Thread: Cooking "Skin-on" Filets

Just Like Flounder. You Will Enjoy Them That Way.

Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie

I am cooking for a fish fry saturday for about 40-50 people. I was told that they had plenty of crappie. When they dropped the fish off i noticed they seemed to be filets (frozen), but had the skin still on! When I asked about them, he said, "that's the way the guy at Reelfoot filets them. He scales them, then filets them with the skin." I had never heard of, much less seen, filets done that way.
So, the question is: Will they be edible fried the way i normally cook filets? If not, what tips do you offer?
I did notice that they seemed small, so maybe that's why he left the skin on??? If that's not why, then ....??
Thanks

Lots of people like to leave the skin on, even when filleting Crappie. I think the skin adds a "nutty sweet" taste to the fish. While it may do so, more so when fresh & never having been frozen, it may still be perceptable after having been frozen.
The size of the fish is probably not a factor in this decision.
They will be just fine, cooked in any manner normally used. The mild taste of Crappie meat, and even the added "nutty sweet" flavor of the skin, can be over shadowed ... depending on what is used to coat them. That's why I just like to use a light coating of yellow corn meal ... since it adds no flavor to the filets. I just happen to like the taste of the fish itself. :p

The leaving of the skin on the filets, by the Reelfoot guy, could be a personal preference (by him) .... or it could be for identification purposes, for those people transporting them out of state, should they be checked by F&W Officers. (but, that's only a guess)

... cp

I fillet mine this way on occasion. The skin adds a little flavor to the fish.

Could be good baked also as the skin will hold them together. Anyhow
Crappie is king I don't think you can mess them up.

but if any fish are left over for the next day the skin will be too tough to eat. but it will peel right off the filet.

i find frying fillets with skin tend to curl in the hot oil. may try scoring the skin with a sharp paring knife before breading if this becomes an issue. i do enjoy crispy fried skin on occasion myself.

Thanks for the input! I look forward to trying them now! Ill let you know how things came out.

Well, I thought I'd give a report. The fish-fry went great! I fried probably close to 200 crappie filets (50-75 had skin on) and not one complaint. I noticed my wife was eating one with the skin on and......she never noticed. It was a great time and I was continuously complimented on the fish!! I did most in corn meal and the rest in McCormick's Fish & Chips batter. Lots of compliments on the fish & chips fish!! Of course most of these people had never been to a fry with anything but catfish on the menu, so they weren't expecting the consistently mild flavor of crappie!!

Thanks again!
BSR