pickled rough fish - what species?

[mainbutter]

During the sucker run I kept two to give to my gf's mom, who wanted to try pickling them.

I got just got feedback and she loved it, and is requesting that I keep fish every now and then if I happen to catch any that are good pickled.

What rough fish do people pickle besides white suckers? Does anyone here pickle carp? I've had smoked carp and a few other dishes that were good, but I don't know anyone who pickles them.. then again, I don't know anyone who cooks them and isn't Hmong (who aren't known for pickling, unlike you Scandinavians out there!)

[fishdale]

Keep those 20 - 24 inch pike they are great for pickling. I know they are not considered roughfish but I know a lot of Walleye guys that consider them roughfish.

[Early Riser]

I am glad to hear pickled sucker are good.

Carp might be good.

I tried pickling dogfish a few years ago and it came out too soft and mushy. I thought the brine would have firmed it up, but it did nothing to improve the texture. It was absolutely terrible.

I have pickled pike, sunfish, crappie, splake and brook trout - all of these make good pickles.

[Schollmeier]

I've had various roughfish species pickled or smoked and know some people who do both frequently.

Everyone I've talked to says bowfin comes out mushy. I've heard tullibee come out well. Carp seems to be hit or miss depending upon conditions and personal preferences.

Most all the suckers (including buffalos, carpsuckers, and redhorses) work well pickled. Avoid blue suckers, black buffalo, greater redhorse, river redhorse, and black redhorse. These 5 species taste a bit like spotted owl or bald eagle....

Whitefish are awesome cooked pretty much any way possible, and I'm sure they are good pickled too.

I'd stick to white suckers for the most part - they are common and really tasty pickled or smoked. If you know a place that has cool, clean water and carp you could try one. They aren't bad, though the flavor is a bit strong for some.

[StillwaterAaron]

Most all the suckers (including buffalos, carpsuckers, and redhorses) work well pickled. Avoid blue suckers, black buffalo, greater redhorse, river redhorse, and black redhorse. These 5 species taste a bit like spotted owl or bald eagle....

I'd stick to white suckers for the most part - they are common and really tasty pickled or smoked. If you know a place that has cool, clean water and carp you could try one. They aren't bad, though the flavor is a bit strong for some.

Love it! I am glad you brought up these species as threatened or endangered since most people do not know this. WI has laws about those fish but MN doesn't unfortunatly.

[Gordie]

Grandma pickled sheephead they liked it and I tried it once and only once but I also was 13-14 years old then maybe it better now. NAAAA I'll just stick with the suckers and the othe rrough fish pike for pickleing

[Ralph Wiggum]

Does pickling get rid of the bones? I made some fried sucker patties for dinner last night--dang, there is a lot of bones in them! It took me forever to get them all out!

[mainbutter]

Does pickling get rid of the bones? I made some fried sucker patties for dinner last night--dang, there is a lot of bones in them! It took me forever to get them all out!

From what I understand it basically makes them so soft you just eat them, which is why pickling is popular for white suckers and pike Too bad for the GF's mom, all pike caught in MN waters get released, with rare exceptions for shore lunches during camping expeditions. Thanks for bringing up the threatened species, I'll take good care to not keep anything that needs protection.

Thanks for all the responses guys, I hadn't thought about sheepshead, I'll definitely give that one a shot. That one hadn't even entered my head, but now that I think about it I've heard multiple people claim that sheepshead is good eating.

[Schollmeier]

Ralph Wiggum - Did you grind the fish before making patties? You shouldn't have to worry about picking out bones then.

Aaron - I figured no discussion on keeping roughfish would be complete without it... Especially on a HSOforum that isn't geared more towards roughfish like some others...

[StillwaterAaron]

Aaron - I figured no discussion on keeping roughfish would be complete without it... Especially on a HSOforum that isn't geared more towards roughfish like some others...

HMMMMMM Do I know you from another site or two?

EDIT>>>>> It hit me now I know.

[Schollmeier]

I figured you'd get it... most likely the only roughfisher in colo-braska (probably not many within a hundred miles either... no water.)

[Ralph Wiggum]

Thanks for all the responses guys, I hadn't thought about sheepshead, I'll definitely give that one a shot. That one hadn't even entered my head, but now that I think about it I've heard multiple people claim that sheepshead is good eating.

Sheepies are tasty fried! They'd likely be good pickled, too.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Ralph Wiggum - Did you grind the fish before making patties? You shouldn't have to worry about picking out bones then.

Last time I made them, I pulverized the fillets in my food processor. It took care of them pretty well, but every once-in-a-while, you'd hit a bone chunk. My wife detests bones in fish. I don't think my meat grinder would get the bones small enough. This time, I simmered the fillets and picked the bones out. This method worked well on pike, but the bones are smaller/more numerous in suckers. It did the trick, but it took quite a while.

[pikestabber]

Whitefish and Tulibees are both excellent pickled fish, as are northerns. Pickling will eliminate any trouble with bones--even on bigger fish. For suckers, try canning them--this softens the bones to the point that you cannot notice them at all--even on 5lb fish I have had no problem with bones. I smoke them, then can them for boneless smoked fish year round--just the fillets broken up with a tablespoon of vegetable oil per pint, but don't overpack the jars--about 3/4 full loosely packed. 90 minutes at 10lbs of pressure. I would think you could use fillets that were skinned and chunked up, un-smoked, then can them and use these boneless chunks in fish patties, etc. I have tried scoring sucker fillets and frying, but that is hit and miss for bones. Grinding works most of the time, but again, it can be hit and miss, too. The flavor is fine, though.

[merkman]

I smoke them, then can them for boneless smoked fish year round--just the fillets broken up with a tablespoon of vegetable oil per pint, but don't overpack the jars--about 3/4 full loosely packed. 90 minutes at 10lbs of pressure.

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