Smelt?

[THUMPERRRR]

brined an smoked...
MMMMMMmmmmmm...

[Meat Hunter]

Fry em up. The are delicious and not overly fishy tasting at all. We used to have one helluva smelt run here in Mn up in Duluth. The Lester river would literally be overflowing with em in 70's and early 80's, but them days are sadly no more. Be lucky to catch a 5 gallon bucket of em in 2 days. They are actually considered an invasive species and over the years, the trout/salmon population has been eating good, thus driving the numbers down. Used to be one helluva a party up there at nights netting them

I know they can be smoked as well and have heard they are quite tasty that way too, but have never done it myself or had em smoked.

[IrishChef]

Pick up a couple boxes of Don's Chuckwagon onion ring mix. Use one for a dredge, and one to make beer batter. Batter and deepfry whole. The bones break down from the heat, and won't be an issue. Bonus, you can make some awesome O-rings and beer battered veggies while you are at it

[Bearcarver]

Jeanie,
I used to go Ice Fishing with my Dad, when I was a kid, and we caught Smelts one after another at Fairview Lake, in Pike County, PA. I don't know about smoking, but they are Awesome fried. Some people eat the whole fish, head, guts & all, but we cut the heads off, gutted them, and fried them like that, with the bones, like Sardines.

Note: We didn't have a smoker 50 years ago, but since they are very bony, and when you fry them you can eat the bones, I would think it wouldn't be a good thing to smoke them, unless you end up frying them hard enough so you can eat the bones.


Bear

[barkonbutts]

put them in the trash...lol.. I am NOT a fan.. wife loves them... me I pass.. I think they have an acquired taste...wife got them Christmas eve for the 7 fish dinner....hope you enjoy!!

[cowgirl]

Thanks for all of the help and ideas!!
I fried some up last night.
first.... dredged in seasoned flour, egg washed, panko then fried
second batch... just seasoned flour and fried
third batch....dipped in lemon juice, seasoned flour, panko and fried
fourth batch... dredged in seasoned flour and fried in bacon drippings

I like the addition of a lemon juice dip. Also the bacon dripping batch was pretty good. I went too heavy on the panko, should have used a lighter bread crumb.
Overall I liked the little buggers!!







Wish I would have seen some of your ideas before I cooked them. I do have more in the freezer so will make more in the future.

Thanks again for the input everyone!!

[Richtee]

Yum... been a few years since I had them. The old man used to go dipping and bring home a garbage bag of them. Hours with a pair of scissors.... snip, clip... slide thumb thru the inside... toss in the colander

[SmokinLee]

I actually tried to make a mock sardine with them once. Smoked and packed in oil. Didn't turn out like I hoped. But yeah, fried....

[cowgirl]

Yum... been a few years since I had them. The old man used to go dipping and bring home a garbage bag of them. Hours with a pair of scissors.... snip, clip... slide thumb thru the inside... toss in the colander

I think I'd like the dipping part. The snipping and clipping sounds like a lot of work.

I actually tried to make a mock sardine with them once. Smoked and packed in oil. Didn't turn out like I hoped. But yeah, fried....

Lee those sound interesting. If they didn't turn out for you, I know I better not try. lol Thanks!

[Fishawn]

Yours looks really good Jeanie!

[HawgHeaven]

Thanks for all of the help and ideas!!
I fried some up last night.
first.... dredged in seasoned flour, egg washed, panko then fried
second batch... just seasoned flour and fried
third batch....dipped in lemon juice, seasoned flour, panko and fried
fourth batch... dredged in seasoned flour and fried in bacon drippings

I like the addition of a lemon juice dip. Also the bacon dripping batch was pretty good. I went too heavy on the panko, should have used a lighter bread crumb.
Overall I liked the little buggers!!







Wish I would have seen some of your ideas before I cooked them. I do have more in the freezer so will make more in the future.

Thanks again for the input everyone!!

Jeanie, I like your version, butt I'm gonna have to sample them in person... They look like I'd be hitting them hard!!

[cowgirl]

Thanks Fishawn! They came out pretty tasty. I didn't know what to expect.

Thanks Phil, I'll make some for ya when the adoption papers come through.

[feeshrman]

Sorry I can't help, but they aren't native to my area. I have however, eaten Chain Pickeral, which are cousins of the Pike. They are delicious if you can get the Y bones removed.

[cowgirl]

Sorry I can't help, but they aren't native to my area. I have however, eaten Chain Pickeral, which are cousins of the Pike. They are delicious if you can get the Y bones removed.

Thank you feeshrman! I've not heard of Chain Pickeral, thanks for the info!

[Conumdrum]

I had little fried fish in the Philippines when I was young. Kinda like that they was good.

We got a Philippine fish store nearby, I need to do that, you amaze me with your food, I gotta try them.