Just a reminder that your bait can be delicious-Blue Mackrel

[kingie chaser]

Hi all, I have been banging on with this ethos for a while & its great to see some people looking past the stereotype of something just being bait or rubbish fish with some species like Australian salmon or even Bonito.

This is just a collage of links that shown the humble so called Australian bait fish 'Slimey' is a highly revered fish in many counrtries fetching high $$ in Michelin star restaurants.

Just something to think about & worth a try 😉

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/how-to-cook/how-to-cook-mackerel

 

https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/sous-vide-artichokes-recipe-blowtorched-mackerel

 

https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/michelin-chefs-mackerel

 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/mackerel-recipes

[savit]

Thanks. Any good recipes for yakkas and pufferfish?

[Hoods]

Has anyone tried smoking slimies??!!

[Blackfish]

Doesn't Rick Stein like a English type Mackeral very similar to our Slimeys.

[kingie chaser]

46 minutes ago, Hoods said:

Has anyone tried smoking slimies??!!

Yes, excellent hot smoked.

Brine for 12 to 24 hours beforehand but like all hot smoking don't kill the fish by over cooking it.

Soak tge wood chips & control the heat.

It is a process that needs to be practiced & tweaked to suit the vessel your using.

Even use an internal thermometer if you can as the fish only needs to reach a max core temp of 65*C

 

[kingie chaser]

41 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Doesn't Rick Stein like a English type Mackeral very similar to our Slimeys.

Same fish.

[kingie chaser]

1 hour ago, savit said:

Thanks. Any good recipes for yakkas and pufferfish?

Haha, maybe a bit of Fugu is what you crave 😝

Yakka's well I haven't cooked them but think about this savit, so many people buy pilchards for bait at whatever price then possibly the same people or the buyer of the house will  buy tinned sardines for their toast, same thing!.

Lots of similar instances out there really.

[Blackfish]

31 minutes ago, kingie chaser said:

Same fish.

Then he raves about them and he's got a few recipes on them on the internet.

[savit]

1 hour ago, kingie chaser said:

Haha, maybe a bit of Fugu is what you crave 😝

Yakka's well I haven't cooked them but think about this savit, so many people buy pilchards for bait at whatever price then possibly the same people or the buyer of the house will  buy tinned sardines for their toast, same thing!.

Lots of similar instances out there really.

After Hákarl I think I am ready for Fugu, just need another full bottle of Coke "acid"

Yakkas, carp, tilapia, possibly other local "pests"  and baitfish actually play quite noticeable role in commercial fishing overseas.  My favourite is deep fried Redfin.

My brother in law used to buy truck of   frozen raw mackerel in Poland and then put them into barrels with marinade. 1000km and 2 customs with long truck queues later - they were ready for consumption.

 

[Berleyguts]

Thanks for that @kingie chaser. Food for thought (pun intended). I often come home with slimies still in good condition I the live bait tank. I usually salt and freeze them for bait. I’m definitely going to try cooking them next time. I’ve always meant to try smoking them but I never get around to it. I might try something on my new charcoal grill. 😋 

[Hoods]

Good idea Berleyguts - maybe a marinade would do the trick

[Mr Squidy]

DId a days fly fishing over in Scotland some years back. The guide told me if I liked saltwater fishing I should come back one summer and try makerel fishing with him. He was a bit taken a back when I refered to his proud phots as slimies and told him we catch them six at a time and use them for bait haha.

Great reminder anyway. So many of our fish are just about knowing how to properly prepare them but I think we are just so spoilt with choice that most people don't bother branching out and trying new things.

Rich

[kingie chaser]

22 hours ago, savit said:

After Hákarl I think I am ready for Fugu, just need another full bottle of Coke "acid"

You are a braver man than me @savit😅

While I say I will try anything if I am puking before the thing reaches my mouch then Im out 🤣

Its like that Kiviak, even Andrew Zimmern would baulk at that one?

 

Give me a thinly sliced bit of raw puffer fish that could kill me in 10 minutes any day over the smell of that shite 🤣

Edited August 28, 2020 by kingie chaser

[savit]

1 hour ago, kingie chaser said:

You are a brave man than me @savit😅

While I say I will try anything if I am pucking before the thing reaches my mouch then Im out 🤣

Its like that Kiviak, even Andrew Zimmern would baulk at that one?

 

Give me a thinly sliced bit of raw puffer fish that could kill me in 10 minutes any day over the smell of that shite 🤣

No, I am definitely not trying Kiviak 😝, but I will do exception for smoked Puffin 😁.

I used to buy various sashimi plates at Tokyo fishing market. LOL never knew what it was (just hoped the fish was really fresh) - as their English was as good as my Japanese. Was struggling only with one fish. 

However with all that "brave" stuff, there are some common foods I can not smell, let alone eat, so no chef career for me

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by savit

[Rob81]

On 8/27/2020 at 5:58 PM, savit said:

Thanks. Any good recipes for yakkas and pufferfish?

Yakkas are easy. Shallow pan fry with a bit of salt on top, but try without salt first in case, I just like saltier foods. 
 

been eating them now and then since childhood and I think they make a good breakfast fish

[Little_Flatty]

Yakkas are also great as sashimi. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself one day.

Slimeys are such good bait though...same conundrum as calamari!

[GordoRetired]

Before I moved to Oz from the UK we would go out Mackrel fishing. The technique used was to slow troll a hook with feathers on it and catch heaps. Used to butterfly them and fry in butter. They were lovely. 🙂

[joshGTV]

On 8/27/2020 at 5:58 PM, savit said:

Thanks. Any good recipes for yakkas and pufferfish?

A Vietnamese mate of mine taught me how to make caramelised yakkas, it's a beautiful meal. Layers of gutted and scaled yakkas, each layer sprinkled with a little brown sugar, onion and capsicum, doused in fish sauce then cooked in a covered pot for about ten minutes. Serve on rice.

[big Neil]

An interesting topic kingie chaser. Fishing predominantly in freshwater environments there are still baits which are very tasty. Mozzarella cheese, used for Murray Cod and Trout Cod tastes delicious and the live baits are excellent too. Freshwater shrimps and Yabbies both taste good and are both excellent live baits. Some people eat Bardi grubs, though not to my taste.

Cheers, bn

[YZ250]

" My favourite is deep fried Redfin."

Redfin is nothing short of outstanding.  I would rate it 5 out of 5 for taste.  Sweet, white and delicious. The only problem can be getting through the hordes of 15-20cm fish to find some bigger ones that are worth filleting.

I am super interested in the mackerel recipes...I know the English rave about them.  Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall has some recipe ideas too.  

[kingie chaser]

Wow fellas, great to see a bit of input into the thread.

Again the point is to highlight that most  people class many species ad rubbish or as bait but are often a basic stable in some countries & can be highly prized in a restaurant & fine dining setting.

 

Saw this one again tonight on Foxtel & just thought if the fish is treated right it would be absolutely delish!

What do you think?

 

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by kingie chaser