Bullhead

Comment

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on March 25, 2011 at 8:48pm

 

Can someone tell me how you get the mud taste out of them, and firm up the meat?  I tried one years ago and the meat was so soft I could barely even cook it.  And it tasted like the way ponds smell when you step in them and it releases an odor.

 

Just wondering as if I could make these guys tasty I may consider raising them in one of my shallow mud holes I have as nothing else will make it.

 

The largest bullhead on record was something like 7 lbs, give or take.... they don't get real big. I reckon they wouldnt be worth the eatin' trouble if you can't get them to a pound or so. We used to catch them that big in WI when I was a kid.

But keeping them in a 'mudhole' would only add to their off-taste, I would think. They are one of those fish that takes on the weedy, muddy taste of the waters they swim in. Bass are known for this, too.

I learned recently that savvy carp eaters (as opposed to carp anglers) beat this problem by soaking the fish in lemon-lime soda pop for 30-60 minutes before cooking. This is purported to sweeten the fish and helps remove “off” flavors from the meat. Then they just dry the fish and prepare as usual. Supposedly it works for any fish, too.

 

If you're a traditionalist by nature, like me, milk is used to do this soaking. Supposedly, the fish's oils and their associated funky tastes “bind” with the proteins in the milk. Then you toss the bad taste out with the milk. But with milk costing more than gasoline these days, that practice seems like an extravagance. Since I can buy a jug of store brand lemon-lime for under a dollar, it seems like a no-brainer to try it!

I've also heard that you can soak the fish in a quart of water to which you've added a teaspoon of baking soda. This also removes objectionable tastes, or so I've heard, and this too is certainly cheaper than milk.

Comment by Keith Ritter on March 25, 2011 at 5:37pm

They don't get much bigger in my section of the creek. The bigger ones must keep seeking out deeper waters. This creek flows into Mud Creek and the Mud flows into the Forked Deer River [ pronounced fork-ed deer ]  then on to the Missisippi.

Comment by Zach Pierce on March 25, 2011 at 3:19pm

 

Can someone tell me how you get the mud taste out of them, and firm up the meat?  I tried one years ago and the meat was so soft I could barely even cook it.  And it tasted like the way ponds smell when you step in them and it releases an odor.

 

Just wondering as if I could make these guys tasty I may consider raising them in one of my shallow mud holes I have as nothing else will make it.

Comment by Johnny wilkins on March 25, 2011 at 10:50am

When you prep the medium-sized bullies, do you just take the head off, gut them and then eat out of the skin after cooking? Skinning those is so impossible and I am thinking I need a stump and an axe.

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on March 25, 2011 at 6:26am

Give him another year - we used to eat the medium sized ones.

Comment by John Sheehan on March 24, 2011 at 6:54pm

Yellow Bullhead .

Comment by Zach Pierce on March 24, 2011 at 6:04pm

What type of Bullhead is that?