Oh, “gar balls” = gar meat rolled into balls… Sorry, I has something completely different in mind when I read that originally…
quote:
Originally posted by corkmanYear’s ago I read in Field and Stream magazine the meat along the back bone and rib cage is delicious. Scrape it out and cook. They claim it taste like Lobster. LOL !!!
I’ve done this on the recommendation from a Z-Man pro staffer from louisana that I met at ICAST. The armor is a beotch. Need something like tin snips its like cutting metal. Snip down the top center of the back, then 90 deg across the top half at each end. It folds open like the cargo hatches on the space shuttle. There are two absolutely beautiful clean white loins of meat that can be removed. The meat is quite tasty, but the texture is another matter. I found it rubbery. Maybe I didn’t cook it properly. I think its worth a try. I wont do it again due to the hassle of the armor and the texture of the meat. If I was hungry and that was my option, then all day I’d eat it.
Took a good bit of ribbing by my friends at the fishing club for it, but I don’t care LOL!
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
quote:
Originally posted by Optikerquote:
Originally posted by corkmanYear’s ago I read in Field and Stream magazine the meat along the back bone and rib cage is delicious. Scrape it out and cook. They claim it taste like Lobster. LOL !!!
I’ve done this on the recommendation from a Z-Man pro staffer from louisana that I met at ICAST. The armor is a beotch. Need something like tin snips its like cutting metal. Snip down the top center of the back, then 90 deg across the top half at each end. It folds open like the cargo hatches on the space shuttle. There are two absolutely beautiful clean white loins of meat that can be removed. The meat is quite tasty, but the texture is another matter. I found it rubbery. Maybe I didn’t cook it properly. I think its worth a try. I wont do it again due to the hassle of the armor and the texture of the meat. If I was hungry and that was my option, then all day I’d eat it.
Took a good bit of ribbing by my friends at the fishing club for it, but I don’t care LOL!
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
how did you cook it?
Same way I usually cook inshore fish.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
the best way is to throw it into a low country boil type of stew
Little late to this post but gar meat is great. Unique consistency somewhere between fish and chicken. As previously mentioned they can be tough to clean. Easiest way is to take a hatchet to remove the head and tail. (Trust me this works the best, we have tried everything from shears to chainsaws). Once you remove both ends treat it as mentioned above. Take tin snips or really heavy duty game shears and snip through the spine armor. Then remove the back straps like you would a deer. Cube them up and deep fry them or toss it in a stew. Once you get the hang of cleaning them you won’t regret the table quality.
I got tricked into trying it once. Once. Nastiest fish I’ve ever eaten. Maybe there is a good way to cook it that makes it edible. I’ll never know though.
http://www.realcajuncooking.com/2010/04/cooking-garfish.html Make Justin Wilson proud… 
2015 18ft Tidewater w/ 115 4-stroke Yammy