ditto what sunbums said. Small ones pretty good cooked kind any way. The larger we filet and cut all the dark red and grey streaks out - cut into fingers - soak in buttermilk - add some old bay hot and then batter or roll in breader any fry. The big ones eat much better fresh!
J Ford
I catch many small blues while Spanish fishing. I fillet and skin them and fry. Delicious, I like them better than the Spanish. I caught some decent sized ones at Okracoke several years ago from the surf. I cut down the backbone and left the belly skin attached. Broiled in oven with some limes, also delicious.
But I like mullet also.
Carolina Skiff Doug
1980DLX Yamaha 90
Tournament 225 OX66 225
Kraft used to make a Shake & Bake for fish but they discontinued the line. With Bluefish it used to taste great!
Only use small Bluefish. The big ones get too fishy tasting unless you are smoking them.
When you catch a small Bluefish bleed them out and put on ice immediately.
When you get home filet the Bluefish and cut out the lateral line. This will give you four filets.
Poach the filets in a frying pan with a skim of water for a few minutes per side.
Remove filets from frying pan and place close together on foil under broiler with a sprinkle of Old Bay, salt & pepper and cover with lemon slices. It only takes a few minutes under the broiler to finish and firm up the filets. Enjoy; it will not taste like Bluefish!
New Smyrna Beach, FL
Eat them fresh
Fillet and cut out blood line
put on baking sheet and cover top of fish with mayonnaise, paprika, salt and pepper
Broil until top is brown and enjoy with lemon
Can be very good if prepared the same day caught…
I’m an NJ boy who has caught and eaten a lot of bluefish of all sizes. First, bleed and ice them immediately. Second, cut the blood line out. Third, fish under 3 lbs. can be treated exactly like seatrout. Fish over 3 lbs. need to be marinated for at least several hours before cooking. I find Italian dressing to be the best. Try putting the filets on a bed of sliced onion and covered with sliced lemon wrapped in foil cooked on the grill for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the filets. Another method I use is to line the bottom of a baking dish with sliced onion, then add the filets. Mix mayo and yellow mustard together, about a 2:1 ratio mayo to mustard. Cover filets with this mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. I’ve served that to guests and they loved it.
I would never cook bluefish that was more than a week old and never freeze it unless your dog likes fish.
When I was a kid in the 70’s they were on the menu at the Sanitary Fish Market in Morehead City, NC and were great. We would catch them frequently off the NC beaches and they were great broiled or even grilled
Spartanburg/Edisto
Sea Hunt 27 “Saltwater Gospel”
Bomb Island 16 “Hookin’ Heels”
I like them fried.
quote:He!! Yeah, I agree with you croaker!
Originally posted by croakerI like them fried.