# Who Eats em?



## Skish (Nov 4, 2008)

Alright, when I started fishin for steel several years ago, I asked many about eating steelhead. Plenty of answers, mostlyl found that many who do, smoke them, with all diffrent kinds of eloborate methods. 
I really don't want to go through all that trouble to cover up the taste of the fish. 
I did find out for my self with the first 26" hen I caught and it was terrible, simple butter and lemon under the broiler.
However, I on Tuesday I hooked a nice 18", and was wondering if they still taste good before they get well over 25"? Any one have expereince eatin the little guys?
Thanks in advance.
Skish


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## davef (Aug 7, 2007)

I've smoked them in the past and didn't think they were bad at all, but it was a lot of messing around. The last couple I kept 3 years ago I used a pickling reciepe I found on line and I liked the taste. It was a pretty simple process. I did three decent size steel head at one time and a year later it was still good. I kept it in the refrigerator in small tupperware type bins.

The taste probably isn't for everyone but try a small batch once and see if you like it.

There were warnings on the site I found to freeze the fish several months before pickling. I also used a couple white bass and they were even better I thought.


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## ccultrona12 (Jul 25, 2009)

over the past couple years i have found the best eating size to be between 19-24". I like to put some lemon over them (skin still on) and let them sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes then pull them out and put some herbs, bread crumbs and a little parm over the top and bake until meat comes off the skin easily. Always comes out great


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## Clevelandtocolumbus (Sep 13, 2010)

first of all its automatically going to be one of the stronger tasting fish your gonna eat anyway so if your not into that its always going to be hard to pallet. secondly, the methods that i enjoy the most are supper simple gut the thing put onions n garlic n lemons n butter inside close it up season very well rubb a lil butter in the outside with a few small slits in the skin and grill it whole no foil no nothing, also if its just to cold to grill it same method in the oven works fine.

bon appetit


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

When smoking them its not just to cover up the taste of the fish , but smoked trout of any kind are really good. I cant tell a difference between smoked steelhead and smoked salmon when done right and thats some good eatin  But some people "smoke" fish basically by cooking them with a lot of smoke and thats not what Im talking about , Im talking about smoke curing them.


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## Clevelandtocolumbus (Sep 13, 2010)

oh just to add one more thing the bigger they are the stronger the taste and males with all the extra hormone are just nasty if they have even the slightest amount of color to them


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## creature catcher (Mar 30, 2008)

The smoker was made for fish!! You might want to get a cook book from borders or some where else!! Go to the barbecue section and learn about DRY rubs that you can use for fish.I used it for Salmon and it was GREAT!! Hope this helps.


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## eyecatchum2 (Mar 30, 2010)

When I try to smoke them I always have trouble getting them lit.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

eyecatchum2 said:


> When I try to smoke them I always have trouble getting them lit.


You need to stuff them better with dried herb.


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## DanAdelman (Sep 19, 2005)

imo they are just awefull but if you insist on cooking them the only way i could eat them is baked with mustard, hot sauce and chopped onion on them...Sounds weird but works


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## Brian.Smith (May 18, 2006)

I think steelhead tastes fine its fish hence forth it tastes like fish. I grill with garlic,ginger,lemon ,butter. Side with a green veggy cause they complement the other better.


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## The Producer (Nov 5, 2009)

steelhead is great. if you kill the fish and let it sit, it will be strong from the rig setting in. keep them alive until you are about to leave then bleed, ice immediately. the cold keeps the flesh firm. i cannot stress enough how important it is to clean your catch as soon as possible and properly. no matter the species the method above should be followed.

fillet the fish like a bass and skin it. if you don't skin it before you debone it, you will have problems with the pin bones sticking to it and they will break halfway down. pluck the bones with pliers. 

now that you have boneless skinless fillets you are ready to continue cooking.
cut them into bacon slices or cubes and rinse the living daylights out of them.
egg, flour, egg, bread crumb(your favorite blend). just like walleye, gills, its very good this way. the key is thin slices or small cubes. 

i made them this way on October 23rd 2010 and no one knew it was steelhead until after the meal when i told them. it was a party and there were about 25 people who were not big fish eaters and they all loved it.

my neighbor smokes them and its good but brings out the taste that many dislike. if you smoke them try it this way, it may surprise you. tight lines and screamin' reels.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Bleed them right away while the fish is still lively so that the heart pumps out most of the blood through the gills. You will notice a significant difference in how clean your fillets look after you cut the fish...its pretty amazing.

Give this recipe a try and then tell me if your steel still tastes like a wet boot:

First - keep in mind, preperation is KEY! Thoroughly clean the fillets free of any blood or slime. Keep the skin on the fillet for this recipe. Once you clean the fish, take paper towel and completely dry off the fish. 

-Sprinkle the fish with either fresh squeezed lemon or orange
-Now Olive oil over the fish
-spice to taste...I like Lowreys season salt and fresh ground pepper
-finely chopped garlic
-finely chopped parsley
-the zest from the lemon or orange

Cover and place in the fridge for a few hours or over night....ocassionally taking those juices with a spoon and re-applying on top of the fish.

When ready to cook....lightly coat the grill surface with olive oil and pre-heat your grill to 350. Re-coat right before adding the fillets.

Add the fillets skin down on the grilling surface, close the lid and leave it go for about 10 minutes while maintaining the 350...NEVER FLIP!!! Every once in awhile check the fillets with a fork to see if the layers of meat start to flake apart....if they do it is ready. DON NOT OVERCOOK or your fish will be too dry... Another indication is when the fish starts to ooze out with white fatty stuff from the fillet. When the meat is flakey, pull off the grill and on to a plate and let sit for about 10 minutes. I also drizzle another light coating of olive oil on top of the fish before I eat......Bon Apetit! Oh yeah, I pull the big bones out as I eat the fish...they come out easiest this way and the meat comes right off that skin!


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

tried it raw like sushi and was pleasantly surprised....dipped in soy and wasabi topped with some ginger. ill eat it just like that on the river for a shore line lunch. was at a party and everyone was drinkin, buckipicker pulled out the bag of steel and soy. asked if anyone wanted to try it, most did and came back for seconds. who woulda thought? nobody got the shits either...seriously fellas its really good this way.


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## Rednek (Nov 6, 2006)

I process the filets just like I do walleye, skin, zip and remove dark meat, and then cut into chunks and stuff them into pint jars and can them. The pink flesh will turn a off white color.

The misses will create a white alfredo sauce and add a pint or two of canned steelhead and serve over pasta.

Very tasty.


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## BIGDADDYDB (Jul 1, 2006)

first, to the guy that was posting about Steelhead Sushi...I hope you are joking. There are parasites in freshwater fish that aren't found in saltwater that can make you seriously sick. You should NEVER eat raw freshwater fish. In fact, I think there was a recent post somewhere here about this. READ IT!

Second, I personally have never eaten steelhead other than smoked. If you do it right, it's awesome. Brine over night in salt, spices, soy, sugar. Take them out and rack them, baste with brown sugar soy mix, and let dry for a couple of hours. Then into the smoker at about 175 with 2 hrs of desired smoke and leave them in for about another 3-4 hrs at 175. Sometime during the process, I will take the fish out, remove the skin and dark stuff just scrapes off. Then put back in to finish the bottom. This will produce a drier, not quite jerky kind of texture with a salty sweet "crust". Better than a lot of store bought smoked salmon I've had. I remember about 7 yrs ago, when I first met my girlfriend, she bought "steelhead trout" at Tops. Looked like salmon but was awful.


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## Skish (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies, I'll give a few of the recipies a shot.


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## rod bender bob (May 19, 2004)

I've never fished Ohio steel but used to take them out of Lake Mich and some of the rivers feeding the lake. They were very good eating so I think Ohio fish are different or they are not being handled and prepared properly???? Never had a strong flavor and I had them grilled and deep fried. Bigdaddy is right, freshwater sushi is dangerous.


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

The odds of someone dying crossing the street and getting hit by a car are greater than by getting sick or dying from eating raw steel. 

DON'T CROSS THE STREET!


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

ShutUpNFish said:


> The odds of someone dying crossing the street and getting hit by a car are greater than by getting sick or dying from eating raw steel.
> 
> DON'T CROSS THE STREET!


Dont worry about it , people are always gonna post negative replies on here to something they dont understand.


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## BIGDADDYDB (Jul 1, 2006)

yonderfishin said:


> Dont worry about it , people are always gonna post negative replies on here to something they dont understand.


I don't understand?.....What I stated in my post is a well understood fact. Just because people do something and don't get hurt, doesn't make it safe. When something gets posted, it prompts more people to go out and try it...next thing you know someone is turning their bowels inside out or worse. If as many people ate raw steelhead (or bluegill, walleye, catfish, crappie etc.) as those that cross the street, a lot more would end sick. Just trying inform would be steelhead sashimi voyeurs of the potential risk, not trying to play grandma.


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## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

BIGDADDYDB said:


> I don't understand?.....What I stated in my post is a well understood fact. Just because people do something and don't get hurt, doesn't make it safe. When something gets posted, it prompts more people to go out and try it...next thing you know someone is turning their bowels inside out or worse. If as many people ate raw steelhead (or bluegill, walleye, catfish, crappie etc.) as those that cross the street, a lot more would end sick. Just trying inform would be steelhead sashimi voyeurs of the potential risk, not trying to play grandma.


I just meant that you dont understand why someone would eat raw steelhead , not that you dont understand the possible consequences of it. I wasnt implying that you were wrong , sorry if it came across that way. Im sure there may be some parasites and sickness causing germs associated with the raw freshwater fish. Though if it were handled/prepared correctly , and the fish is healthy and visibly free of parasites then its possible that the meat could be somewhat safe . But you are right that it could be risky.


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## RiverDoc (Mar 12, 2010)

Once you have the Sashimi recipe worked out, let us know. Sounds interesting. Thanks, RiverDoc


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## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

yonderfishin said:


> I just meant that you dont understand why someone would eat raw steelhead , not that you dont understand the possible consequences of it. I wasnt implying that you were wrong , sorry if it came across that way. Im sure there may be some parasites and sickness causing germs associated with the raw freshwater fish. Though if it were handled/prepared correctly , and the fish is healthy and visibly free of parasites then its possible that the meat could be somewhat safe . But you are right that it could be risky.


Do it raw all the time done the ginger sou wasabi thing its good me and my girlfriend actually made rolls with the rice and seaweed wraps last FEB it was Great. But I love bringing one home cut in chunks and mix a little mayo and lemon juice and dip the chunks in it TASTY also mix the chunks in the mayo and lemon and make a salad like a tuna slad sandwich love it


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Looks like more people eating and enjoying it raw than dying or getting sick from it!


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## Andrew S. (May 22, 2010)

The idea that getting a little lake or river water in your mouth poses the same risk as eating raw freshwater fish is absurd. This is not how the dangerous parasites are transmitted to humans. It's through eating the raw (or undercooked) fish that contains the parasites.

The risk from eating freshwater parasites is not to be taken lightly, not only because there is a distinct possibility that you'll get one, but more importantly because the symptoms, if you do, can be fairly severe.

We're not talking about a little upset stomach and diarrhea here.

Of course you're all free to eat all the raw freshwater fish you'd like, but as somebody with considerable training in biology, including parasitology, my educated opinion on this is that you're nuts to take the risk.


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## Master Angler (May 26, 2004)

Don't bother trying to argue with some people on here - they always justify in their minds that what they are doing is ok. Eating raw freshwater fish is very risky. There is a 1 meal per month consumption advisory on steelhead. There are better tasting fish, although steelhead are ok with cover-up preparations. They in no way compare with wild, ocean caught salmonids - anyone who says otherwise is hard of tasting.


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## Andrew S. (May 22, 2010)

Master Angler said:


> There is a 1 meal per month consumption advisory on steelhead.


But that's because of chemicals in the flesh, and applies whether you cook them or not.

The parasite risk pertains to raw fish.

Anyway, if anybody does happen to contract a broadfish tapeworm (or already has...it can take a few years before it gets large enough for you to know), be sure to let us know how big it was when it finally came out of your rectum. They tend to average about 3 feet, but a few real beauties will reach 25 feet or more. 

Good times, for sure.


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