stand it. Cutting out that area of a large catfish will usually not sacrifice too much meat and will improve the overall flavor of the rest of the fish.
The method of cooking can have a big effect on the final product on your plate with catfish too. Like most oily fish, frying them will help extract some of the fishy tasting oils into the cooking oil. And, if you fry them almost to the crisp stage, you will notice that in the last couple of minutes of cooking, the flesh shrinks about 10 to 29 percent, as it gives up that final bit of water and oil.
That's one of the guidelines I use to determine if my fillets are truly done...or only browned on the outside. Your fryer suddenly changes from being full to having the pieces of fish floating around in the hot oil with plenty of room. If you serve them up with the middle of the fillets not completely cooked, you will have more moisture and also more of the "catfish flavor". Cook them thoroughly and you get a delectable nutty flavor that definitely doesn't taste "just like chicken".
That's why I cut larger fillets into finger strips. They definitely cook faster and more completely...and you can use your fingers to dip them in whatever kind of sauce you like
If you get a chance to hit Saguaro on your next trip down, I think you will be favorably impressed with the taste of our local cats. The lake is pretty clear, year-round, and the fish are mostly sight feeders. They hit lures and live shad during the day, and most of the standard baits at night. But, they live clean, in clean water, and they dine on mostly live food. I have never eaten a bad fish from Saguaro.
By the way, there are a lot of good recipes for cooking catfish, besides frying. For the health conscious, they are great when oven baked in a "shake and bake" coating. Again, just be sure they are completely cooked before serving. They can also be chunked and added to fish stews. In fact, I have made a couple of pretty good batches of catfish chili. The main idea is that using veggies, sauces and other seasonings is a good way to make them more appealing to folks who might otherwise not like the unique flavor of this species.
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The dark red flesh and the orange (when it occurs) are two different things. The dark strip along the lateral line is present in most fish. It is sensory tissue, used by the fish to pick up vibrations in the water...from predators or prey. It can have little or no adverse taste...or it can impart a definite nasty flavor to the fish...depending on species, size and water quality. If you find that the fish above a certain size...from certain waters...have an objectionable flavor, it will be a good idea to include this step in the preparation process (removing the dark strip).
Just for the record, I have caught larger trout from many waters that were terrible tasting until I filleted them and removed the dark strip. Largemouths, stripers and wipers are all potential candidates for a "stripectomy" too. An overnight soaking in a mild salt water solution...or milk...can also help mellow out adverse flavors. There are a lot of old family recipes for this stuff.
The "orange" spot is an accumulation of oily tissue, unique to larger members of the catfish tribe...expecially where they are able to feed on crustaceans, like crawdads. It is usually a sign that the fish has been feeding well. But, as you have discovered, it don't taste like grade A butter.
The strong taste is actually a concentration of the flavor unique to catfish. Some people love it. Others can't stand it. Cutting out that area of a large catfish will usually not sacrifice too much meat and will improve the overall flavor of the rest of the fish.
The method of cooking can have a big effect on the final product on your plate with catfish too. Like most oily fish, frying them will help extract some of the fishy tasting oils into the cooking oil. And, if you fry them almost to the crisp stage, you will notice that in the last couple of minutes of cooking, the flesh shrinks about 10 to 29 percent, as it gives up that final bit of water and oil.
That's one of the guidelines I use to determine if my fillets are truly done...or only browned on the outside. Your fryer suddenly changes from being full to having the pieces of fish floating around in the hot oil with plenty of room. If you serve them up with the middle of the fillets not completely cooked, you will have more moisture and also more of the "catfish flavor". Cook them thoroughly and you get a delectable nutty flavor that definitely doesn't taste "just like chicken".
That's why I cut larger fillets into finger strips. They definitely cook faster and more completely...and you can use your fingers to dip them in whatever kind of sauce you like
If you get a chance to hit Saguaro on your next trip down, I think you will be favorably impressed with the taste of our local cats. The lake is pretty clear, year-round, and the fish are mostly sight feeders. They hit lures and live shad during the day, and most of the standard baits at night. But, they live clean, in clean water, and they dine on mostly live food. I have never eaten a bad fish from Saguaro.
By the way, there are a lot of good recipes for cooking catfish, besides frying. For the health conscious, they are great when oven baked in a "shake and bake" coating. Again, just be sure they are completely cooked before serving. They can also be chunked and added to fish stews. In fact, I have made a couple of pretty good batches of catfish chili. The main idea is that using veggies, sauces and other seasonings is a good way to make them more appealing to folks who might otherwise not like the unique flavor of this species.
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