Southeastern Wildlife Cookbook

South Carolina Wildlife Magazine

• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781643361369
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Culinary Arts

More than three hundred recipes that use wild game, fresh and saltwater foods, and natural seasonings, to bring the taste of the outdoors to your table. This cookbook is for those who take the time to scout the woods and wetlands—bringing home quail or duck, deer, turkey, crabs, shrimp, and fish. And it's also for those who don't have the means to hunt or fish or gather, but do have access to wild foods and want to serve them at their table. Smoke it, sauté it, or stir-fry it—however you like to prepare wild foods—this is the most complete how-to cookbook available for this kind of eating. Included are a glossary and nutritional charts comparing wild and domestic meats, and the fat content of various fish. From smoker to campfire to crockpot to microwave, Southeastern Wildlife Cookbook has the field covered. Recipes were selected from submissions made by readers, fans, and staff of South Carolina Wildlife magazine and other great cooks of the region. This new edition has been revised by Linda Renshaw, managing editor of the magazine.

Fresh and
Saltwater
Foods

The Other
Best Eatin’ There Is

Fresh and Saltwater Fish

Fish meat is reasonably priced, tasty and lean, high in protein and other nutrients, and lower in calories than beef, pork, chicken or canned tuna. No wonder that in recent years fish has become one of our most sought-after food items. But, it’s still a mystery food to many consumers. Why? Probably for the same reasons that wild game is misunderstood: People unwittingly let the meat spoil, mishandle it from point of catch to table, or don’t know the best cooking methods.

Like game meat, every effort should be made to keep fish fresh. As soon as you catch a fish, you should place it in a cooler on ice. When ice is unavailable, wrap your catch in wet newspaper or a cloth and leave it in the shade. Gut and bleed the fish before you put it on ice if you have time.

If the fish are still hitting, be sure to clean your catch as soon after fishing as possible. Don’t let the fish flop around on the dock or in the bottom of the boat. Just as flinging a deer carcass carelessly into the back of a truck bruises the meat, so will continuous jumping bruise the fish’s delicate flesh and speed degeneration.

Whether caught or bought, fish deteriorate rapidly. The longer the fish is out of water, ungutted and un-iced, the sooner the bacteria will begin tainting the flesh, producing that all too familiar “fishy” odor. Fresh fish simply do not smell!

For the best taste and nutrition, freshly caught fish should be cooked within twenty-four hours. Three days is the longest cooking can be safely delayed. Both caught and bought fish should be refrigerated immediately and left refrigerated until you are ready to cook.

Freezing your catch should also be done immediately. Unless you’re certain the fish is fresh off the boat, don’t freeze bought fish, since it may have been already frozen in transit to the market. To freeze, douse the fish in water first, then wrap it tightly in moisture-proof freezer bags or aluminum foil while still wet. The wetter the fish while freezing, the longer it lasts.

When thawing frozen fish, just place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. If the time is short, place it still wrapped in a bowl under gently running cold water. Never thaw fish at room temperature.

Here’s how to eye and buy whole fish:

SKIN: Look for iridescent skin and distinct, colorful markings. The longer the fish is out of water, the more the colors fade and the skin loses its shiny appearance.

EYES: These should be bulging and bright. This is a good sign of the fish’s age. If the eyes are sunken and clouded, then the fish is probably old.

GILLS: One of the best signs of freshness is the color of the gills. When fresh from the water, the gills are vivid red. As the fish ages, they become duller until they are muddy brown.

FLESH: Flesh should be firm and springy to the touch. If your finger leaves an indentation when you press, then the fish is older than desirable.

SMELL: The fish should have a fresh, mild scent, not a strong “fishy” odor. Saltwater fish will smell of the sea.

When choosing portioned fish, such as fillets or steaks, look for firm, moist flesh, with no discoloration or dry edges. The flesh should be firmly attached to the bones and again should not possess a strong odor.

How to Clean Fish

A fish scaler and a sharp knife are essential tools for cleaning fish. Clean on a flat surface with water nearby. A fish cleaning sink, such as those at docks or under vacation homes is perfect, but if that’s not available, just spread newspapers on a table with a bucket of water for rinsing.

1. If you are not a “head-on” fish eater, you will want to remove the head first. Place the fish, stomach-down, on the newspaper and grip the spine firmly with your hand. Slice the head off just behind the gills.

2. Then lay it on its side, hold it firmly by the tail and scrape the scales, using a brushing motion that goes from tail back to head. If the fish is too small or tends to slip out of your grasp, merely hold the tail down firmly with a fork. After scaling one side of the fish, repeat on the other side.

3. Now cut the belly from between the gills down to the anal opening. Look for the roe (eggs) in two long sacs and cut away carefully, being sure not to damage the sacs. Wash them and reserve for another meal. Now remove all the innards, including the kidneys, which are bright red strips running along the spine.

4. Wash the fish thoroughly under running water. Make sure all the blood spots are removed and that none of the entrails are attached to the cavity.

5. Wipe the fish dry, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate immediately.

How to Fillet

1. Place the fish on newspaper or on a cutting board. Make a cut right behind the gills, going diagonally down to the belly. Avoid cutting too deeply and puncturing the belly.

2. Turn the fish with its back toward you and make a cut just about an inch deep, slicing along the fish from head down to tail, feeling the bones with the knife.

3. Hold the knife at a slight angle and begin to cut down along the center bone, using a slicing and sliding motion. With your other hand, pull back the flesh so you can see what you’re doing. When done, the entire side of the fish should lift off, though the fillet will still be attached to the tail. Do not separate them yet.

4. With the fillet still attached, turn the fish over onto the other side and repeat the process. Leaving the first fillet attached provides a firmer base for slicing the second fillet.

5. Cut away the fillets at the tail. You should have two pieces of meat, skin attached, with little meat attached to the skeleton. Proceed to skin the fillets by first laying the fillet flat. Place the skin down on the table, hold the tail firmly with your fingernail, and begin to cut from tail end by holding the knife firmly between skin and flesh at an angle.

6. Using a slight sawing motion, separate the skin from the flesh. As you progress, grip the skin firmly while the knife slices between skin and flesh. If the fish is properly skinned, the fillet should be clean looking and the skin should be clean of all meat.

How to Cook Fish

How to cook fish is not determined by whether it’s from fresh water or saltwater, but by the individual fish’s particular properties. To substitute saltwater f...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Wild Game: The Best Eatin’ There Is
• Fresh and Saltwater Foods: The Other Best Eatin’ There Is
• Unusual, But Still Good
• Wild Plants: Woodland Harvest
• Cookin’ For That Outdoor Flavor
• Your Own Wild Originals
• Reference Tables
• References
• Acknowledgements
• Index