Fried Crappie Roe

I have heard of folks eating and I've even been asked to save the roe when cleaning fish for folks. I'm a daring fellow and our crappie here in Arkansas are already bloated with eggs. So, I saved some roe the other day and tried it (when filleting, keep the roe sack whole and in tact).

IT IS GOOD!!!

I just rolled it in self-rising white cornmeal and dropped them is 375 degree oil (careful, they did make the oil pop some), pulled them out about 45-60 seconds later. The color changed from bright orange to a light golden brown. The consistency firmed and looked genuinely appetizing. To me, it tasted like salty egg yolks with a crispy cornmeal breading.

I will definitely be serving this a crappie camp.

We have always saved the roe. Typically we consider it a delica-c. It usually is done before the fillets so it becomes the appe-teaser. Good stuff. When I was a kid my dad would mix it in with the scrambled eggs, for breakfast.

I remember my grandpa frying fish roe when I was a kid. At the ripe old age of 9, I used to think it was pretty gross . . . . at the young age of 39, the verdict is still out! I'm sure that you do an awesome job of cooking it though!

Errr Ummm - you want me to save you mine:p

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Originally Posted by Darryl Morris

I have heard of folks eating and I've even been asked to save the roe when cleaning fish for folks. I'm a daring fellow and our crappie here in Arkansas are already bloated with eggs. So, I saved some roe the other day and tried it (when filleting, keep the roe sack whole and in tact).

IT IS GOOD!!!

I just rolled it in self-rising white cornmeal and dropped them is 375 degree oil (careful, they did make the oil pop some), pulled them out about 45-60 seconds later. The color changed from bright orange to a light golden brown. The consistency firmed and looked genuinely appetizing. To me, it tasted like salty egg yolks with a crispy cornmeal breading.

I will definitely be serving this at crappie camp.

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Yes Darryl ... they are pretty good that way !! And PLEASE be sure the egg sac is intact, before placing them in the skillet or fryer !! Them little single eggs will pop like popcorn and splatter grease everywhere ... not a pretty scenario when frying them on an open fire, or deep fry outfit (open flame type) -- and the grease will burn your hide, too :eek: ... LOL!! (been there ....) .......... cp :cool:

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Originally Posted by J White

Errr Ummm - you want me to save you mine:p

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Absolutely!!! I'm going to try them Stumpbumpers way with scrambled eggs. If it is as good as what I had yesterday, breakfast will be even more my favorite meal.

Everyone, I know, it sounds gross and looks gross when first dressed, but if you can at all put your food animosities in check and try it, I know you'll like it. It's just fish eggs. Most of us eat chicken eggs everyday. It's really no different.

I haven't had anyone turn them down when they were cooked and most of them now save their own fish's eggs. I'll eat bass eggs, bream eggs, shell cracker eggs, white perch eggs, and any other fish I'll fillet... ...I'll eat their eggs... mak'n me salivate just think'n 'bout it.

Eggs, eggs, good for your heart. The more you eat .............

my grandmother would cook them hell for years i didnt know others didnt eat them ill still cook them up from time to time brings back old times

btw she fished tilll 3 days befor she died at 97 and could out fish most of us too

Alan

I've heard that the roe out of a gar is poisonous. Is that true or just an old wife's tale?

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Originally Posted by IBNFSHN

I've heard that the roe out of a gar is poisonous. Is that true or just an old wife's tale?

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I've never eaten it, but have used it as bait for bream when I can find it...they love it.

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Originally Posted by IBNFSHN

I've heard that the roe out of a gar is poisonous. Is that true or just an old wife's tale?

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they are, in fact, quite toxic !!
http://myfwc.com/Fishing/Fishes/gar.html ........ cp

Try mixing the roe in with your hushpuppy batter !! MMMMmmm really good !

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Originally Posted by tonyjohn

Try mixing the roe in with your hushpuppy batter !! MMMMmmm really good !

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Just follow the same etiquette as with deer meat...make sure you let the guests know what they are eating.

Garfish roe is poisonous to humans. I have tried to convince some that the meat was also poisonous and that it should be turned over to me for proper disposal but I have had no takers on the offer.:D

I know a cajun way down on south LA and he says he likes gar about 30 pounds and something about cooking the straps or tenederloins, etc? Know what I'm referring to?

I add seasoning salt to everything I fry. It adds alot to the flavor. Try it!

I've got a few recipes for Gar but haven't tried it yet...keep saying the next one I catch is gonna get eaten but always chicken out when he's looking at me from beside the boat.

About that roe eating, I tried some catfish roe once, they were too big and started exploding all over the patio lol I'll take ya'lls word for it on the taste.

We have ALWAYS ate Crappie , Bream and ShellCraker Eggs ,,,,the rest Mama always said were too "strong" ... also a TIP to help from the Grease POPING so bad when deep frying the eggs , Take a Fork & poke the egg sac , a couple times, leaving it in tack BUT putting holes in it,,, also we cook the eggs AFTER the frys , so the Oil has cooled down to around 250 degrees , this way the Oil is not near as hot & the mosture inside the eggs can get out though the holes without exploding all at once , works ALMOSt everytime !!!

SO Glad I aint the ONLY Redneck that LOVES Crappies Eggs , we ate em & love em with Fish ,, NEVER had them mixed with Scrambled eggs for breakfast BUT have heard of others doing this & I Think Mama said My Grandaddy ate em that way & he also Ate Carp eggs mixed with scrambled eggs for breakfast ,, I do do that either lol ,, btw he also ate Possum hehhee

I've never eaten them but my mama would rather have that than the meat of the fish!!! I'm going to try them soon.

I tried again a few years ago, and like before, i thought it was too fishy. those 10-12 in craps are so mild, they just spoil a person...I will have to try again.

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Originally Posted by gabulldog

my grandmother would cook them hell for years i didnt know others didnt eat them ill still cook them up from time to time brings back old times

btw she fished tilll 3 days befor she died at 97 and could out fish most of us too

Alan

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You have such fantastic memories that no one can ever take from you!

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Originally Posted by sac-a-lait

I know a cajun way down on south LA and he says he likes gar about 30 pounds and something about cooking the straps or tenederloins, etc? Know what I'm referring to?

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So to start with you take a Machete cut the last 1/3 off the blade, reshape and sharpen. When I Gar fished as a teenager we caught huge Gar on Lake Hermitage at the Camp of some New Orleans Firefighters. They had a pier at the mouth of the bayou feeding into the Lake. Well we would pull them up on the dock and after dying we would clean them by chopping from the rear dorsal fin forward to the head plate. Then you cut from the underside down from the head plate past the lower 1/3rd of the fish. Taking a long fillet knife you go down the backbone to the horizontal vertebra then out to the skin. Again starting at the top cut skin the tenderloin down to the horizontal cut to skin. Now the tenderloin can be cut out.

To cook, slice the tenderloin in 1/4 inch slices top to bottom. Don't worry about the leaders your looking at and cutting thru, continue to slice up till you have what you want to cook. Lay the slices out flat and first season with Tony's then flour with AP well pressing into the coating. Using black iron (I use a Dutch Oven due to splattering here) melt bacon grease and fry the slices brown, brown, brown, almost toasting the flour. The leaders tenderize in this process. Remove your cooked slices to drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven. Now using the same pan leaving all the drippings inside, make a brown roux with butter & AP flour, Add thin sliced onions, pressed garlic, and dried Thyme leaves to the roux and cook till soft. Add chicken stock till a gravy is formed then season. If you season before adding the chicken stock it may be too salty. lastly cook some long grain rice. To plate - first is a layer of the rice, then a layer of the fried Gar, finishing with your gravy over the top. I also top mine with fresh parsley & diced boiled eggs. And yes, I have Web Feet from growing up in New Orleans.

I think you could cook an oak board and make it delicious

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

I think you could cook an oak board and make it delicious

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Too funny. I think we ate the Louisiana State record Alligator Gar. I didn't think of stuff like that back then. It was over 7ft long, two of us could not lift it. While skinning it, it was swimming under my blade on the pier. They keep moving long after dispatched. Creeps my wife out when I'm cleaning Alligators because the tail fillet will be moving on the cutting board in the kitchen while slicing it up fresh.

They are definitely survivors

gar eggs , not good , just saying , gar balls , really good , just saying .....:Rofl
gar eggs are known to be poisonous, of course no clue here ,but it seems like a bad idea from what I have heard and read