Bowfin: trash or tasty?

I did a google for bowfin at this newsgroup and came up with an old 1997
thread where the fish was eloquently and thoroughly described in two
ways: tasty or trashy. How can one fish be both? Is it all in the
cooking?

You don't find people saying both "yum" and "yuck" about trout.

Also: are there actually fans of carp eating? Or does it just end up as
a kind of protein---smoke it or make fishcakes. ??

Well, I *am* going to try to make bowfin caviar. Sturgeon are ugly and
they make good caviar...and apparently bowfin has been approved. Not
that I know who these approval people are, but! What the hey...I'll try
the eggs, but boy the body sure makes me squeamish!

Of course cod and other common eating fish are ugly, too.

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
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I have been catching them for many years while Bass fishing. I've never
heard of anyone eating them. Carp, yes. They are considered a delicacy in
Europe.

--
Bill
Chesapeake, Va


"Jeff Potter" wrote in message
.. .
I did a google for bowfin at this newsgroup and came up with an old 1997
thread where the fish was eloquently and thoroughly described in two
ways: tasty or trashy. How can one fish be both? Is it all in the
cooking?

You don't find people saying both "yum" and "yuck" about trout.

Also: are there actually fans of carp eating? Or does it just end up as
a kind of protein---smoke it or make fishcakes. ??

Well, I *am* going to try to make bowfin caviar. Sturgeon are ugly and
they make good caviar...and apparently bowfin has been approved. Not
that I know who these approval people are, but! What the hey...I'll try
the eggs, but boy the body sure makes me squeamish!

Of course cod and other common eating fish are ugly, too.

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
...offering "small world" views on bikes, bows, books, movies...
...rare books on ski, bike, boat culture, plus a Gulf Coast thriller
about smalltown smuggling ... radical novels coming up!
...original downloadable music ... and articles galore!
plus national travel forums! HOLY SMOKES! 800-763-6923

WRH wrote:
I have been catching them for many years while Bass fishing. I've never
heard of anyone eating them. Carp, yes. They are considered a delicacy in
Europe.


We must teach those people in Europe what eating a real fish is like


ANyone who would eat a Carp over a Walleye, would probably eat snails,
and horse meat

--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Boomerang Fishing Pro. , Stand Out Hooks ,
Stand Out Lures, Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Mojo's Long
Shot rig
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

Ah, the choupique can be a good meal. They are quite common to eat them
down here in Louisiana. The are target by mostly black fisherman but there
are a few whites that will target them. Some will keep them if they catch
one. Most will make patties or boulettes (meatballs). You use the same
recipe for the meat for either one but one you roll up the other you flatten
out.

Here is a quote from
http://www.fw.umn.edu/fw5601/classpr...fin/bowfin.htm

In recent years, bowfin eggs (roe) has proven to be an excellent substitute
for sturgeon roe in production of excellent quality domestic caviar. Bowfin
have been approved by the Natural Resources Commission as an aquaculture
species. This so-called"Cajun Caviar" has generated much interest in
aquaculture circles about the feasibility of growing bowfin for caviar
production.

More information can be obtained from
http://www.nativefish.org/Articles/BowfinCulture.html

Here is a recipe for

Choupique Boulettes

3 pounds choupique meat
2 large onions, chopped fine
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup mixed parsley and green onions, chopped fine
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Louisiana Fish Fry Products Cajun Seasoning to taste
2 eggs, beaten
Seasoned Flour
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 package brown gravy mix


Grind the choupique meat in a meat grinder or food processor.
Add one large chopped onion, the bread crumbs, parsley/green onion mixture,
cayenne, cajun seasoning and eggs.
Mix well and shape into balls (boulettes).
Roll in seasoned flour.
Heat the cooking oil in a large cast iron pan over medium high heat and
brown the balls, stirring lightly.
Add the other chopped onion to the pan and cook until lightly browned.
Dissolve brown gravy mix into 2 cups water and add to pan. Add more
water/gravy mix if necessary.
Cook slowly for about 30 to 45 minutes
Serve over rice.

Sarge

Thanks for the lowdown. I've discovered this info online as well. I'm wondering
if anyone has actually DONE it.

I have this bowfin roe in the frig right now. I used an online caviar recipe.
Offhand, it still seems a bit too weird. An online story about the caviar says
it's nice and loose---the eggs separate easily. Well, MY eggs are all held
quite tightly together by membrane. The caviar recipe says to remove the
membrane. Not possible. So where are we left? I suppose with scary testing.

Another guy gave a recipe for baked bowfin and says it tastes like turkey---he
throw tourneys and has big bowfin and beer fishfrys. Then another guy writes in
and gives a great description of the scariest meat and said he tried it and it
was gross as can be. Such disparity! No one talks about perch like this, eh?

Maybe it's just an unfamiliar fish syndrome. ??

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
...offering "small world" views on bikes, bows, books, movies...
...rare books on ski, bike, boat culture, plus a Gulf Coast thriller
about smalltown smuggling ... radical novels coming up!
...original downloadable music ... and articles galore!
plus national travel forums! HOLY SMOKES! 800-763-6923

Some of my friends that fry it soak it in vinegar over night to reduce the
taste. I would not try it baked. It is just like some off shore fish, it
is good baked but taste bad if fried and vice versus. To me personally the
fish patties are the best way to cook it. As for as the roe, I don't like
caviar so I never tried it. Are you sure it was a bowfin and not gar that
you collected the eggs from. Gar fish eggs are poisonous.

Sarge

Well, I had caviar made from my bowfin tonight, according to online how-to
info and IT WAS GREAT. Touche'!

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
...offering "small world" views on bikes, bows, books, movies...
...rare books on ski, bike, boat culture, plus a Gulf Coast thriller
about smalltown smuggling ... radical novels coming up!
...original downloadable music ... and articles galore!
plus national travel forums! HOLY SMOKES! 800-763-6923