# Steelhead Recipes



## JFeeds (Apr 14, 2008)

Anyone have any good recipes out there? Gonna cook some up tomorrow and looking for some tips.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

One of my favorite ways to cook it is to put it on the grill wrapped in foil. I will soak the fillets overnight in a milk/salt/garlic mixture, which helps to break down the fishy enzymes. Put the fish in an air tight container with a lid so you can toss it around a few times throughout the day. I then rinse/pat the fillets dry and coat them with your favorite Cajun seasoning (my favorite is Cajun Shake by Cajun Injector brand, Gander carries it), fresh ground pepper, and place them in a foil packet. Before wrapping it up, put a pad of butter on each fillet and a slice of fresh lemon. 25 minutes or so on the grill and they turn out pretty good. You can also sautee some peppers and onions with butter, then place them in the foil instead of lemon. 

You're going to get responses like "cook it on a cedar plank, then eat the plank", but steelhead can be a decent eating fish (Let's get real they're not walleye or perch). Soaking them in the milk/salt mixture is key, and also the brighter or more chrome the fish, generally the better table fare. 


http://www.cajuninjector.com/cajun-injector-cajun-shake.html


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Baked one fresh a few weeks ago, put a little olive oil and some various seasonings I use on chicken lol... just stuff I like..... cooked it at 400 for about 30-35 minutes. 

It wasn't bad. People give them a bad wrap on how they taste, but it reminded me of catfish... or anything with that "kinda" muddy flavor. I dunno if it's suppose to taste like that, but if I absoluletly had to I could eat it again 

I've got to assume the longer the fish has been in the river the worst it taste, but I could be wrong.

Let us know how you end up cooking it.


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## master of steel (Oct 12, 2008)

I soak my fillets or steaks in buttermilk overnight prior as it helps restore freshness and removes that "fishy" taste.

A great simple recipe is panko breaded steelhead. I use some olive oil, salt and pepper. Bread the fish and cook it in a frying pan.


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

One way I like it is to layer lemon slices, garlic, onions, parsely, olive oil, salt, pepper, put on both sides, make bed on bottom, place fillet, do same on top, wrap in foil, cook for 15-20 min. (oven or grill) 

another way is making fish patties(like crab cakes), its surprisingly very good

remove skin, poach, pick apart meat and bones, keep in decent sizes, cut sweet onion into slivers, in bowl, combine the fish, onions, garlic powder, season all, mayo , and breadcrumbs, mix it together to get the right consistency (so they dont fall apart, 

pour bread crumbs into bowl, grab the mixture, make into patties, put the patty into the crumbs, coating each side, sprinkle old bay on top (i include some in the mixture) 

heat very little oil in the pan 1/4 " 

i like to add more old bay again, good with hot sauce too, 

play around until you get it just right...this has become one of my favortite ways, its really good!
enjoy.....s.f.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm starting to get hungry for a roe wagon the chrome cakes sound awesome


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## bigduck10 (Feb 15, 2009)

I don't think there is a way to make them taste good. Now if your talking about a pacific Steelhead that is a different deal.
Meat is pink like Salmon.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

I have a great recipe for smoking them but it's rather lengthy,if you really want it p.m. me.Other than that I've grilled,broiled,baked,and fried em.Not that they're bad just alot of other fish that are better.Anybody ever tried bleeding one before cleaning it?I've often wondered if that would make a difference.


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

I will fillet them by taking all the bones out. There are 'pin bones' near the lateral line that are the trikiest. Leave the skin on.

Charcoal grill is key. Put olive oil on the meat part along with just a very slight pinch of lemon pepper and maybe a bit of steak seasoning and onion and garlic powder.

Make sure the coals are hot and put the skin side down for around 7 minutes. Flip over and remove the skin. It will come right off. Cook that side for 7 minutes or so. Then eat.

The key is the charcoal. Steel are greasy fish and the oil will drip on the coals and cause smoke...therefore causing goodness. 

I was in the UP and only caught a skipper and brown trout or I would've done this.


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## kernal83 (Mar 25, 2005)

Lundfish how Do you get those bones out besides cutting out a huge strip 


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

Fishman said:


> I'm starting to get hungry for a roe wagon the chrome cakes sound awesome


they are amazing! the hardest part is just getting the correct consistency so that they dont fall apart to much, even when they do, the pieces are still good! the rest is mostly personal taste preference(i like a lot of old bay) try putting some hot sauce on it after its cooked, adds some nice zing!

@big duck, this tells me that 1- you havent tried it or 2 you arent preparing it the right way, most jump to conclusions, but steelhead are surprisingly tastey, i bet if you tried these cakes, your mind would be changed

also, OUR steelhead MEAT is PINK, because of the lack of shallow water in the lake Erie, also a different diet, wild steelheads meat is closer to red like salmon, if you travel just to michigan you will see this, there is a slight taste difference


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## Steelhead Fever (Dec 31, 2009)

kernal83 said:


> Lundfish how Do you get those bones out besides cutting out a huge strip
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine



@kernal, i have found the best way is too just leave them in, and remove after cooked (just about any way) they are removed with ease when cooked, go right down the line and pick the meat and bones away from each other, sometimes getting needle noses and taking them out after you get your filet, the only other way is taking a strip of meat out, with butchers it a lil, but works


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## JFeeds (Apr 14, 2008)

Well I had the steelie today. It was really good. I agree that it was a very oily fish, but if prepared right, that can definitely be a benefit.

Here is what I did:
Last night, I put the two filet in a container with some milk, a little salt, and garlic (thanks, MuskieJim!). 

After my marathon of a day today (8 hours of work, an hour lifting, and Ash Wednesday service), I made a simple honey-balsamic glaze to go on top of the fish. I got some balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic, and honey and mixed it all together until the honey was emulsified pretty well. I brushed it on top of the two filet generously. 

After that, I tinkered with the broiler on my oven. After about 5-6 minutes or so, I moved the oven rack to the second from the top and turned the oven down to 325* for another 2-3 minutes. 

In terms of the bones, I did find a few, and I just flaked the meat and picked the bones out as I went along.

Maybe it was a really fresh steelie, but it was pink and looked/tasted very similarly to salmon--no weird taste that I've heard is there unless you smoke it. 

I even have a little leftover so I think I might try that chrome cake recipe tomorrow for lunch!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Let us know how it goes JFeeds, if I catch a hen, this is what I plan on doing with it.


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## Lundfish (Apr 7, 2010)

kernal83 said:


> Lundfish how Do you get those bones out besides cutting out a huge strip
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


It's not that much meat that you lose. The key is a sharp knife.


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## bones. (Mar 9, 2005)

Fillet steelhead leave skin on. Cut fillets into spatula size pieces. Place pieces skin side down on grill. Put medium salsa on top. Cook until done then take spatula and slide meat off the skin while still on the grill and plate the piece.

You can also bake them in the oven but you should remove the skin, just put fillets in baking dish the salsa on top and bake uncovered until done.


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## fisherman4life42 (May 25, 2010)

For those who have a smoker

Ingredients :
4 C dark brown sugar

1 C pickling salt

Garlic powder to taste

Pepper to taste

Begin with skinless salmon or trout fillets. Cut the fillets into manageable sized pieces being sure to remove any bones.

Mix ingredients. Generously cover each piece of salmon in a glass baking dish. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Flip the fish around once or twice throughout this time to be sure each piece is evenly covered in seasoning.

The brine will have become a soupy mess after the salt has done it's job of pulling the moisture from the fish.

Rinse each piece and set it out to air dry on your smoker racks for a few hours until a pellicle forms - the tacky (not wet) layer covering the fish. I like to apply a little extra pepper at this point as well.

Now simply smoke for your desired time! That's it. Plain, simple, and quite delicious! 

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## fisherman4life42 (May 25, 2010)

For those who don't have a smoker

Ingredients:
fillets
Brown sugar
soy sauce

Place your fillets skin down in a baking dish.

Cover the fillets in an ample amount of brown sugar. I mean, completely cover them. You can&#8217;t use too much brown sugar.

Add a few splashes of soy sauce on top of the fish/brown sugar. Keep adding soy until it makes the consistency of syrup or molasses.

Marinate for 24-36 hours in the fridge. Every once in a while stop by and spoon the sugary goodness back on top of the fish. Cooking instructions:

We&#8217;re cooking hot and fast here people! Our goal is to caramelize the brown sugar onto the fish.

Put the grill on high for 20 minutes or so before you put the fish on. Spray the grates with Pam or similar non-stick spray (very important.)

Place the fillets on the grill, skin side up. Cook for 2 minutes. Now give the fillet a quarter turn. This will give you a great &#8220;checker&#8221; pattern of grill marks on the fish. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Flip the fish to skin side down. Finish cooking for 2 more minutes (so your total cooking time should be around 6 minutes.) Check for doneness&#8230;and keep checking it. This is the most important part so don&#8217;t screw it up! Thicker cuts of fish will take a bit longer than 6 minutes to cook.

Once it&#8217;s done to your liking slide a spatula between the skin and you fillets leaving the skin on the grill.

Awesome!


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## MY BONNIE (Nov 11, 2009)

One of the best ways that I had had them was canned. You can eat it right out of the jar, mix it with mayo like tuna salad, mix it with cream cheese for a spread, or make fish patties. There are no bones when its done, and you can store it in the the cupboard. You just need a pressure canner. Its good. 

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## reo (May 22, 2004)

I use the same recipe for steelhead as I do for musky. Just pour a small amount of italian dressing, then some melted butter and sprinkle with dill and cheap parmesan cheese. Cook in 400-425 degree preheated oven until fish flakes easily with fork. Steelhead can be steaked but filleted is better. I always steak my musky unless small 30"-35" as these cook well filleted as well. Gonna have to try the patty thing on some 'ski. Getting hungry thinking about it!!


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## bs101766 (Feb 22, 2005)

Try cutting into 1" cubes boil them in salt water til done then dip in cocktail sauce or butter tastes close to lobster. I was surprised because i tried alot of different ways and a friend told me to try this and was very surprised of the results


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## promag (Aug 21, 2011)

I found that if you remove the fat and the dark outer meat from the filet that touches the skin the fishy flavor is completely gone. However I only eat it if fresh. Usually grilled with some Kansas city steak seasoning or montreal steak. Or garlic powder,black pepper, onion powder, and a pinch of old bay and salt. Serve with side of lemon. Always grill.

promag


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