Poll
Poll Question: What is your favorite way to prepare fish on canoe trips?

Fried    
  34 (53.1%)
Seared    
  6 (9.4%)
Poached    
  5 (7.8%)
Baked    
  10 (15.6%)
Grilled    
  7 (10.9%)
"Sushi"    
  1 (1.6%)
Other    
  1 (1.6%)




Total votes: 64
« Created by: DentonDoc on: Nov 18th, 2009 at 4:40am »

 25 Fish ... Its what's for dinner (Read 25450 times)
solotripper
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 8103
Location: clarkston MI
Joined: Mar 14th, 2005
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #10 - Nov 19th, 2009 at 4:43pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Quote:
I basically stopped eating fish anywhere else unless I KNOW it's fresh because when it's not, it's almost always a huge disappointment


The first time I had Sushi was when I visited my sister and brother in law in CA before they retired to AZ.
 John my brother in law worked with some Japanese guys, who found a mom and pop type sushi place right on the ocean. They had their own boat and made whatever they caught that day. It was so fresh, the fish were flopping when they were cleaning it !
I was a little apprehensive, but dove right in, and every trip out, we made 2-3 trips there.
 Sushi was just starting too be popular then and hadn't made it into MI at that time. Now it's all over, even my local Kroger store has a Sushi Kiosk in the Deli isle. The Sushi guys/gals are all Japanese and make it "fresh" daily. Problem is the "fresh" part? Even though it's probably flown in by jet daily, you wonder how long it was on the big boat before it hit the plane ?
 They were giving out free sample one day, so I tried a few that I recognized. Like db said, I was disappointed Sad  It was tasty, but not "fresh" and I never bought any. Other shoppers were raving about how "fresh" it tasted Huh  I asked the Chef when no-one was around about how it compared to right off the boat Sushi? He winked at me, laughed and said he was born and raised in MI, and had never had anything other than flown in Sushi Grin
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
DentonDoc
Moderator
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 3468
Location: Central Texas
Joined: Dec 27th, 2003
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #11 - Nov 19th, 2009 at 5:51pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I will occasionally eat sushi locally and I have consumed the Kroger sushi in a pinch, but by far the VERY best sushi I've ever been served was at a Ryokan (Japanese Inn) in Kyoto (in the Geisha district).  I stayed there for a week ... sleeping on a mat on the floor, being served breakfast and dinner each day, having my hot bath (cedar tub) being drawn for me before dinner, etc.  The food was prepared daily by the staff after a visit to the local market.  Of course, each meal was not sushi (I did develop a taste for beef shabu shabu), but without exception all meals were excellent!

One obvious indication of the quality ... the place was filled with JAPANESE patrons.

dd
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
jimmar
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 860
Location: SE Michigan
Joined: Feb 1st, 2006
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #12 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 1:00am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I like it fried with cornmeal type breading, baked with lemon and butter, broiled with white cheddar cheese and garlic, sushi with wasabi (and if I can get it served by geisha like DD, I'd love it, even though I don't care for the Japanese business culture...another story), grilled  especially salmon....heck I guess I just like fish. serve it any way you please, as long as it is fresh I'll eat it!
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
jimmar
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 860
Location: SE Michigan
Joined: Feb 1st, 2006
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #13 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 1:04am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
btw,
while reading this I'm eating fresh venison tenderloin, broiled with garlic and Lawry's, and toasted potatoes tossed with olive oil, cilantro, green onion and a dash of red pepper....and of course a glass or two of yellow tail merlot.

Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread but it is sooooo good!

  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
Terrapin
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 113
Location: Michigan City, IN
Joined: Mar 14th, 2006
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #14 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 3:33am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
"much like venison that wasn't aged properly"

Don't mean to change the subject db, but, what is 'proper aging' for venison?

Terp
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
DentonDoc
Moderator
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 3468
Location: Central Texas
Joined: Dec 27th, 2003
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #15 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 5:01am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
jimmar wrote on Nov 20th, 2009 at 1:00am:
I'd love it, even though I don't care for the Japanese business culture...another story

On this trip, I was traveling on my own dime so I didn't have to contend with the business issues.  But it was interesting to walk down the many streets in the area and clearly be the only European-looking person in sight.  (The locals were "courteous from a distant" if there is such a thing.)

dd
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Kingfisher
Voyageur
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1814
Joined: Mar 8th, 2004
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #16 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 5:58am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I'll have my walleyes fried with a cornmeal type breading in peanut oil or pan seared in Parkay with some kind of spicy seasoning and then added to a rice dish.
Lake trout I like baked with various seasonings and wrapped in foil. Also a favorite is butterfly filleted stuffed trout. For stuffing - Stove Top stuffing mix made with lemon juice instead of water.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
db
Web-lackey
Inukshuk
Voyageur
Offline



Posts: 5460
Location: Just off the beaten path.
Joined: Sep 14th, 2002
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #17 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 6:41am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Terrapin wrote on Nov 20th, 2009 at 3:33am:
Don't mean to change the subject db, but, what is 'proper aging' for venison?

I'm no expert but it's controlled rot. It really is and I mentioned it simply due to the rot factor so...

I grew up in farm country and would always joke about my friend's Thanksgiving decorations - hanging deer carcasses....

When I moved away to become a poor student, I'd go back to visit and everyone felt sorry for me and would offer me venison care packages. Not being the proud sort I'd always gladly accept. Of my three sources, one always had the best although they all decorated their yards about the same way. One year my go to guy apologized saying it wouldn't be very good due to the weather. (I'm thinking too cold.) It might have been the power of suggestion but he was right.

These days I only have one source left for venison. A city kid ... almost brother in law who takes his deer directly to the butcher. I'll still enjoy burgers and sausage but have learned to pass on the better cuts, especially if he tells me he had to track it for a while.

This thread is about fish and from where I sit in WI, a fishy taste is decomposing fish flesh. I do not like the smell or taste of rotting fish flesh so freshness is a big deal to me. Melt in your mouth and go ooooh type red meat requires aging and deficiencies in pre-prep are just as noticeable - in reverse.

Last trip, August, I cleaned and bagged an eye on Jean in the morning and had it for dinner 8-10 hours later on Jessy. I expected it to still be edible but it was actually good! I was truly surprised. Go figure.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
Kingfisher
Voyageur
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1814
Joined: Mar 8th, 2004
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #18 - Nov 20th, 2009 at 9:33pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I'm a big fan of cleaning fish quickly after they are caught and then taking good care of the cleaned fillets. Wash them thoroughly removing excess blood and then keep them as cool as possible until it's time to eat them.
What I think affects fish texture and flavor is towing fish around on a stringer for any length of time beyond 20-30 minutes. Stressed fish release chemicals from their organs that are eventually absorbed by their muscle tissue, the part you eat. If the water is warm say over 60 degrees that speeds up the process significantly. And if they die on the stringer those fish are certainly going to be low quality fare.
For keeping fish cool put the clean fillets in a plastic bag and then into a canvas or other cotton bag that is kept wet and always in the shade. Fish will be ok for several hours kept this way. I like to hang fish in a shady spot where there is a little breeze which enhances evaporation and cooling. They will also dry out more quickly in the breeze so keep an eye on them.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
Snow_Dog
Moderator
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1858
Location: Twin Cities
Joined: Jul 11th, 2003
Re: Fish ... Its what's for dinner
Reply #19 - Nov 22nd, 2009 at 1:34am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Kingfisher wrote on Nov 20th, 2009 at 9:33pm:
I'm a big fan of cleaning fish quickly after they are caught and then taking good care of the cleaned fillets. Wash them thoroughly removing excess blood and then keep them as cool as possible until it's time to eat them.
What I think affects fish texture and flavor is towing fish around on a stringer for any length of time beyond 20-30 minutes. Stressed fish release chemicals from their organs that are eventually absorbed by their muscle tissue, the part you eat. If the water is warm say over 60 degrees that speeds up the process significantly. And if they die on the stringer those fish are certainly going to be low quality fare.
For keeping fish cool put the clean fillets in a plastic bag and then into a canvas or other cotton bag that is kept wet and always in the shade. Fish will be ok for several hours kept this way. I like to hang fish in a shady spot where there is a little breeze which enhances evaporation and cooling. They will also dry out more quickly in the breeze so keep an eye on them.


+1
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 

 
  « The Put-In ‹ Board  ^Top