[boober54]

What if anything do you soak your fillets in before you fry them. Need some ideas on how to cook my channel cats. Thanks

 

[saugmon]

Soak them in milk for a few minutes. My buddy swears it helps them taste better after they soak in milk and deep fried!

 

[Intimidator]

I soak my fresh filets over night in water with a couple tabelspoons of SEA SALT to pull the blood, impurities, and "set" the proteins. Then rinse and soak in HALF&HALF with a couple EGGS mixed in...Get your OLIVE OIL hot and dip the wet filets in CORN MEAL with a little OLD BAY seasoning and GARLIC POWDER mixed in, cook til they float and are golden....yum!

Japanese Panko (small) seasoned crumbs are also good when you need a change from corn meal.

 

[BruceT]

If you like batter-fried, take 3/4 cup of any instant pancake mix, and add 1/2 Tbs of seasoned salt. (Make sure the batter isn't too runny) Pat dry the filets to be sure the batter does't run off.

Thanks for the tip Intimidator. I catch a lot of channel cats going for saugeye, but most of my family doesn't like catfish. I'll try your trick next time out. (Luckily my wife does, so I get to keep a few, lol)

For what it's worth, I also read that boiling the filets for two mins before frying will take some of the fishy oil out. It does, but it doesn't help the texture. I'm trying one minute next.

 

[sammerguy]

I like to bleed my cats out first in a cooler with ice. Just cut the head off and throw the fish in the ice right after you catch them. When you fillet them the flesh will be white and firm. I do like to soak them in buttermilk for a few hours as well (that goes for all fish)

 

[Flathead King 06]

Cooking methods are of your choice, but I always fillet my cats, cleaning all yellow tinted meat from the fillets. Soak them in salt water over night and then before frying, put the fish in a bowl and cover with water just above the fillets and add 2-3 cap fulls of white vinegar. This will remove whatever "fishy/oily" taste the salt didnt take care of. Rinse with cool water before battering.

 

[Bluebuster6912]

I soak mine in Sprite or 7-up over night before i fry them. rinse them in water. pat dry, bread them ,and fry them work great makes them fillets nice and clean and no fishy taste

 

[boober54]

Thanks folks, think I will try several of these ideas and see what one I like the most....Ken

 

[Bossman302]

You guys rock, I'v been looking for different ways to prepare mine as well, Thanks all!

 

[kingofamberley]

I rinse them in water briefly, put a few grinds of black pepper and sea salt on em, maybe dust 'em with flour, and throw em in the pan with some olive oil. I actually like when my fish tastes like fish, screw me right?

 

[Flathead King 06]

I rinse them in water briefly, put a few grinds of black pepper and sea salt on em, maybe dust 'em with flour, and throw em in the pan with some olive oil. I actually like when my fish tastes like fish, screw me right?

Nope Im on the same page... I like the "fishy" attribute to it where others dont. You're right, it's fish it's supposed to tatse like fish.

 

[Bossman302]

Same here, I enjoy the fishy taste myself lol.

 

[Shortdrift]

I don't like to cover up any of my fish fillets with artificial flavors so the simpler the better. I only fillet channels from the rib cage back. This eliminates any strong flavor imparted by the yellow meat. I also keep the channels alive until cleaning time and bleed them for around 10 minutes prior to cleaning.