Has anyone noticed that the bigger bass tend to be much chewier than the smaller ones? I took a 36 pounder a few weeks ago & it is some tough eating. Can anyone make some suggestions or offer a recipe that might help? I've been broiling the fillet pieces with a bread crumb topping....my favorite way, but maybe I need to cook longer with more moisture. Open to suggestions....KW

Welcome aboard. Good to see another person from Western ass. Anyway, the smaller the fish the better tasting. Try cutting the fillets from the big fish in smaller steaks after you cut all of the dark meat out. You fish the river at all this year????

i tend to throw the bigger ones back though never had a 36lber :) biggest was near 30lbs.
i think the 28-33 class tastes better :D

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try it. Which way do you cut the fillet? they must be 2 1/2 to 3" thick...Do you cut them narrower & cook the pcs on their sides or make the fillet thinner? I hope this makes some sense. I took the whole fillets & cut chunks (top to bottom) about 3" wide, each chunk weighing about a pound, enough for 2people, & then I vacuum pack them for the freezer.

Wow, you let the big ones go? I hardly ever catch stripers & love to eat them, So I keep the legal ones. The big one I caught (36#), I've read, was probably about 15 years old & it does seem sad to kill the older breeders. That seems old for a fish, No?. KW

I like to eat the smaller stripers as well. Had a nice 17 pounder a few weeks ago and make some striper cakes..yummy!
:D

big ones are really only good fro fish cakes. do a search for the recipe i posted a while back. lots of guys have tried it and been very happy.

great, more western mass guys.... :rolleyes:

KIppy, how do you make striper cakes? sounds great! KW

top right, "search". type in fish cakes. you'll see my post about 3 spots down.

Deep fry it!
Heck you could deep fry an old sandal & it would taste awesome:happy:

5/0

That's why I always keep a few shorts for the table....

Tasty! ;)

The last striper I ate was a 40+ lber.

Frankly, it tasted like muddy cardboard.

The smaller fish taste better IMO, but still not my favorite fish.

Mmmmmmm, muddy cardboard, fried sandal, good thing its lunch time because you guys are making me hungry

gotta let the bigguns go pic and shes on her way :) not sure if they survive but at least im givin em a chance not much else i can do

Originally posted by kwhoward
KIppy, how do you make striper cakes? sounds great! KW

use the search button at the top for striper cakes..there are a few recipies here..they are delicious!

Try this Recipe

Slow Cooked Striped Bass

Fill baking dish with 1/2 inch of olive oil. Next, place a layer of thinly sliced shallots. Follow this with a layer of fresh thyme and fresh rosemary sprigs. A layer of thin sliced lemons and limes follows the herbs. Place striped bass fillets(without dark meat) on top of lemons and limes. Place another layer of fresh thyme and rosemary on top of fish followed by another layer of lemons and limes slices. Fill dish with olive oil so that oil comes to top of fish but doesn't cover. Salt/Pepper and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for one hour at 275 degrees. Remove foil and cook for another half hour or until fish easily flakes.

The slow cooking changes the texture of the fish. A nice change!!

I find 10-15# about right for eating. The shoulder of the bass is fatter and takes longer to cook, so cut the fillet in peices and cook over different heat of for less time. I like to grill bass and leave the skin AND scales on. Start cooking flesh side down, when it starts to brown and soften just a little, flip to scale side down. You can cook it longer and cook it through scales down as the skin and scales will keep intense heat away from flesh and keep moisture in the fish. I baste with butter, sherry and thyme. The meat will slide off the skin for serving.

mmmmmmm extra PCB's:drool: :drool: :drool:

thanks Rich Salties, for taking the time. I'm going to try some new things....I have plenty of frozen fish to work with. My fish is already skinned, but what you said makes sense. Fish cakes sound great to me also. KH

Take left over bass and make fish hash with some diced lil red potatoes...mmmmmmm
I'll be making Toby's fish cakes this winter.. (Tog tog tog tog)

fish hash? MMMmmmmmmmm......

yup.. dont forget the diced onions and, then I like some basil and garlic... damn, damn good.....

does the striper stay firm, or do you use another fish?

In use leftover striper (baked, grilled whatever..) so its already been cooked once, falls apart into tasty little bits.... start the potatoes, onions, garlic etc.. when almost done, add the fish and some olive oil.....
its a good high protien, high carb pre fishing meal....

My one year old loves striper :happy:

-spence

I prefer the larger bass. Cut off the top loin marinate in lime juice, ginger, lite soy and grill. Steak it, salt and pepper and grill or rub it, pan sear and eat medium rare...Awesome Deep fry or give all your friends the side slabs making 4 or five families happy.
Just did up some loin yesterday....I'm starting to drool

My one year old loves striper

Spence, please don't feed your child striper more than twice a month. If it were me I would not fee it to my developing child or a pregnant/nursing mother at all. ESPECIALLY THE BIG ONES!

_Zac_

Originally posted by zacs
Spence, please don't feed your child striper more than twice a month. If it were me I would not fee it to my developing child or a pregnant/nursing mother at all. ESPECIALLY THE BIG ONES!

_Zac_

Why?
If there was a problem wouldn't be a "WARNING" issued @ local fish markets like they have issued for Swordfish,Mako,Tuna ect........

5/0

They only don't issue a warning because its not a majorly consumed specie. It is not even on the radar scope for the FDA to issue a warning.

Safe for you and me, not so safe for young children.

_Z_

He's only had it a few times...and I only keep the small ones.

Well aware of the health warnings :smash:

-spence

I should probably state the facts, so you all don't freak out on me.

There is no data that I can find defining levels of Methylmercury in Striped Bass. The FDA lumps together all saltwater bass, all sizes.

It is my PESONAL belief that large stripers contian higher amounts of methyl mercury due to bioaccumulation than I would want my young child or his nursing mother to consume.

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html

Look at canned tuna!!!

-spence

Hey, thanks Frank....the slow cooking idea sounds really good to me. I'm also going to try the striper cakes that Toby suggested, & I'm looking at other fishcake recipes as well. We fished buzzard's bay last sunday....got some smaller totaugues(sp?) but no bass. I'm actually hoping for some smaller eaters. My 36 pounder is my dream fish- I don't feel like I have to beat that one, not now, maybe never. KW