Any BFTers get a chance to sample the output?
Tight lines: Eating ugly burbot: Close your eyes and say ‘mmmm’ [Brett Prettyman
Tribune Columnist](mailto:brettp@sltrib.com?subject=Salt Lake Tribune: Tight lines: Eating ugly burbot: Close your eyes and say ‘mmmm’)
 There is more than one reason I practice catch-and-release fishing. It benefits many, but not all, fisheries. Plus, I don't particularly like the taste of fish.
My wife has to ask "are you in the mood" when she plans salmon or halibut for dinner. My aversion to fish is as much a mental thing as a taste-bud thing. Must have had a bad experience as a kid.
The teams participating in the Frostbite Challenge Barbecue Cookoff at the International Sportsmen's Expo last weekend in Sandy had their work cut out for them when I sat down at the judge's table.
Twelve of us gathered at the South Towne Center to sample flank steak, beef ribs and burbot, those eellike fish that are supposed to taste like cod.
Most of my fellow judges had one advantage I did not: They had never seen a burbot before. I've written about burbot and seen pictures, a vision I tried not to imagine while lifting the fork to my mouth.
"Those things are even more ugly than I imagined," one passerby stated after stopping to look at a couple of burbot Division of Wildlife Resources officials had brought to the event. The idea to include burbot in the BBQ contest came from Brian Brinkerhoff, host of the Backcountry Radio program and a friend of mine, who helped organize the event.
The intent was to publicize the need to fish for - and to keep - burbot at the Gorge. There are two ways to make that happen: convince anglers that burbot are a fun fish to catch and that they are good to eat.
The six samples of barbecued burbot came between the steak and the ribs. The pieces not covered with sauce or battered looked like walleye or perch, two of my favorite fish to eat, so I was optimistic.
The other judges went to work and I finally picked up the first sample. Not bad, but I couldn't even taste the fish. I figured burbot must be pretty bad if a chef had to hide the taste so much. Sample two had no sauce or breading on it. The fish was firm and mild, and there was a light smoky taste that I immediately liked. Knowing I was risking filling up before we got to the ribs, I took another bite.
We had been asked not to make audible or facial expressions showing our preference one way or the other for the samples, but I couldn't stop myself.
"MMMMMM."
Only one other BBQ team had let the taste of the fish speak for itself, and I enjoyed that entry almost as much as the first. The others were good, but masked the flavor of the meat.
Turns out burbot is good and it doesn't need to be dolled up like some fish to make it palatable.
After we had turned in the burbot evaluation sheets, one of the other judges joined me at a cooler to look at the fish.
"You were right," he said. "I'm glad I didn't see them before I tasted them."
***brettp@sltrib.com***
That’s a great article, and an interesting take for someone that doesn’t really even like to eat fish.
I think the burbot went quick. Like he said, they ate it before they had a chance to look at them! Once they got a taste of the good stuff (burbot), they probably had to push the steaks and ribs!!! I’m not sure how everything tasted over there, but it sure smelt good.
**No “special” recipes needed. They are members of the true cod family and have flesh much the same as oceanic codfish…firm, white and mild. **
**You can bread them or batter them before frying or baking. Or, as I prefer them, mix equal parts of butter and olive oil in a frypan, add lots of freshly crushed garlic and sautee them to light brown on both sides. Shoot on some lemon juice, salt and pepper after cooking and enjoy the large flakes. **
Another favorite recipe is “soup baking”. Put the fillets in a glass baking dish and cover with your choice of soups. I like a mix of Cream of mushroom, Cream of Onion and Cream of Celery…mixed with whole milk and maybe a little butter for extra cholesterol. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour…until the fish flakes. Again, season with pepper or other stuff to taste. Don’t add salt because the soups are usually salty enough. Serve over rice or noodles.
I can truly understand that. I lived a major part of my life in California…from San Diego to Sacramento. I have fished just about every mile of coastline and most of the length of most of the rivers. And, I did a lot of diving in both fresh and salt water. I always had lots of fresh or frozen seafood on hand…or within a short drive.
There are some good eating fish in Utah, and plenty of good fishing…but it just ain’t the same. Is it?
[;)] they are not ugly.. just prehistoric enough lookin to scare most.. they sure do make some great table fare though !!! i wouldnt drive 3 hrs to fish my but off an freeze my butt off for 3 days if they wernt.. as far as catchin and fightin em not too much too brag bout but well worth the trip .. fish on ..FISHAMANIAC..[;)]
I think that the NOVELTY of catching a new species is what it is all about right now. Over time, there will be a group of burbot bonkers who make them their fish of choice and spend a lot of time targeting mainly burbot. Others will “experience” them a time or two and go back to mack whackin’ or whatever else they did before they got caught up in the burbot thing.
There is no good reason to drive all that distance just to catch burbot. While they won’t win any beauty contests, they are not any uglier than catfish. And catfish are easier to catch close to home. They are good eating, but we have plenty of fine food fish within a short drive of most cities along the Wasatch Front.
I have to compare them to walleye. I will be the first to admit that walleye are at the top of MY list for good eating. But, almost every other fish in Utah is easier to catch and fights harder. Nobody fishes for walleye because of their long runs and high leaps. Some of them put up a decent struggle, but many of them fight like an old boot.
It is the thrill of the chase and the uniqueness of scoring a few fish that not everybody can catch that is the big appeal.
Then again, there is a certain mindless thrill-seeking element among many anglers. The wilder and wackier the type of fishing, the more they like it. That pretty much describes fishing for burbot.
**No argument against it. I plead guilty to being as nutty as any other wacko fisherperson. I have “survived” my share of “unique” fishing experiences. Some I would even do again if I had the chance. Just saying that if you were to carefully reason out burbotology you would not find many sound reasons for wanting to do it. Thankfully, we don’t need no steenking good reasons for what we do. Just do it. **
Brett Prettyman’s column in the Tribune this morning had a bit to say about the burbot cookoff at the ISE.