NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => Recipes => Topic started by: Northern Boy on August 25, 2008, 12:22:08 PM

Title: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on August 25, 2008, 12:22:08 PM
What do you reckon folks? I have to say I've only eaten most of them once or twice, but the Chinas were definitely the best, followed by grassies.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Metalhead on August 25, 2008, 12:49:44 PM
I like the Blacks for Fish 'N Chips but my favorite is Ling. Was that considered "other"?
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: sharky on August 25, 2008, 01:52:24 PM
I voted another for Quillback, to me they tasted like lobster, but my days of retaining them are now over after finding out that they live to 95 yrs old at 2 ft. I dont want to eat a fish with a century's worth of toxic buildup, not to mention respect for a fish that has survived longer than myself in the cold murky depths of the Cali coast.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on August 25, 2008, 02:38:05 PM
I like the Blacks for Fish 'N Chips but my favorite is Ling. Was that considered "other"?

Lets keep this Sebastes only. At least until I've tried Cabezon!
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on August 26, 2008, 08:31:01 AM
So I should be focusing my fishing efforts on Vermilion then!?
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Eric B on August 26, 2008, 10:16:25 AM
I wish I could help, but I'm still figuring it out myself.  I will say my favorite so far are cabezones, with lings a close second.

I've heard that verms are not the best, but have not verified it. 

There was a grass I ate that was nasty, but it could have been my cooking.  Had great luck with blues and blacks.

Some say size comes into play too...  smaller being tastier.  But I suspect it's more to do with how you cook it, and getting it on ice asap, etc.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: HDRich on August 26, 2008, 10:27:26 AM
I prefer smaller lings, the big boys tend to get wormie..... :smt011

Rich
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: PISCEAN on August 26, 2008, 04:11:39 PM
I think they are all pretty yummy.
Cabs have a distinct texture, very fine grained.
Blacks & Blues are quite good.
I've had good and bad Verms. I read in a few places that Vermilion fillets don't hold up to freezing well, so I try & eat them fresh. The ones I've frozen seem just fine though.

I did notice that in the last few years the table quality of the fish I catch has greatly improved. I used to just toss 'em in the tankwell in a clip. A few hours sitting like that, even with splshes of water, and the meat quality deteriorates.
Now I put them in a heavy burlap coffee sack, liberally doused with water until I'm back at the truck, where they go into a ratty old duct taped ice chest, the Fishcooler, with ice. With this system, even fish that are 3-5 hours old rarely have rigor, and the meat is cold when I fillet 'em.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: e2g on August 26, 2008, 05:09:55 PM
My chinese grocer says gophers are the best steamed.

My japanese barber says blues are the best eating of the bunch.

my WASP buddy says vermillion are the best.

I find that if you keep them cool, get them in a cooler as soon as you can, most are great to eat.  I tend to like Olives as they fight well and yield a nice fillet for their size.  For the same reason gophers, chinas, coppers need to be large if Im in a fillet mood but generally use them whole if I keep them at all.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: polepole on August 26, 2008, 06:16:55 PM
Yelloweye!!

-Allen
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Bushy on August 26, 2008, 08:29:37 PM
I voted for gopher
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Hojoman on August 27, 2008, 12:23:21 PM
I like whatever anybody cooks for me. I can't cook. OK. I chose black RF.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: bsteves on August 27, 2008, 01:28:48 PM
Yelloweye!!

-Allen

I have to agree with you Allen.  My Chinese in-laws tend to believe that the rarer and harder to obtain something is, the better it must taste (bird's nests, shark fins, abalone, rare mushrooms, etc...)  At least any fancy Chinese celebration/banquet I've been to, that's been the case.  Therefore, yelloweyes and canaries must taste better than must other rockfish and cowcod must be the ultimate in rockfish cuisine.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Great Bass 2 on August 27, 2008, 08:55:39 PM
I think the choice depends on how it is prepared.

Steamed Whole Chinese Style - Blue, Black, Olive, china

Deep Fried Fish Tacos - Cabezon, Vermillion, Ling

Ciopino - vermillion, ling

Smoked - cabezon

Grilled - Blue, Black, Olive,

Braised - Any

I am going to break tradition here, but from an eating perspective, blues and blacks rule. From an angling perspective, lings and verms rule, IMHO.  :smt005 The best all around fish is the olive - fights like a SMB, is easy to fillet and tastes almost as good as a blue/black.

Scott
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Tote on August 27, 2008, 11:59:10 PM
Freddie refuses to eat Olives!!!!!!
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: ScottThornley on August 29, 2008, 03:44:44 PM
Yelloweye!!

-Allen

Yep.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on September 08, 2008, 10:44:49 AM
I voted for gopher

shenanigans! No-one has voted for the poor gopher. :smt009
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: bsteves on September 08, 2008, 11:03:15 AM
I voted for gopher

shenanigans! No-one has voted for the poor gopher. :smt009

Not true... the actor that played "Gopher" from the love boat, Fred Grandy, was elected to 8 years in the US House of Reps from Iowa.  He later lost a bid for the governor of Iowa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Grandy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Grandy)


Oh.. I see, you meant in this poll.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Nawm on September 08, 2008, 04:34:45 PM
For me, Verms are nice because they provide big filets; for the same reason I like the lings.  I think Blues are okay, but get mushy if you don't ice them quickly.  All the smaller fish provide nice fish fry material, even the often maligned Gopher. 

If you could keep more than two greenling, I would vote for them as well.  The very fine texture and nice taste of them makes them a winner for me.  I think they match up in quality and texture to a good sole filet. 

It's all good really........   :smt003
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Gue on October 22, 2008, 03:48:59 PM

     Olives for me.... good fight ....easy fillet... great for fish and chips.

Gue
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: & on October 24, 2008, 10:58:00 AM
the rarer and harder to obtain something is, the better it must taste

Then rhino bisque must resemble sweet ambrosia.  I really liked verms, but got into some large blacks at Elk that were really tasty.  Good firm fillets with sweet flesh, they were a big hit all around.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: SteveS doesn't kayak anymore on October 24, 2008, 11:48:43 AM
Verm!

The marinades

Sesame oil, ginger, tiny bit o'garlic, red pepper, soy - grilled with rice and nori - YUM

Olive Oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, tequila - grilled in tacos- Double YUM
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: mickfish on October 24, 2008, 07:40:31 PM
Quote
grilled with rice and nori - YUM
How do you keep the rice from falling through the grill??? :smt003
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: SteveS doesn't kayak anymore on October 27, 2008, 04:34:23 PM
i'm very careful about placing the grains on the grill and use tweezers to turn each and every grain
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: mickfish on October 28, 2008, 01:57:37 PM
So I guess BBQ Beans are no challange :smt002
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: ocean_314 on January 25, 2009, 08:53:32 AM
Blacks, Blues, Olives, China and Black and Yellows for baking with no fat. Lings and Cabs for frying. Reds are so so tasting.
Striped perch bake nicely.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: EWB on January 25, 2009, 04:05:30 PM
You guys are making me hungry......tick tock tick tock - when does RF season open :smt007
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: PJ on January 26, 2009, 07:20:03 PM

     Olives for me.... good fight ....easy fillet... great for fish and chips.

Gue

I've eaten miles of all of them & I say it's the OLIVES by far!  Their meat is the cleanest (least amount of brown meat on them).  They're very meaty for their size & they just seem to have the most mild, halibut like taste.

P.J.

Went be a local waterfront fish market & saw a sign saying "Whole Fish For Frying".  I had to take a closer look & guess what it was???  A pile of Gophers!!!!
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: peteb on January 27, 2009, 11:50:54 AM
Surprising not more people have stood up for the greenling.  Greenling, cabbies and lings (small only, since over about 8 lbs they get wormy) have similar fine-textured, small-grained, FIRM white flesh.  Bottom line is, if you cant slice it up on the beach and sashimi it, it's not a good eating fish!  That is my bottom line.  So if you have to disguise it, ie. deep-fry the thing (ex with blues) or drown it in tartar sauce, then it probably wasn't too awesome to begin with.  I remember sashimi-ing up a WHOLE ling with a Japanese friend a couple of years ago and almost finishing it off watching the sunset.  Too good.

Anyone ever try sashimi perch?  (no? there is a reason) When I lived in Japan I once tried a little sashimi CARP!  (don't ask....)
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on January 27, 2009, 12:55:53 PM
Surprising not more people have stood up for the greenling.  Greenling, cabbies and lings (small only, since over about 8 lbs they get wormy) have similar fine-textured, small-grained, FIRM white flesh.  Bottom line is, if you cant slice it up on the beach and sashimi it, it's not a good eating fish!  That is my bottom line.  So if you have to disguise it, ie. deep-fry the thing (ex with blues) or drown it in tartar sauce, then it probably wasn't too awesome to begin with.  I remember sashimi-ing up a WHOLE ling with a Japanese friend a couple of years ago and almost finishing it off watching the sunset.  Too good.

Anyone ever try sashimi perch?  (no? there is a reason) When I lived in Japan I once tried a little sashimi CARP!  (don't ask....)

I've found way too many worms in rockfish to be comfortable with sashimi!
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: e2g on January 27, 2009, 01:19:24 PM

Anyone ever try sashimi perch?  (no? there is a reason) When I lived in Japan I once tried a little sashimi CARP!  (don't ask....)

an old Phillipino friend, actually as he put it a Mexipino, ate barred perch raw all the time and never seemed any worse for it. 

and I agree, greenlings are great.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: ocean_314 on January 27, 2009, 08:24:54 PM
Raw abalone is really good.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: peteb on January 28, 2009, 03:41:05 PM
Northern Boy you are probably right about the worms.  OK, I meant from a pure taste perspective.

Anytime we say a fish is best for deep frying or smoking or sweet-and-sour, it probably means it's a shitty eating fish.  You are admitting the flavor needs to be cranked up by adding fat or strong flavor.  If you would happily broil the thing and just have it with a little lemon, minimal flavor added, it means its probably pretty tasty.  That is where greenlings, cab and lings rule.  I think sturgeon is a fish that is tasty on its own or smoked so that's an exception.  IMHO!

Would you smoke a halibut?  aha...   
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on January 28, 2009, 05:05:14 PM
Northern Boy you are probably right about the worms.  OK, I meant from a pure taste perspective.

Anytime we say a fish is best for deep frying or smoking or sweet-and-sour, it probably means it's a shitty eating fish.  You are admitting the flavor needs to be cranked up by adding fat or strong flavor.  If you would happily broil the thing and just have it with a little lemon, minimal flavor added, it means its probably pretty tasty.  That is where greenlings, cab and lings rule.  I think sturgeon is a fish that is tasty on its own or smoked so that's an exception.  IMHO!

Would you smoke a halibut?  aha...   


I see, you're saying greenlings taste great just broiled  w/lemon?
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Bushy on January 29, 2009, 07:49:21 AM
Northern Boy you are probably right about the worms.  OK, I meant from a pure taste perspective.

Anytime we say a fish is best for deep frying or smoking or sweet-and-sour, it probably means it's a shitty eating fish.  You are admitting the flavor needs to be cranked up by adding fat or strong flavor.
 

Pete I'm working up a resentment here with your comments about deep frying. Despite BLOTY aspirations, I am hooked on the fish and chips concept. A bland fish tastes better deep fried, and a tasty fish even tastier deep fried.

Please refrain from dissing my italian bread crumb/deep fried rockfish (or halibut, or salmon, or ling cod etc)

2d favorite for me?  Wrapping it up in bacon then dredging in BBQ sauce berore grilling.  Wish I had cooked my sturgeon that way.  haha

Allen

Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: peteb on January 29, 2009, 09:11:40 AM
Sorry Allen.  I know these things get emotional!  I love deep-fried fish.  Halibut and salmon are great as fish and chips.  That is not my point.  The point is, if that is the ONLY way you can eat a fish, if you would not just lightly pan fry it, but you really need to dunk it in BBQ sauce or deep fry, then it probably ain't as tasty as one that you would!  No harm meant...
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Sin Coast on January 29, 2009, 02:14:36 PM
Last week I made greenling piccata w/capers. Fan-friggin-tastic!
BTW: I voted for grass RF. It's all about what they eat and where they live.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: PJ on January 30, 2009, 07:00:47 PM

Anyone ever try sashimi perch?  (no? there is a reason) When I lived in Japan I once tried a little sashimi CARP!  (don't ask....)

an old Phillipino friend, actually as he put it a Mexipino, ate barred perch raw all the time and never seemed any worse for it. 


THAT....is freakin' gnarly!!!  Raw Perch???  I love Sushi as much as the next Volvo-Driving-Latte-Sipping-Santa-Monica-Hangin'-Liberal but I gots to draw the line somewheres!!!

PJ
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: LoletaEric on January 30, 2009, 08:54:11 PM
I too take exception to the deep frying diss, Pete.  I don't eat "shitty tasting fish".  :smt002  I love deep frying because of the crispy coating, and the milder the fish the better.  Some may see that as a waste, but I deep fry the very freshest as well as freezer fish.  Yum!   :smt007

If you're hanging on the beach for the day or camping out you can cook fish or ab or even spam however you want to and it'll taste great - it's the sun, the exercise, the beer, the Good Times that influence the taste out there. 

Don't get me wrong, I love a lightly spiced fresh ling filet with some rice, veggies and wine, I just like deep frying and swilling beer better!   :smt003
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Northern Boy on January 31, 2009, 08:20:23 AM

Don't get me wrong, I love a lightly spiced fresh ling filet with some rice, veggies and wine, I just like deep frying and swilling beer better!   :smt003

I have to side with Peteb, even if he kicked me out of the Brotherhood of Pokepolers.

I think his point is; would you love a lightly spiced perch filet with some rice, veggies and wine?

I wouldn't call rockfish or perch "shitty", but I think his point is they can't "stand up on their own", they need to be deep fried or cooked in some way that "helps". We've tried rockfish in a variety of dishes and it hasn't really been good unless it's been deep fried or grilled and put in taco's. It's not bad, it's just a little bland. Vermilion might be an exception. Halibut or tuna taco's would be a waste no?
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Metalhead on January 31, 2009, 11:10:37 AM
I once had a GF/Significant Other whose ex was pretty wealthy. She made Lobster Tacos and I couldn't see that I was going to be able to support her in the wasteful manner to which she had previously been accustomed.
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: peteb on January 31, 2009, 07:00:42 PM
That is it, Northern Man. 

Deep frying makes a great fish better, I think we all agree.  So let's agree to agree.  Actually, a great recipe for some of the less-firm rockfish species is baking the fillets in a casserole dish with tomatoes, onion, garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, olive oil and white wine.  Absolutely killer.  Maybe I should share my late father's recipe for killer rockfish chowder too.  I love rockies; there are just some I love best. 

BTW, the Pokepole Brotherhood welcomes you back at any time, except we just learned we bet the Brotherhood's retirement fund on BBB syndicated sub-prime swaptions, and well, we're living on fish for a while.  Seriously now.   And I also never picked up my free poke-pole....
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Bushy on January 31, 2009, 10:13:03 PM
If I get a rockfish fillet that is thick enough, I like to throw it on top of veggies in the steamer for the last 5 minutes or so.  Then eat it all on top of rice with just a few splashes of soy sauce. 

I think that's the purest way I eat rockfish.

allen

ps  I really want to eat some rockfish now.
Title: First Time with Perch
Post by: & on October 16, 2017, 01:24:07 PM
Friend gifted me some perch freshly caught off of a nearby beach.  I grilled it whole after evisceration.  Sad to say the best part was the eyeballs, it was all downhill after that!  Very soft texture.  Would have to be fried or something in order to make it table fare.

Like, steaming would be out of the question, too mushy, right?
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: BigJim on October 16, 2017, 01:34:21 PM
Perch ceviche is meant to be good...

I don't shoot em usually....but sometimes the big rubberlips are hard to resist.  :smt002 :smt005
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Tsuri on October 16, 2017, 10:39:20 PM
Whoa thread from the dark ages ...

Ok I'll play, grassies and verms are the best sebasts and for "others" gotta love the ling's and olives.


Not sure why the perch talk but perch ceviche​ can't taste as bad as cooked perch so I'm going to give that a try. If you have to deep fry it do so for a loooong time until that mushy flesh is gone and your left with just with the crispy fins and bones (tastes great if your starving and have beer to wash it down [emoji1]).
Title: Re: Best Tasting Rockfish?
Post by: Spring45 on October 17, 2017, 06:51:16 AM
Whoa thread from the dark ages ...

Ok I'll play, grassies and verms are the best sebasts and for "others" gotta love the ling's and olives.


Not sure why the perch talk but perch ceviche​ can't taste as bad as cooked perch so I'm going to give that a try. If you have to deep fry it do so for a loooong time until that mushy flesh is gone and your left with just with the crispy fins and bones (tastes great if your starving and have beer to wash it down [emoji1]).

I, personally, have to say China. For an ugly fish, it isn’t so bad with tamarind soup base, bok choy and some taro.
Jeff