Chicken Gumbo

[dbarham]

Lol good stuff

[Milkjug]

Does anyone keep their redfish spine and ribs after filleting ?

I'll keep the throats on all drum and redfish. I'll keep the ribcages for frying if I'm planning on doing that, or at least cut off the belly meat below the ribs. Belly meat is good. It's got a different texture, and is a bit more firm. Great in ceviche.

I do make a seafood stock for my gumbo. Keep all shrimp shells and heads, add whatever fish frames you have. Make sure to cut out the gills, and clean as much of the bloody stuff from right below the spine as you can. Add some bay leaves, squeeze in a lemon, then toss in the whole thing, add some onion chunks, and just whatever you have that might make it taste good. Add just enough water to cover, slow boil for a few hours, then strain through a collander or cheesecloth.

I've found it's best to use it fresh in gumbo or seafood soup.

[Milkjug]

By the way, bones from big offshore fish have a huge amount of meat still on them. I kept all the fins and cut the spine into chunks from the last warsaw grouper I shot. I would fry them up and got several meals out of the scraps. The meat was especially fatty near the bone and just melted in your mouth.

[reeltime]

By the way, bones from big offshore fish have a huge amount of meat still on them. I kept all the fins and cut the spine into chunks from the last warsaw grouper I shot. I would fry them up and got several meals out of the scraps. The meat was especially fatty near the bone and just melted in your mouth.

a friend of mine that lives on the island caught a big grouper a few years back and him and the wife got real sick from it can't remember the name of the diesese but the meat was sent too the cdc in fla. and all.

[Milkjug]

Sounds like ciguatera (sp?)

Cudas get a bad rap for it, but really any apex predator can get it, grouper, AJ (I hear these getting it a lot) to name a few.

I always thought we were safer from it on oil rigs since the fish pick it up from eating smaller reef fish and amplifying the toxins in them.

Do you know if the guy was anywhere near a reef like the Flower Gardens?

This is the reason I give some fish to the neighbors first (kidding..)

[reeltime]

Sounds like ciguatera (sp?)

Cudas get a bad rap for it, but really any apex predator can get it, grouper, AJ (I hear these getting it a lot) to name a few.

I always thought we were safer from it on oil rigs since the fish pick it up from eating smaller reef fish and amplifying the toxins in them.

Do you know if the guy was anywhere near a reef like the Flower Gardens?

This is the reason I give some fish to the neighbors first (kidding..)

yes thats the one i call it the cigar diease .your right on big fish get it from eating smaller fish....i'm not sure which reef or rigs they went to but it was out of galveston.{ amberjack is a carrier now bummer thats some good eating right there}

[Robalo]

It was near the Flower Gardens. Incidents of Cigiuatera are showing up more in Texas now-they are not certain if due to migratory or what. I ate barracuda in Akumal MX and the guide (Edgar) said he can usually tell an infected fish from the one we caught and ate-he said they fight weakly, have some spots on them, scales sluff some and a different smell; however, all the stuff I have read says there is no way to visibly tell an infected fish from one that aint. Anyway, never got sick and it tasted dang good in a tequila sauce!!

FoF:

Too greezy sausage it sounds like-skimming the grease will do it (as you did)-sounded dang good!! Thanks, I ate way to much at lunch after reading your post!!!! BTW, did ya snap the bones on the wings and legs so the marrow helps flavor it?