By Fish Like Us
It’s good practice to taste every fish. Knowing what they taste like will assist in learning which fish you love, which ones you can live without, and which recipes complement the species. One of the best-tasting fish we’ve come across here in Florida is Sheepshead! They can be found under docks and bridges and the little ones are as fun to fight as the big guys. You have to be quick to set the hook before they chomp and run with your bait, but it’s worth the challenge. Popular in fine dining establishments of New York during the 19th century, they are commonly referred to as “poor man’s lobster”. These days you’ll find them on Cajun menu’s in the Gulf as “rondeau sea-bream” or “bay snapper”. Regulation allows us to keep 8 sheepshead above 12”, however, we find that a single 12” sheepshead is enough to feed us both! Although we can freeze them, they are best eaten fresh. They’re hardy, full of good fats, and taste great with almost everything. They’re even good leftover (which is rare for fish). The trick to cooking sheepshead – is how you clean them! Sheepshead bones are curved and THICK which means your fillets will only hold a portion of the meat. Because they have hard-to-remove scales that can stand up to almost any heat, we’ve learned that gutting them is a great alternative! It’s simple, quick, and allows us to utilize ALL the meat (including the cheek)!
Our favorite way to eat a sheepshead is to marinate them. It’s quick, easy, and adds great flavor. You can then smoke them, grill them, or roast them in the oven (skin and scales intact). The scales protect the meat and they come out delicate and moist every time!
TO MARINATE A SHEEPSHEAD:
- Place your sheepshead in a deep dish or bag and drizzle with olive oil, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper.
- Marinate for 30 minutes (up to 6 hours) to absorb flavor. *TIP: If you’re going to cook it right away, let it sit on the counter so it can come to room temperature while it marinates.
- Cook your sheepshead in the oven (10 minutes per inch of thickness @ 400°) or on the grill, turning half-way through the cook time. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove skin and bones by peeling skin and pulling the spine from the back. You may also pick the meat off one side and simply repeat the process on the other.
- Serve and enjoy!
Captain Erik and Chief Mate Janel, NT teach fishing lessons and provide kayak fishing charters on their Hobie PA17T. To book a fishing lesson or kayak charter call (360) 797-3275 or visit www.fishlikeus.com. Follow us on Facebook and YouTube for weekly video posts!