They’re big. They’re ugly! But, oh, do they taste good!
Tastes like tender pork, meaty not fishy.
At least, that’s what we were told when we joined the paddlefish snagging mania in North Dakota on opening day, May 1, 2018. Tastes like tender pork, meaty not fishy. We were dumbfounded! A fish weighing anywhere from 25 10 125 pounds could taste good? Hmmm…..
When several fishermen brought in their catch for weighing, I thought I was joking when I remarked, “So, taste like chicken, huh?” No one was laughing, and several paddlefish-snagging-expert-looking guys eagerly offered their favorite ways to prepare these prehistoric creatures. In fact, a recipe book was offered, for free, from the guys at North Star Caviar.
Turns out it’s a great publication from the Montana State University Extension Service and it’s full of recipes that seem worth trying, even if you don’t have paddlefish. I’d try other fish as a substitution in some instances. Marinated and grilled, smoked, cubed and fried, gumbo, jambalaya, ….. the list goes on and on.
Yes. People eat paddlefish. Word is, they taste much better than they look!
Check out this unique recipe from the Fisher Pants. website.
A less known but still delicious way of cooking paddlefish, Jambalaya is a tasty and healthy dish full of flavors, whose taste is rich..
Start preparing it by stir-frying a green and red pepper in about a quarter cup of water over high heat. Add garlic, onions, and ginger and mix everything.
Add chopped parsley, 16 oz. skinless stewed tomatoes and 2 pounds fresh paddlefish in the same pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, while still stirring it. Reduce heat once it starts bubbling, cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes or more until the fish is done.
Put some cooked rice in the plates, and, after you remove the fillets, put them on the bedding to soak up the juice. Serve warm, garnishing with fresh chilies.
Here’s a recipe from the Montana Outdoor Radio Show:
Pour the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and place on medium high heat. Add the onion,green peppers, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring often for five minutes. Add all the other ingredients except for the shrimp, fish and rice. Simmer for fifty minutes stirring often and then add the fish, shrimp and rice. Cover and simmer for five minutes or until fish is done.
Consider these recipes from Paddlefish Recipe Book, Montana State University Extension Service, and let us know how you like them:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Brush both sides of fish with melted butter. Rub both sides of fish with seasoning mix. Place fish in a VERY hot heavy skillet. Cook on both sides for about 2 minutes until outside edges are slightly blackened. Arrange the blackened fish in a lightly greased baking pan and drizzle with 1 cup Italian dressing. Bake 30 – 35 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Serve with pan juices.
In a two-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until just limp; add onion and cook until onion is browned. Stir in potatoes, tomatoes with their liquid, ketchup, Worcestershire, pepper and thyme. Cook five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add fish and cook about 10 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, stirring often. Makes four servings.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are translucent. Then add tomatoes and cover, stirring for 20 minutes. Add spices and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add the paddlefish and cook until meat is done.
**You can add different spices (ginger, turmeric, and coriander) but be careful about salt as there is a lot in the chili powder, Tabasco and curry powder.
Thanks to the Richland County Extension Office, Sidney, Montana (406-433-1206) for the informative recipe book!
By the way, the extension service is looking for more ideas about paddlefish preparation and recipes. Contact them here: Richland County Extension Service, 1499 N. Central Ave., Sidney, MT 59270 Phone 406-433-1206 Email: richland@montana.edu Website: www.msuextension.org/richland
Here are cooking suggestions from World Fishing Network: www.worldfishingnetwork.com/tips/post/how-to-prepare-paddlefish-spoonbill
And check out these recipes from Game and Fish magazine: www.gameandfishmag.com/recipes/smoked-paddlefish-recipe/
Got your own favorite method for preparing paddlefish? Got a ‘fish story’ about paddlefish? Wanna share a snagging experience? We’d love to hear from you! Message us on our Facebook page Beautiful Badlands ND . Email us at: beautifulbadlandsnd@gmail.com
This is what it looks like in still photos when a paddlefish is snagged — from last year at Sundheim Park outside of Fairview, Montana on the Yellowstone River.
Click here to read more about this year’s opening day of paddlefish snagging.
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