# Red, Red drum, or whatever… good for eating?



## Sparky's

Since moving down to FL from CA (born n raised) via NY (15 yrs), I've been seeing and catching a lot of new species. One I hear a great deal about is the "Red Fish"… I've caught a few off the beach in the Port Orange area but they've all been just outside the slot (under). I've been able to find out a lot about them except for the fact if they are considered a good eats or not.

If they are, anyone out there have a recommendation as to filleting and cooking?

Thnx, Sparky


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## solid7

They are good. Nice firm meat, mild flavor, and easy to prepare most ways. A popular method of preparation is blackened, but they cook up nicely most any way. (fried, grilled, broiled, etc) As for fileting, they are a bit of a bitch to clean. Much easier when you descale them, first. Some people even prepare the whole fish.

Be very mindful of the slot, however. Do not take oversize or undersize fish...


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## plotalot

I would say that they are fair to eat and the smaller the better IMO. 7 is right they can be difficult to clean. Large scales and thick strong bones are the reasons. An electric knife is the ticket to make things easier. If you don't have an electric knife, scale it next to the dorsal fin and cut in to the fish from the top. I've found this is the best way to attack a red with a filet knife. Also do a search to find out how to cut out a fish's throat meat. It will be worth the effort since it is the best meat on a red and they have relatively meat throats.


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## Sparky's

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like the carp out west (never ate those) boney and tough as hell… I'll look on You-Tube to see if anyone has posted a "how to…" on it.

Sparky


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## solid7

Sparky's said:


> Thanks for the tips. Sounds like the carp out west (never ate those) boney and tough as hell…


Not even close... Well worth the effort to clean them. And redfish bones make a delightful stock or base for chowder.


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## Sparky's

solid7 said:


> Not even close... Well worth the effort to clean them. And redfish bones make a delightful stock or base for chowder.


Thanks, I look forward to keeping my first "slot" Red, I am a chef, so stock from scraps sound promising! :fishing:
Sparky


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## WNYBob

Sparky's said:


> Since moving down to FL from CA (born n raised) via NY (15 yrs), I've been seeing and catching a lot of new species. One I hear a great deal about is the "Red Fish"… I've caught a few off the beach in the Port Orange area but they've all been just outside the slot (under). I've been able to find out a lot about them except for the fact if they are considered a good eats or not.
> 
> If they are, anyone out there have a recommendation as to filleting and cooking?
> 
> Thnx, Sparky


Having fished only fresh water all my life until a few years ago, like you, the whole Salt thing was/and still is a new adventure for me. It was time for us to make some life’s decisions. we rented a couple of times looking for locations where we could make some check-off desirability notes for us to make better informed decisions. Fishing wasn’t all of it, Weather wasn’t all of it, cost/affordability wasn’t all of it, too many people or lack of wasn’t all of it. Easier to drive to and back North wasn’t all of it. We ended up buying a place a couple of years ago in NE Fla. 

Anyway, my novice spin on the Reds is also their versatility with the “slot” measurements. You’re looking for in the “slot” to be legal to keep to eat. Because they are a good eating fish. But when you start pushing the “slot” limits (and they are prized and regulated, so don’t mess with the size of them, take the size regulations very seriously!) The Reds are an awesome fish to latch on to. With that big powerful body, you know you have a fish when you latch on to one. And adding to the versatility, IMO is where you’ll likely catch one; certain places in the surf, certain locations and tidal times at a pier and they are highly sought after as a Tidal Creek and river fish. I probably like my inshore fishing experiences the most for Reds.


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## plotalot

I sure do miss the days when 12 to 16" fish were legal. Those are the ones I liked to eat. To me even the slot sized fish are too big to eat, so they all get a pass from me these days.


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## solid7

I got no problem with the slot size fish. Big chunks of redfish meat, deep fried in beef tallow and a thick coconut flour batter is fine eating for me. Plus, the slot size is worth the hassle of cleaning, whereas the big and smallies, well.... let each person be the judge of their own, I guess.


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## BubbaHoTep

plotalot said:


> I would say that they are fair to eat and the smaller the better IMO. 7 is right they can be difficult to clean. Large scales and thick strong bones are the reasons. An electric knife is the ticket to make things easier. If you don't have an electric knife, scale it next to the dorsal fin and cut in to the fish from the top. I've found this is the best way to attack a red with a filet knife. Also do a search to find out how to cut out a fish's throat meat. It will be worth the effort since it is the best meat on a red and they have relatively meat throats.


This and what s7 said in the post above it. I think small black drum are about as good as reds (not sure what FL's slot is on those). Once the black drum get bigger, we marinate them to get rid of some of the strong taste. But I think reds are one of the tastiest of the inshore fish. Like s7 says, I have no problem with them in the slot either. Yum!


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## solid7

BubbaHoTep said:


> I think small black drum are about as good as reds (not sure what FL's slot is on those).


I would only disagree for the sake of saying that I think black drum is better. (I'd rather take a black than a red for eating, any day of the week)

In Florida, the slot on BD is 12-24", limit of 5 per person, and one over 24" is allowed...


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## Chris_Worthington

Love the reds here and often get pissed when there caught over the slot... Striper would be a close second in this house, followed by the Door Mats..


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## BigJeff823

Red Drum are very tasty;they taste just like them saltwater Stripers.Though you have to get them big scales off first before filleting them.Black Drum are good too but not as good as the Reds.


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## solid7

BigJeff823 said:


> Black Drum are good too but not as good as the Reds.


They say taste is subjective, but I say you're crazy.


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## Fishbreath

I enjoy both red and black drum, both delicious, but I have to say, I like black drum a whole lot better. Mmmmmm....delish! Just send them all my way!


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## greg12345

I think reds taste better than blacks but both taste pretty good. i agree w/solid7, slot size (here it is 18-27") tastes great and is worth eating b/c you can actually get a nice thick filet off of it, makes it worth cleaning it. scaling it is a beast though.


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## Chris_Worthington

Is there advantage flavor wise to keeping the skin on a red? 

I just keep the filet and avoid the scaling thing all together, can't remember "if" I have ever left the skin on for comparison in taste.


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## solid7

Chris_Worthington said:


> Is there advantage flavor wise to keeping the skin on a red?
> 
> I just keep the filet and avoid the scaling thing all together, can't remember "if" I have ever left the skin on for comparison in taste.


Yeah, you can keep skin on. But you still have to scale it... (it tastes like crap, and you'll have to pick the scales out of your mouth, if you don't)


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## Chris_Worthington

solid7 said:


> Yeah, you can keep skin on. But you still have to scale it... (it tastes like crap, and you'll have to pick the scales out of your mouth, if you don't)


No no no silly....

Skin is always removed on this end, no skin, no scales


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## plotalot

Chris_Worthington said:


> Is there advantage flavor wise to keeping the skin on a red?
> 
> I just keep the filet and avoid the scaling thing all together, can't remember "if" I have ever left the skin on for comparison in taste.


Leaving the skin on affects the flavor. It is up to your own taste to whether it is an advantage or not. For me personally I don't like the taste of fish skin, even on some species that are commonly cooked whole such as pompano or rainbow trout.



solid7 said:


> Yeah, you can keep skin on. But you still have to scale it... (it tastes like crap, and you'll have to pick the scales out of your mouth, if you don't)


You don't need to scale it if you don't want to. Do a search for "redfish on the half shell". Again this is subject to personal taste.


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## Chris_Worthington

plotalot said:


> Leaving the skin on affects the flavor. It is up to your own taste to whether it is an advantage or not. For me personally I don't like the taste of fish skin, even on some species that are commonly cooked whole such as pompano or rainbow trout.
> 
> 
> 
> You don't need to scale it if you don't want to. Do a search for "redfish on the half shell". Again this is subject to personal taste.


Not a skin fan here either...

The Half shell thing though I have never tried and think I might just have to give that a whirl 

TY !!


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## greg12345

Sorry...I meant scaling it only to make fileting it easier...i usually cut skinless filets...but those scales on the upper slot reds make fileting ever more difficult...


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## solid7

Scales hold slime coat. If you like it on the half shell, like you say, personal preference. I don't like dulling knives on scales, either, but again, to each his own.

Even on fish that I cook with skin on, (like pompano and bluefish) I only keep it on to trap flavor and moisture in the meat. I do NOT eat fish skin. But it does keep the fat in, which I do like, as that is where the good flavor really is, IMO.


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## tjbjornsen

"Even on fish that I cook with skin on, (like pompano and bluefish) I only keep it on to trap flavor and moisture in the meat. I do NOT eat fish skin. But it does keep the fat in, which I do like, as that is where the good flavor really is, IMO."

Bingo!

When I am lucky enough to get some Spanish, I take off their heads, completly clean them out inside, brush the outside (skin and scales still on) with olive oil, and lay them on their backs right on the grill, open belly up, and baste the meat inside with a mixture of melted butter, parsely, salt, pepper and lemon.
The skin almost acts like tin foil, and the meat cooks beautifully inside the skin.
Take them off the grill, peel off the skin, lift the meat off the bones and enjoy.

All that being said, I have not kept a Red to eat for about 20 years.

The little stuff I filet and fry, but if possible I will always default to baking or grilling larger fish whole, skin on. Even the smaller Pomps get broiled whole, or wrapped in foil with butter, lemon, salt and pepper and cooked on the grill.
To me, it makes all the difference in the world.


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## greg12345

Well said...broiling/baking pomps is the way to go, the best qualities of a pomp (firm meat, mild taste) are wasted if you fry it...


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## myuo8o2

But pomp (the whole one after gutting) is tasted best when I give her a brief hot oil bath before cooking in my secret sauce for a little longer.


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## tjbjornsen

myuo8o2 said:


> But pomp (the whole one after gutting) is tasted best when I give her a brief hot oil bath before cooking in my secret sauce for a little longer.


Interesting,
So you are basically doing the poaching in butter method, just using oil.
Some of the best fish I have ever had have been poached in butter. I never thought of doing it with a whole pompano.
And I never thought of doing it just partways, and then finishing it in sauce in the oven.
Great idea. 
I may have to play around with this the next time I have some to cook.
Is it safe to assume that by "hot oil" you are talking about the approx internal temp of what the fish would be when it is finished?


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## myuo8o2

I guess the instruction is no good if it is too brief.
I do every thing in a frying pan. I make hot oil by boiling it then give the pomp a bath by diping the whole fish in it one side at a time for up to 5 minutes depends on the the size of fish, the depth of hot oil bath and temp the cooking device can deliver. one tip is to wait until the skin just starts to turn yellow then flip the side. Pour the oil out or take the fish out to another pan once both sides turn yesllow then add any sauce you like with lots of onion, ginger, garlic, pepper and wine etc. you like and cook for another 5-7 minutes before the happy moment.


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## Sparky's

greg12345 said:


> Well said...broiling/baking pomps is the way to go, the best qualities of a pomp (firm meat, mild taste) are wasted if you fry it...


Beg to differ… although to each his own, a nicely seasoned filleted Pomp sauteed in clarified butter for just a few seconds on each side… never tasted anything better!!!


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## glp

Fixed a couple of fresh pomps (fillets) the other evening by soaking them meat side down in orange juice and fresh chopped tarragon for just over an hour. Then placed on grill skin side down on foil (no oil) with mesquite chips (smoking), brushed top of fillets with olive oil and cooked about 7 minutes. Lifted fish off foil and skin and got rave reviews for the dish. There was not one piece left from 2 nice pomps for 3 of us. Serve with small grilled whole potatoes (olive oil and garlic), steamed brocolli, slaw and garnished plate with fresh orange wedges and tarragon. YUMMY!


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## Vinnx

I just tasted my first Red the other day (uncle caught it), we baked it whole.. tasted pretty good. Surprisingly I ate the skin as well, normally I don't because it has a funny flavor but this one didn't. So I'd imagine if I ever catch my own I'll be cutting fillets and sear skin side down to a crisp in lemon butter with a few herbs. 

Scaling em is pretty tough tho.. they've got some real big thick scales.


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