Bullhead Cleaning, Cooking and Eating

[reelcharacter]

Glad to see some bandwidth spent on one of “those other fish”, the kings of spring, the Bullhead.

Check out these other MyFishFinder Bullhead Cleaning links and throw in a few thoughts of your own here for the rest of us to try:

Cleaning Bullhead:
http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=601.0
http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=740.0

How do you go about cleaning and preparing these critters for the pan? How about some recipes for cooking?

Thanks,
-Reelcharacter

[reelcharacter]

For one way to clean Bullhead, there are some instructions posted on the NY State DEC website.
Take a look at:

http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg1/Panfish2.pdf

-Reelcharacter

[grumpymoe]

 i skin them the same way i do with channel cats. a little harder to hang onto, but just as tasty or even moreso...once i get my filets, i simply roll the wet filets in cornmeal, and into the deepfryer they go...i use peanut oil.... much tastier and has a higher flash point so they go in and out quickly..soon as they pop to the top, they're ready...season with cajun spices or whatever your taste desires..grump

[reubenpa]

I finally was able to try my electric knife on them, and took Bigdave's idea about only eating behind the ribs.  I angled the knife as far up the head as I could without hitting the ribs or hole, and cut to the back bone and in one motion turned the knife and went back almost to the tail and the flipped it over and cut the skin off. It took me about 20-30 seconds per fish doing it that way and it was my first time trying it, so it will only get faster!! I didn't waste much fish and was I did waste was almost yellow meat!!! 

[reelcharacter]

Reuben,

Sounds like you are on your way to having a new system. Have you hit the bullheads very well yet? I have not had a chance to get out, so my practicing will have to wait a little longer. 

-Reelcharacter

[cold as ice]

when I fry my fillets I dip them in an egg wash then flour then back in the eggs and the crushed ritz crackers. I really love cooking them that way, It gives it a nice buttery flavor.....I also like to start the fillets from the back of the ribs.

[mrwalleye]

i skin them the same way i do with channel cats. a little harder to hang onto, but just as tasty or even moreso...once i get my filets, i simply roll the wet filets in cornmeal, and into the deepfryer they go...i use peanut oil.... much tastier and has a higher flash point so they go in and out quickly..soon as they pop to the top, they're ready...season with cajun spices or whatever your taste desires..grump

i finally cleaned a channel cat the other day...i just filleted it over the ribs, then i trimmed the skin of when i flipped the fillette over, just like i do with any other fish.  i did notice, the meat looked a little yellow...did i not get all the fat?  should you skin them before filletting?  it was delicious in any event..i dipped the fillette in an egg/milk wash, dipped it into some flour,cornmeal,old el paso taco seasoning,pepper,kosher salt mixture,  repeated, and then fried it up in some olive oil/butter, and dipped it in some horsey sauce,and ketchup!!!   ill never throw a cat back again    unless its a big ole granddaddy cat