Tullibee

[Jim Uran]

I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch but I'm in a good area for tullibees, besides smoking them I hear people bake them, and even pickle them. Anyone have any experience? 

[delcecchi]

No experience, but they are herring (lake herring) and closely related to whitefish which are sometimes in the same lakes so they should work.  Sounds like a fun thing to try.   

 

I've eaten whitefish in restaurants and it was good.    

[smurfy]

done both! there great smoked....if done right! we've also pickled them and turned out pretty good. this was back in the day of the leech lake blood baths!!!!!! never done the baking thing...they are an oily fish!

[Jim Uran]

I watched a video on some dudes catching Tullies on Winnie and the guy said, "Scale them, cut the heads off, gut them, and then stuff them with your favorite poultry stuffing and bake them"... That was the recipe, lol. 

[delcecchi]

by the time the stuffing was cooked the fish would be overcooked, seems to me.  But maybe not. 

[smurfy]

2 hours ago, Jim Uran said:

I watched a video on some dudes catching Tullies on Winnie and the guy said, "Scale them, cut the heads off, gut them, and then stuff them with your favorite poultry stuffing and bake them"... That was the recipe, lol. 

I'll pass on that recipe. Tullies have a distinct flavor and tullies flavored stuffing..... No thanks!

[Jim Uran]

He probably used stove top stuffing lol. Once I get one I'll let you know how it goes!

[smurfy]

Hey what's wrong with stove top??

[Jim Uran]

47 minutes ago, smurfy said:

Hey what's wrong with stove top??

Not a dang thing, best after school meal side dish ever invented!!!  Plus it would finish cooking well inside that greasy tullibee  My girlfriend is going to beat me for stinking up the house 

[RebelSS]

Maybe a bed of Stovetop layered with Tullies.....

[KEN W]

For me Tullies have always been rather strong flavored. Always needed a lot of smoke to cover that up. 

[RebelSS]

Still best smoked, as they are an oily fish, too.

[eyeguy 54]

interesting

[RebelSS]

I gave up trying to watch it. I think the guys dog filmed it with a Go-pro strapped to his head. 

[leech~~]

I had these dang things bugging me last weekend. They almost look like Lakers on the flasher streaking up and down. I gave up smoking the things because they are way to boney to pick through if you ask me!

Edited January 18, 2017 by leech~~

[delcecchi]

T

19 minutes ago, leech~~ said:

 I gave up smoking the things

 

Me too.  They get the papers all soggy and hard to light. 

[swamptiger]

They might be ok pickled.  I don't care for them smoked, or any other way.

 

Whitefish, on the other hand, have a good flavor, and are excellent smoked.

[eyeguy 54]

i always thought they were about identical smoked  

[smurfy]

So did I but to each his own!

[eyeguy 54]

LOVE smoked tuleeeees 

 

[swamptiger]

6 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

i always thought they were about identical smoked  

 

The flesh in tullibee is soft and mushy and has a stronger taste than whitefish.  The flesh in whitefish is firm and flaky like walleye.

 

Might be somewhat dependent on the water they come out of - not sure about that, but that has been my experience.

Edited January 23, 2017 by swamptiger

[smurfy]

It's been alot of years since I had smoked tullies, since the days of the leech lake blood bath days. Wouldn't mind getting a few again but my ice season is pretty much done. Minor back surgery Feb 1.

[RebelSS]

It's been a lot of years since you just plain caught a fish, isn't it? 

[swamptiger]

There's a guy in Bena or Ball Club who makes the best smoked whitefish on the planet, and sells them out of a roadside stand.  Jim Uran probably knows about this...

 

 

[eyeguy 54]

9 hours ago, swamptiger said:

 

The flesh in tullibee is soft and mushy and has a stronger taste than whitefish.  The flesh in whitefish is firm and flaky like walleye.

 

Might be somewhat dependent on the water they come out of - not sure about that, but that has been my experience.

 

interesting. whitefish are normally a bit bigger. I have had them in the smoker at the same time and love them both. I fillet the fish and smoke with the skin on. maybe why they taste the same?   love them