The freshwater drum is the only North American freshwater representative of the Sciaenidae family which includes the croakers, corbinas, drums, seatrout, etc. So far, I’ve used this brine on Spanish mackerel, halibut, several species of salmon, and even gaspergou (freshwater drum) with great success, but the best tasting brined and smoked fish ever has been pompano. I'll be writing about anything that causes me to either be happy or somethings that concerns me. Your email address will not be published. The dorsal muscle on the freshwater drum is thick. Once the seasoned fish and veggy mixture is in the pan, or dutch oven, and on the stove top at medium high heat, a can of Italian Spiced tomatoes is adde, and a four oz. 6 lbs goo fish, cut in … For the sweet potatoes: Heat a large skillet over high heat until smoking hot. There is no real theme here. A fish stew made with the goo fish. It was the first full week of May 2014. Find your favorite redfish on the halfshell recipe, and sub freshwater drum for the red drum. Skeletal features of freshwater drums are reinforced skull and unique ear bones, known as otoliths. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. tends to get too hot too soon and when the element isn’t on, there will be no The simplest method of cooking a red drum requires only oil, salt and black pepper. Unusually tough and a little oily as you found out. This is a freshwater drum. finally smoke it. Welcome to my personal blog. Serving Northern Indiana In and Near Kosciusko County. With the lack of fish being caught in the form of crappie, we found ourselves in a small bay that was producing several catfish as well as freshwater drum (sheepshead). R. It sounds like a very Louisiana type of recipe. Apparently, that’s what In Louisiana we are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh seafood. Some people eat them. I have fished all my life. It, instead of flaking, broke apart in chunky pieces that brought me to the brink of vomiting. It’s not a popular eating Add the grapeseed oil … The dorsal muscle on the freshwater drum is thick. Other Names Drum Fish, Gaspergou, Gou, Sheepshead Description Aplodinotus is Greek for "single back", and grunniens is Latin for "grunting", referring to the fact that the species may be observed (or felt) making "grunting" sounds. I'm definitely going to try this now. If so, how do you prepare it? website that you should never freeze them, because the meat tends to get tough. We put … Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). that has two or three tablespoons of cooking oil coating the bottom. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. We breaded our freshwater drum in salt, pepper, and flour; egg; and Andy’s Fish Breading and pan fried it in Wesson oil. A couple The freshwater drum (a.k.a. Do NOT Stir the pot. Freshwater drum have heavy pharyngeal teeth, molar-like grinders in their throat, used to crush clams, mussels, and crayfish. Brined and Smoked Fish Recipe's. It is the main part of the fillet, and the only real usable meat in a drum. you was just curious about this as i caught about 6 of these on a morning outing to the banks around selkirk. smoke, or very little. Soon after that I read on a This mixture is them placed into a pot big enough to hold it. Freshwater drum has a reputation for tasting bad, but that could be the result of its diet in some waters.More likely, though, it is the drum's reputation as a "trash fish"—arguably it is not— and its resemblance to such "rough fish" as carp and suckers with their down-turned mouths and large, rough scales. to dry. The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is a fish endemic to North and Central America.It is the only species in the genus Aplodinotus, and is a member of the family Sciaenidae.It is the only North American member of the group that inhabits freshwater for its entire life. They are fun to catch, but I The small fillet from the drum was not a terrible texture or flavor. Adult drum eat many foods, including insects, mussels, crayfish and small fishes. Ted, thank you for your comment. When we decided that cooking and eating freshwater drum was what we intended to do, it was not without apprehension due to conflicting stories of taste and quality. Bring this mixture to a boil, and then turn the heat back to low low, and slow cook it till the veggies are cooked, and the fish is well done. Required fields are marked *. We use a cast iron dutch oven, or, a big aluminum oval pot. In a bowl, combine the water, salt, honey, rum and lemon juice. Submerge the trout fillets, skin side down, in the brine for about an hour. Freshwater Drum recipie. We filleted the drum in the same manner as any panfish. I am from Texas, Beaumont, Texas to be exact. bit too greasy. It was a very unpleasant fillet, and not one that I’ll eat again. difficult to keep the temperature in the smoker low on warm days. [Re: fwbret/txfishes] #5890005 02/25/11 04:16 PM: Joined: Jan 2005. I took it out in the morning and let it thaw in the sink. also known as Sheepshead and Silver Bass around here. Season the water with shrimp and crab boil, following the instructions on the bottle. Some locals call the freshwater drum white perch. Posted on June 5th, 2020 . and the elements started to glow again, therefore creating new smoke. My favorite drum recipe: Try this Mock Crab Meat dish. The Freshwater Drum is also known as Sheephead in our area. Unfortunately, this allows the smoke to escape, but it lowered the temperature These chopped ingredients are then mixed with the chunks of seasoned fish. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Drums have large eyes, a very high back, with a long dorsal fin with 24 - 32 rays and a rounded caudal fin. It is excellent. We called them Gasper Goo. I don’t have any knowledge of how the local may prepare their freshwater drum. Drum activity peaks in early summer in west Michigan. They can reach weights of over twenty pounds, but drum over five are rare in most places. We put the meat into We had mixed feelings among people when we asked if anyone does any cooking and eating freshwater drum. Posts: 7,341. texas. 4. When we cooked and ate the larger freshwater drum, the meat was very chewy. Texture wise it was like eating a piece of overcooked steak. Cook down until the sauce is thick, and not a soup. They are the only North American fish that inhabits freshwater its entire life. of months ago I made a Freshwater Drum on the bbq. Red drum, also known as redfish, channel bass and red bass, is found in the Atlantic coast of the United States and Gulf of Mexico. We sometimes add two tablespoons of corn starch mixed with cold water, to thicken the sause if it is too thin. So come and visit me sometimes. How to clean and cook a freshwater Drum (sheepshead) - YouTube Any recipe for blackened redfish will be spectacular with drum. These teeth are especially useful in ecosystems where drum are now forced to coexist with invasive zebra mussels—“gous” do their … the fish is subjected to smoke as soon as the wood begins to burn. immediately peeled off the skin and removed the meat from the bones. call it. The smaller freshwater drum fried up completely fine. The drum’s fillets are interesting in that the fish has little belly meat. I left the Freshwater Drum in the smoker This fish is similar to carp. fish. I know a lot of people are skeptical about eating Freshwater Drum. As it says in the header, I want to use this blog to write about things that have nothing to do with my books. the Filipinos living in Winnipeg The small seafood markets are a blessing and offer an opportunity to score the freshest seafood available. I wouldn't want a huge one as these can get quite big. I have another blog. Its mouth is located toward bottom of its face. I still love smoked Goldeye, but the, Memories Caribe Beach Resort, Cayo Coco, Cuba, How to remove a hard drive from your computer. Freshwater Drum Trash Fish Tuesday: Freshwater Drum. A popular game fish, it can be caught with variety of baits. Then I washed Stephen Klobucar While the fog wisped off Kentucky Lake to reveal a rolling, silhouetted landscape, my mind remained socked in a haze. We went to the Cypress Point Resort for a 4-day fishing trip. immediately into the smoker. Summer isn’t Bring to boil enough water to cover the amount of fish you are serving. The meat has firm texture, like its cousin the redfish. It was quite warm yesterday and I discovered it is Yesterday morning I removed the fish, washed it and rubbed the inside and By putting the fish in right at the adjusted the temperature to 200 F and the time for 2 hours. My dad and I were recently fishing at Reelfoot Lake, TN. it again and let it sit in the cool room for another 2 hours to allow the skin I selected 4 freshwater drum to prepare for lunch. So I put this one into the freezer. Distribution and Habitat: Common statewide in medium-sized streams to large rivers and reservoirs.The Freshwater Drum is a bottom-feeder and usually occupies sluggish pools and backwaters of rivers, and deep, open waters of reservoirs. We catch lots of Freshwater Drum in Lockport. Once the fish cools down too much it becomes difficult to do that. The world record made by drum weighs 54 lb 8 oz (24.7 kg) which was caught on Nickajack Lake in Tennessee. The goo fish is the nickname for a freshwater drum; known as a gaspergou or sheepshead. fish cools down too much it becomes difficult to do that. Re: Freshwater Drum Recipes? After it cooled down a bit, my wife Due to the shortage of more conventional fish, we decided cooking and eating freshwater drum was worth a try. I decided to keep one for smoking. Taste was by no means premier. After the fish is cleaned and all the fins removed, it is cut into one to two inch thick sections. Then I took it to my smoker. A particularly useful tactic when fish are scattered and difficult to find, chumming involves spreading fish food -- separate from the bait on your hook -- in the water to attract fish to the general area where you are fishing. For us Big Easy Paleofiles, seafood should be a staple in our diets, particularly local seafood. from now on. I released them all. Then a large yellow onion, or two small white onions, are chopped course, A bell pepper, a stake of cellery, a half a pod of a garlic(chopped fine), a half cup of green onion tops, and a quarter cup of parsely are also chopped. I was running so low... Read Topics. The sentiments expressed of the smallest freshwater drum fillets do not extend towards the larger fish. I hung the fish Except for color, freshwater drum resembles its marine relative the red drum. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. but that one limits me to what I sometimes want to publish, because it is mainly used to promote my books. for eating. Once the Bring to boil enough water to cover the amount of fish you are serving. usually release them again. outside (I removed the scales before I put it into the freezer!) beginning without preheating the smoker, as the instructions tell you to do, I did notice that is was a bit more oily than most fish, but not entirely inedible. the fridge to be consumed today. In It could be political, travel, a hobby, or anything else. for 90 minutes, and then I took it out. We breaded our freshwater drum in salt, pepper, and flour; egg; and Andy’s Fish Breading and pan fried it in Wesson oil. It is the main part of the fillet, and the only real usable meat in a drum. When I make fish chilli, I prefer to use freshwater drum, for the firmness.-Bret if it swims. The freshwater drum, also known as the sheepshead, thunderpumper, bubbler, grinder, white perch (maybe they’d taste better if you called ’em that), gaspergou, goo, croaker, silver bass or grunt, is a deep-bodied silvery fish with a hump-backed appearance and a range extending from the Great Lakes to Guatemala. I'm always on the hunt for goldeye for my smoker as well and i got to thinking on the way back to winnipeg how these fish would be smoked. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. the evening I put it into a covered pan and left it in the fridge overnight. Our plan each year is to eat many of our meals out of the lake… Fish we caught. The freshwater drum is a rounded fish with a small tail and a silvery cast to its scales. I've caught drum on redworms, shad, crayfish, minnows and crickets, and on fishing lures that run the gamut from spinners, spoons and crankbaits to jigs, bladebaits and jerkbaits. Freshwater drum fish, Aplodinotus grunniens, are a native, freshwater fish with the greatest range of any fish in North America. I hope next year isn’t as hard fishing, or we may have to resort to eating Asian Carp! Cut the drum fish steaks to an appropriate serving size. Freshwater Drum Are Easy to Catch Anglers enjoy the thrill of the catch, and freshwater drum can be easily caught with multiple types of lure and a variety of foods. It We serve this "Goo Sauce" over rice. I used Apple wood in my Electric smoker. Cast Iron Black Drum Recipe. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I don’t have any knowledge of how the local may prepare their freshwater drum. The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is a silver-gray color on the sides with a white stomach. Freshwater drum is silvery or gray in turbid waters and in clearer waters, they are more bronze and brown colored. Chumming is a common practice among saltwater fishermen, but considerably less so among freshwater anglers in the United States. Their mouths point down. The fish is seasoned with salt, red and black pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, and Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce. It was not until I moved to Louisiana that I learned how to cook "Goo". It is really good in a tomatoe sauce. It tasted okay, but it was a It seems Freshwater Drum will be on my menu Enter your email address to subscribe to Handy Father and receive notifications of new posts by email. Even so, drum is underrated when it comes to its reputation as a table fish. When the Most of the attendants at the resort said, “some people eat it”. Recently I heard a new term: Manitoba Tilapia. Drum fish is baked at a medium heat to retain the moisture found in the meat. Growing up I caught fresh water drum often. watch on the smoker. It is a large, round-profiled, silver humpbacked fish. Cooking and eating freshwater drum certainly won’t be on our menu again…, Sounds like you over-cooked the larger ones and/or let them get cold. Your email address will not be published. but the small ones i was catching today would have been perfect. I left the Freshwater Drum in the smoker for 90 minutes, and then I took it out. The winds were high and we had difficulty catching the crappie we wanted. Mix together 1/2 a cup of French dressing, two tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. temperature reached 200 F I opened the door to cool down the inside. this will prevent the fish from sticking to the bottom. The pot should be shaken from side to side, not stirred. Typically, drum weighs 2.3–6.8 kg (5–15 lb). with garlic Many baits entice them. My mother said "Goo" was good baked, so when I caught one, or two, that was how she would prepare it, baked with a bit of butter and seasoned with black pepper and salt. Adult freshwater drum fish have quite the appetite and a varied diet that can include crayfish, insects, mussels, and small fish. Freshwater Drum (Sheepshead) Also known as sheepshead, the freshwater drum is known for the rumbling and grunting sounds the males make to attract mates. After all, we caught 10 of them one morning, and they averaged 12-16″ per fish. The day before yesterday I decided to can of tomatoe sause. I must tell you though that if you prepare fresh Drum and follow this simple recipe you will be amazed at how good this fish tastes. Red drum can be cooked on the stove, in the oven or in the broiler. Ingredients. I normally keep smaller Drum under 6 lb. This will take about 45 minutes. A while ago I caught a Freshwater Drum, Set the drum fish in a shallow baking pan. powder and coarse salt. I Stir to dissolve. sheephead) provides a nice way to fill the weeks before salmon start congregating near river mouths for their annual spawning run. I added new wood chips every 30 minutes. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Do you? really the best time to smoke fish (or anything else) in an electric smoker. I kept close I have cooked drum too. They are tough fighters on the line, and according to … After it cooled down a bit, my wife immediately peeled off the skin and removed the meat from the bones. I left it in a cool room for 2 1/2 hours. Freshwater Drum Like a Wide Variety of Baits and Lures. I’d definitely be willing to give it a try, and maybe even update this article with the results… If I can talk dad into keeping some drum again. Freshwater Drum are able to make curious croaking noises.