[617921]

Zakwman:

You posted "FILET THE BLUES WHILE ALIVE (DO NOT WAIT, THEY MUST BE FRESH!!!)"

Nothing for nothing- how about bleeding the fish and throwing it on ice? Filleting a fish that is still alive seems to be very brutal, barbaric & disrespectful to a living being. How would you like to be skinned alive? I thought not!

How about this for fresh bluefish:

Cut thru one set of gills and place the fish in the livewell- it will bleed itself until the heart stops.

Next, when the fish is lethargic, rinse and throw on ice. Do not fillet until rigor mortis sets in. When you fillet, do not cut into the visceral cavity. Now, you will have bluefish fillets as white as fluke.

This is the proper way to prepare a bluefish.

The flesh will be much firmer, making filleting an easier task.

Or maybe you wanted to give PETA the wrong impression about recreational fisherman?

Do you believe in karma?

If you cannot understand this- then go find an American Indian.

It's about being humane vs. human.

It's about not inflicting unnecessary suffering on any living being.

It's about being greatful for receiving...

Get the picture?

-Bill

 

[617921]

Zak:

The problem with bluefish is that they are a bloody fish. Culinary speaking, by filleting them while they are still alive (or "half alive" and not kicking as per your second post), you do not give them a chance to bleed out- so you end up with a very bloody fillet. I'm sure that you are not a cruel person- but please remember there are many newbies that read this site that may believe as a result of reading your post that fish should be filleted while "alive". Sushi is fresh, but tuna are not filleted while "alive"- they are bled (which is necessary to keep them edible and palatable), beheaded & gutted, iced down, then usually many hours later they are steaked.

The flesh of the fish is much firmer when cool, plus you can see what you are doing because there is no bloody mess, resulting in much better fillets and minimal waste of a precious resource.

I fish for enjoyment and I fish for food. A fish is a magnificent creature that should not be subjected to the torture of being filleted alive.

Try preparing your fish as described above- you will be pleasantly surprised with the quality of the fillets.

One other tip- when you fillet:

Start on the back near the head- "mark" about 1/2 inch into the flesh with the knife halfway down the dorsal until you are behind the anus, then go deeper along the vertical bones and lift the tip of the knife up and over the backbone, then go straight thru down to the tail. Go back to head, lift fillet and "peel" it off with a sharp knife over the ribs (do not puncture into visceral cavity), and finish it up.

Bluefish have a reputation for tasting awful- stemming back to the party boat "trash can" days- but with proper bleeding and icing the only negative I can say is that the flesh still tends to be somewhat mushy after being cooked.

I did not mean to offend anyone, just wanted to offer another point of view.

Porbeagle (my other computer)

 

[617921]

Zak:

It was about the filleting of a live bluefish in your first recipe, if you remember (you fail to mention this in your subsequent posts).

Anyway- you do have me on the lobster- for this I have no response- you do have a point.

OK- back to the recipes. I will give up my best recipe as payment for all of this nonsense:

Portugese Fishermans Stew:

Pot #1
Slowly cook in purified water some "dead" cod fillets.

Pot #2
Do the same with some bay scallops.

In a frying pan, heat up some olive oil and brown some flour.

Remove foam from pots 1 & 2- throw away.

Mix stock from pots 1 & 2 into pot #3.

Add in one can of crushed tomatos, mix thoroughly.

Add some fresh cilantro and cooked, sliced kielbasa. Add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Simmer for one half hour.

Steam some mussels and add in at the end with the fish & scallops. Serve over French bread.