# Cooking steelhead?



## Grand River Rat (Feb 18, 2011)

How you guys cooking them?I like them smoked.I dont care for them fried.I may just start tossing them back :yikes:


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## JasonCarp (May 9, 2005)

Try them with olive oil and some seasoning brushed on top. Look for fish rubs in the spice aisle. Plenty of good ones.


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## KLD (Jan 10, 2011)

Grand River Rat said:


> How you guys cooking them?I like them smoked.I dont care for them fried.I may just start tossing them back :yikes:


Cook them on the gril with the skin on and brush with butter and sprinkle with lowerys salt and some italian spices, this is the way we like it best. no need to flip while cooking. My wife asks to have them done this way. Try it and see what you think.
Hope this helps. Time to head out!!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tsr770 (Mar 3, 2010)

I like them smoked for snacking, etc.. but if I am doing a family dinner, wrap a skin-on fillet in heavy duty aluminum foil with a light coating of italian dressing on it. On the grill at lower temps till its flaky.. on mine its usually a good half hour. You get the not too strong trout taste mixed with the sweet and herbs of the italian dressing. Even my picky 13 year old daughter loves it, only fish she will eat.


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## earl (Sep 7, 2007)

olive oil and seasoning (you pick) or marinade to taste (kids and wife like sesame or honey teriyaki), hot grill, flip it one time (no foil).

Use it just like a chicken breast in a sandwich, or on a mix of rice and vegi's, or some pasta. Simple and quick...


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## RDS-1025 (Dec 1, 2008)

earl said:


> olive oil and seasoning (you pick) or marinade to taste (kids and wife like sesame or honey teriyaki), hot grill, flip it one time (no foil).
> 
> Use it just like a chicken breast in a sandwich, or on a mix of rice and vegi's, or some pasta. Simple and quick...


 
By removing the skin, and all the dark, greasy, nasty, contaminated meat that goes with it, the fish itself is very good on the grill like this.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

I smoke a few year, besides that though I just toss them back. Not the tastiest of fish, esspecially after they have been in ther river for a while.


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## Grand River Rat (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks I will try cooking them like stated above.I bet they will be much better than just frying.

I plan on releasing most of the fish from here on out though.I like catching them more than eating them.I have on warts and tots ready


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## browningabolt (Jan 17, 2007)

Place fillets in pan skin side down. In a seperate pan add 1/2c. soy sauce, 1/2 stick of butter, and 1tbs. of lemon juice. then melt and stir often because the butter will seperate from soy. once melted stir and pure over fillets and marinate for 1/2 hr. place in oven at 350 for 25 min. and enjoy. This is the bomb. Enjoy!


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## optimax115 (Feb 26, 2010)

Grand river rat,

Steelhead are a fatty fish to start, so using a cooking technique (frying) that puts more fat in the fillets is not always good. A cooking method that allows fat and oils to drain away may serve your tastes better. On the grill as stated above is exellent, and so is broiled in an oven. As far as seasonings, go with what you like. Big fatty flavors are hard to cover up, so stronger more bold flavor blends will be good too. Also smaller fish (skippers) will always taste better no matter the cooking method.

Hope this helps, good luck.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Nice fresh Dec 6lber, bled, filleted to perfection, sliced thin, wasabi and soy, why cook?


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## Boozer (Sep 5, 2010)

Smoked or grilled...

I like to put some olive oil on them and sprinkle with seasoning, then grill, typically throw a few wood chips on the charcoal to add a bit of extra flavor...

Steelhead is OK, certainly not my favorite fish...


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## Carpmaster (Apr 1, 2004)

earl said:


> olive oil and seasoning (you pick) or marinade to taste (kids and wife like sesame or honey teriyaki), hot grill, flip it one time (no foil).
> 
> Use it just like a chicken breast in a sandwich, or on a mix of rice and vegi's, or some pasta. Simple and quick...


Exactly! Skin and mudvein comes off. We do them that way alot. Even getting away from the oil..... Montreal Steak Seasoning is a good one to go with...

Another favorite in my house is to grill on very high flame for a few minutes on each side seasoned with garlic powder and season salt. Remove from grill, place in baking dish, brush with a good BBQ sauce and bake 10 minutes or so @ 400. Yummy!


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## Big Brown (Sep 18, 2007)

Smoke em':evilsmile


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## Master Blaster (Jul 28, 2009)

Tried to smoke them once. They are hard to keep lit.
Been pan frying salmonoids lately, blackened Louisiana style. remove skin and bones(with tweezers). uu-wee! Jamacain jerk also works.


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## Carpmaster (Apr 1, 2004)

Master Blaster said:


> Tried to smoke them once. They are hard to keep lit.
> . remove skin and bones(*with tweezers*). .


Knife is quicker....


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

browningabolt said:


> Place fillets in pan skin side down. In a seperate pan add 1/2c. soy sauce, 1/2 stick of butter, and 1tbs. of lemon juice. then melt and stir often because the butter will seperate from soy. once melted stir and pure over fillets and marinate for 1/2 hr. place in oven at 350 for 25 min. and enjoy. This is the bomb. Enjoy!


 I've done similar a few times. Usually sautee up some onions in the butter, then add the soy (or worsteshire, or wine), bring it to a simmer, then add the fish. I keep it covered while cooking the fish, remove the fish to a plate, then thicken the sauce a little. VERY good.


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## Drisc13 (May 6, 2009)

whatever you do, you can soak the fillets overnight in milk or orange juice. the acid in the liquid helps with the oil. skip this step if you prefer the stronger taste (i don't)

great source of Omega-3


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## Stealheadslayer (Dec 28, 2009)

riverman said:


> Nice fresh Dec 6lber, bled, filleted to perfection, sliced thin, wasabi and soy, why cook?


mmm:corkysm55

Another way I like it is to pan sear (spelling?) it like an ahi tuna steak. You take the front thicker portion of the fillet rub it down with olive oil and your seasoning of choice. THen sear it for about 2 min on each side (no longer). Then in a bowl mix 4 oz of creme' fraiche or sour cream with 1 TLB spoon of mustard, 1 TBL spoon of honey, some chopped dill and add lawreys seasoning salt to taste. Mix that together with a whisk until it nice and smooth. Put a glob of that mixure on you fillet....you'll want to hug me later


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## jrv (Nov 11, 2008)

Carpmaster said:


> Montreal Steak Seasoning is a good one to go with...
> Yummy!



Montreal Steak Seasoning on steelhead and salmon grilled, or under the broiler is my favorite. There also is a old Field and Stream mag that has a recipe for fish jerky; it's awesome for steelhead.


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## bankerman (Oct 5, 2006)

Y'all have me hungry. Grillin' or broilin' is the way to go with steelies. Season them with your favorite, tasty/spicy stuff.

All time favorite: Fillet and skin a nice steelie. Grill and flip once. Serve with a medium to spicy salsa on top. Cannot beat it. Can't. Margarita and xtra shot of tekillya. Deeelish.


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## Flyfisher (Oct 1, 2002)

quest32a said:


> I smoke a few year, besides that though I just toss them back. Not the tastiest of fish, especially after they have been in ther river for a while.


I have to agree and kill a few every fall for the smaker but let the rest go. Maybe its a good thing they don't taste as good as walleye or perch


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## Flyfisher (Oct 1, 2002)

riverman said:


> Nice fresh Dec 6lber, bled, filleted to perfection, sliced thin, wasabi and soy, *why cook*?


Parasites? Worms?


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Flyfisher said:


> Parasites? Worms?




I've had Steelhead sashimi, and it was great. However, I later learned that sushi and sashimi only use saltwater fish, due to dangerous parasites potentially being in freshwater fish. 

I mostly smoke Steelhead - for friends. For dinner I much prefer Walleye.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

Flyfisher said:


> Parasites? Worms?


My friends Jack, Dewers, Labatts, and Brandy take care of them!!!! Honestly, life to me would be boring as hell if I didn't live on the edge sometimes and I have done some pretty crazy things through the years. Maybe someday that belief will get me, but it hasn't happened yet. Sitting here nursing some broken ribs after falling on some ice a week ago doing a winter overnight out of the driftboat. Let me tell you, rowing a driftboat with broken ribs IS NO FUN. Thank god for Vicoden.


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## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

Try a fish boil. We do one every winter. It is easy and delicious. Google "fish boil" and a bunch of good recipes come up. Keep it simple and use real butter for the dipping sauce. Also, trim that meat up good, no dark fatty tissue left on the chunks. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.


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## oxdog66 (Mar 8, 2011)

I live where there are no steelhead but plenty of gills so smoke them and then swap me for gills!!!! I love them smoked and we drive two hours and come back with one if were lucky  o how they are so tastey smoked mMmmmmmmm
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

Ill pat the fillet down with Montreal Seasoning, paste gut side with mayo, and grill.......damn good!

Marc


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