05-25-2012, 03:35 AM
Did you catch 'em, or pick up 'chunks' at Walmart?
Ever try smoked catfish? Might change your tune.
One thing about cats is you wanna cook 'em down good. Light fish like trout, panfish - they cook quick and just have to 'turn white' or 'opaque' but cats - you wanna let them 'render' some.
Plus a good fillet job - cut out the 'grey line' - along the lateral. Avoid some of the belly meat, or on bigger cats - the tailzone too can be fattier. You see more of a yellow.
Simple basic spice - salt, pepper, garlic &/or onion, plus... for smoking I balance sugar (brown usually) against salt/pepper.
aprika, touch of oregano...
I like 'em spicy - some cajun,or creole, or blackening spice - then baked long and low.
On a bed of white rice - nice.
You can marinade, wrap in bacon, and put 'em on a grill - in a basket helps.
Chopped and thrown into a Zatarain's Jambalaya rice mix (maybe some Chorizo too).
Then there's always the deep fried. But from reading (TD's) seems you're better off with a breading than a batter for cats - as they take more time to cook through - and you don't want the batter to burn before the fish is done. Panko breading and batters rock!
I think there's other fish folks say 'taste great' - but it's really because they don't 'taste' much of their own. Panfish, Walleye, other light white fish. Vs something that has more of it's own flavor, like catfish, salmon.
But lots of times - the fish is the conveyor of the spices, flavors applied. Though often the balance of spice flavor, vs LETTING the fishes own flavor come through.
Ever try smoked catfish? Might change your tune.
One thing about cats is you wanna cook 'em down good. Light fish like trout, panfish - they cook quick and just have to 'turn white' or 'opaque' but cats - you wanna let them 'render' some.
Plus a good fillet job - cut out the 'grey line' - along the lateral. Avoid some of the belly meat, or on bigger cats - the tailzone too can be fattier. You see more of a yellow.
Simple basic spice - salt, pepper, garlic &/or onion, plus... for smoking I balance sugar (brown usually) against salt/pepper.
aprika, touch of oregano...I like 'em spicy - some cajun,or creole, or blackening spice - then baked long and low.
On a bed of white rice - nice.
You can marinade, wrap in bacon, and put 'em on a grill - in a basket helps.
Chopped and thrown into a Zatarain's Jambalaya rice mix (maybe some Chorizo too).
Then there's always the deep fried. But from reading (TD's) seems you're better off with a breading than a batter for cats - as they take more time to cook through - and you don't want the batter to burn before the fish is done. Panko breading and batters rock!
I think there's other fish folks say 'taste great' - but it's really because they don't 'taste' much of their own. Panfish, Walleye, other light white fish. Vs something that has more of it's own flavor, like catfish, salmon.
But lots of times - the fish is the conveyor of the spices, flavors applied. Though often the balance of spice flavor, vs LETTING the fishes own flavor come through.