best way to cook fresh catfish

[jasoncap]

just looking for the best way to cook fresh catfish thanks in advance

[nik]

Take a cedar plank, nail the fish to the plank and put a 350 degree oven for an hour. Once it is done, take the fish off, through it away and eat the board. LOL JK! You can't go wrong with cajun shore lunch.

[pikestabber]

A HUGE factor for me is the mud line...split the fillet in half and scrape out or cut off all of the brown line that hugs the middle of the fillet (ALL OF IT!).

Catfish are wonderful grilled in foil with garlic and onions, deep fried in a cornmeal based batter (Shore Lunch makes a pretty good one), or pan seared in olive oil with seasoned salt and cayenne or Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning. You really can't go wrong, IMO.

If all else fails, go with the cedar plank idea

[Gordie]

cleanin is the most important part make sure you have all the red mead off the fillet and of course the mud line.

par boil then deep fry in yur favorite batter.. you can thank me later

[jasoncap]

yum cedar wooden plank sounds awesome!!!!! Thanks for all the advice . I will always take more advice of coarse. Let you know how it turns out.

[Scott K]

And of course release the big ones please!

[harvey lee]

I tried to eat some channels out of the Mn river and even with the mud line out, they really didn't do it for me. I have no idea what I did wrong but I have made cats from southern Iowa from cold water and they tasted fine.

I have eaten many channels from the south in the early spring and they were awesome.

I would go with the cedar plank.

[pikestabber]

I tried to eat some channels out of the Mn river and even with the mud line out, they really didn't do it for me...

No doubt about it--like any fish, where they were caught makes a huge difference in how they will taste. I am guessing walleyes out of the MN River in that same stretch of water would be funky tasting, too...

The channels I eat are from the St. Louis River near Duluth and are excellent table fare. I guess I have never tried them from other places, save the Red River, and they were good there, too. Both stretches I fish in each respective river are in the central to northern half of the state and may be a far cry from the water quality of the MN River in the metro area...? Just speculating...I have never fished the MN River.

[Carp-fisher]

I used to soak the fillets over night in milk--this would take away the murky taste. I've heard of people also using a diluted white vinegar solution for the soak.

That being said, I ate a few small channels out of the MN last summer and there was no strong murky taste to them at all. The key is to eat those 1 to 3 lbers...anything over that tends to get mushy and murky. Another thing to note is that catfish taste like catfish...their meat tends to be less firm and have a slightly stronger flavor as compared to walleye or pannies no matter what the water temperature or quality.

[Scott K]

Honestly, if you want to eat fish that bad, the grocery store will have a better supply!

[jasoncap]

I love to eat the fish i catch. It gives me a little smile-smurck knowing i caught it. ps I cooked up 3 6 poundes last night rolled in flour with spices and fried in butter and oil----it ruled!!! Have tons of left over for me and the girls today.

[Papa Grump]

make them into fishballs! But that is a secret recipe

[Dennis Steele]

make them into fishballs! But that is a secret recipe

I want that recipe!

Personally I think walleye have a bit more "fish flavor" and their texture is finer but less firm.

I love both but I prefer a clean tasting meaty cat over walleye anyday.

I haven't noticed a muddy taste to the cats in the MN but then again I never compared their taste side by side to cats from other rivers.

I do think the MN River walleye are a bit on the muddy side, but it hasn't stopped me from keeping a few for the fryer.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I think the best way is to release them back into the river.

[DTro]

I only keep channels in the winter now

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Probably taste better that way anyways. I don't eat fish but if I did I would probably go to the grocery store.

[Ed Carlson]

Soak them smaller fillets overnight in "Apple Juice", shake and bake them for dinner the next day.

If you want them crunchy, hot pan fry them just enough to get them crisp, than bake them tell done.

I'm not much of a Tarter Sauce guy...but I love the Dill Mustard made by Beaverton Foods under the "Inglehoffer" Creamy Dill Mustard label. I also make a cold sandwich from leftover fillets, add some baby Swiss cheese, red onion, a leaf or two of loose greens, all on a fresh bun or even a bagel if you like...Mmmmmm...Mmmm...good stuff.

They also have a very good Tulelake Horseradish. And a Wasabi Horseradish...that will really light you up....Uf-Da!

[tunrevir]

Here is one an old timer gave me. Take a pan and fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium. Cut the catfish fillets into 1 inch wide strips and drop them in the water for 20 seconds. Pull the strips out, pat them dry put them in an egg wash and dredge in your favorite coating and pan fry till crisp. The water will remove the fat/oils and you'll get tasty morsels to gobble up. They look like shrimp as they curl when you cook them. I like cajun shorelunch and cornflakes crumbs for a coating. Goes good with a little cocktail sauce and a beer

Tunrevir~

[Gordie]

Here is one an old timer gave me. Take a pan and fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium. Cut the catfish fillets into 1 inch wide strips and drop them in the water for 20 seconds. Pull the strips out, pat them dry put them in an egg wash and dredge in your favorite coating and pan fry till crisp. The water will remove the fat/oils and you'll get tasty morsels to gobble up. They look like shrimp as they curl when you cook them. I like cajun shorelunch and cornflakes crumbs for a coating. Goes good with a little cocktail sauce and a beer

Tunrevir~

this is basically what I do and its the bomb but now that Ed has given up what sounds to be great I will be tring that next mmm horseraddish

[Ed Carlson]

I'm wondering about trying the Apple Juice as the boil...do both, combine the two ideas.....Hummmmm...sounds like a do'r to me?

[Gordie]

I'm wondering about trying the Apple Juice as the boil...do both, combine the two ideas.....Hummmmm...sounds like a do'r to me?

I think He's got it