Any good ways to cook a carp?

[Yooperhawgs]

I caught a carp yesterday around 10 pounds while walleye fishing on Lake Superior(the darn thing hit a rebel fastrack). I released it because I have no idea if they are good to eat or not( first one I ever caught). If they are tasty, I wouldn't mind fishing for them because what a fight it gave. Any suggestions out there? Or are carp just a good fertilizer for the garden?

[brian6715]

I was also wondering this. Must be only good for fertilizer...

[kander65]

yes, actually they are quite tasty if done right and out of clean water. first off you don't want to eat a 10 lber. stick with the 2 to 5 lbers. scale both sides of fish, then fillet like you would any fish. remove both fillets, but leave the skin on the meat. lay the fillet skin side down and score the fillet without going through the skin. start at top and make a vertical incision every 1/8 inch until done. this helps with bones. use your favorite breading or batter and DEEP FRY, meaning totally submerge fillets in very hot oil. this will cook up most of bones that you split while scoring. they have a little streak of red meat that turns brown when cooked. I do not eat this. otherwise the rest of meat is pretty darn tasty! enjoy

[Fish'n guy]

Smoked carp ribs are also excellent and they are basically the only way that I will eat them. What you do is fillet the fish just like a walleye only DO NOT REMOVE THE RIB BONES!!!!!!!! Then cut around the ribs so you are left with only the the bottom section of the fillet skin scales on one side ribs on the other. then soak them in your favorite smoking brine and smoke the up. Really good with saltine crackers.

P.S. The carp are usually better when the water is under 60 degrees other wise they taste like slough bottom !!!

GOOD FISHIN!!!!!!!!!

[Yooperhawgs]

Thanks guys for the cooking tips. I'll give it try next time I get one.

[SlaPPy]

nail the carp to a bord and cook for 1 hr. then eat the board.

[poutpro]

I also have smoked a few, but I just cut off the head, then use the electric fillet knife and go down along the back through through the ribs, and out the tail. Don't cut all the way through the fish, it should be all connected when youre done. Then just dig in with your hands to peel out the guts.

[Yooperhawgs]

LOL!! Thanks for the tip but I already try that recipe with my wife's cooking!! Just kidding....sort of.

[Redwalleye]

I tried smokin a carp once, couldnt keep it lit

[RalphTheNoober]

I HEARD THAT YOU SMOKE IT THEN STEAM IT. GOES GREAT WITH WHITE RICE AND SOY SAUCE. ALSO TRY IT WITH WILD RICE AND VEGGIES.IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT FOR YA THROW IT IN THE GARDEN..

[Yooperhawgs]

Thanks to all info and suggestions. Got a good laugh anyway, those poor carp! Basically it is a win-win situation, if I don't like the carp, the garden will do well!

[RalphTheNoober]

HERE'S A 8LB STINKER I CAUGHT WITH AN ULTRA LIGHT POLE. I THOUGHT I HAD A NORTHERN BUT THIS CARP CAME UP.USED A WHITE JIG WITH A WAX WORM..THANKS TO FISHER DAVE HE COULDN'T GET THE HOOK OUT SO HE MADE ME DO IT. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MY FISH... [image][/image]

[megger8]

I grew up fishing the river as a kid and very frequently ate carp smoked. I still love it to this day. I have an electric smoker and that does a really nice job. I leave the skin on, use a light salt/brown sugar dry rub, marinate overnight in frige, then smoke for about 2 hrs on 225 or so depending on the thickness of the fillet. I would stick with carp 5 pounds or under otherwise they get too fishy tasting. Enjoy!

[Matt Johnson]

I have a good friend who is from the Chech Republic and he grew up catching and eating carp. He said it's their Christmas food. He showed me a few different ways to cook it and some of them are pretty good (others are very bad ). One way that I thought was good was to cube up the fillets and soak them in salt/lemon water for a few hours. They're a fatty fish so the fat really soaks up the lemon and salt, which takes away a bit of the musty taste. Cut up some potatoes and toss the carp cubes in with the potatoes and fry them up. I thought it was pretty good. I might be missing a few things but that was the jist of it.

Another way he cooked them was to take the entire fillet and cut it into a "U". Then fill the inside of the "U" with spices, onions, salt/pepper, vegetables... and cook it in a pan with a small amount of vegetable oil. It gets golden brown and once it starts to get crispy it's ready to eat. He also tenderized the fillet with salt and I believe sour cream before cooking it with the added ingredients. I thought it was pretty good.

Before my grandpa passed he told me a good way to cook a carp too. He said to go out and find yourself a nice piece of hickory or oak. Take the carp whole (without filleting it) and nail it's head and tail to the board. Then bake it for three hours. After that you take it out, throw the carp in the garden and eat the board

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[ghotierman]

I've got Charlie Winkelman's 'Strictly Fish Cookbook' at home....there is a recipe for Carp Lasagna. Haven't tried it yet....will copy and post it here for you...