Eel Pout Recipe?

I’ve heard people descibe Eel Pout as “Freshwater Lobster”. Anyone have a recipe for these. I’m heading up to Mille Lacs this weekend, and if we ice a few, I’d like to give them a try.

From what I have heard, there is two ways to go about cleaning an eel pout. The first is to only consume the chunck of meat on the back, right behind the head. The second involves cutting off the tail, rear of the stomach, taking care not to cut into the stomach cavity releasing the eel pouts inner badness. I don’t have any idea what to do after each of these techniques.

Any ideas would be helpful, but if no one replies, I couldn’t really care less, as I’d be happy to throw the thing right back down the hole (not the one I’m fishing thru, of course).

Thanks,

Lars

Lars, the only thing I’ve ever heard is, you just filet the back half (tail end). Then you boil em in water, until cooked, then dunk em in butter like lobster. Iv’e heard em called “poor mans lobster” although I am not rich, I have never attempted this. I do remember one year, these kids were running around the lake, and asking to have them, as they lay out on the ice. I guess they liked them !!!

Glen

I just take the strip on each side and cut into chunks. I boil or bake it, season to taste and dip in butter. The way I clean them…make a cut all the way down the back on each side of the spine, the cut will be a couple inches deep and you can feel when the knife is at the right depth. Then make the cut down the side to remove the strip, the skin pulls right off. I’ve also had it deep fried, pretty good that way also.

BIRDDOG

Yep, filet them up like Birddog says. I then chunk them into pieces the size of tater-totts and soak in cold salt water for a couple hours. (Salter the better in my opinion)

Bring a pot of clean salt water to a boil and cook them for 3-4 minutes. Serve with melted butter and crackers. Poor mans lobster. I expect we will need to have a pout boil at the get together. Looking forward to it!

-J.

that is how I have done it also Exactly what John and Birddog said.

you can also nail their heads to a post like a catfish and then cut around the gills and peel the skin down. Empty the guts cavity. cut off the tail and head. Cut the meat in chunks (you really dont need to debone if you dont want to cause the bones are large enough to see) then boil and dip in butter. I will take any you get extra at the get to gether/. FISHINFOOL

Just another note on Milly pout. Don’t keep the smaller fish, or the really big pout. Release them. The pout you keep for a boil are one’s that go about 5-6 pounds. Big fish 10lbs and up are not uncommon and pretty fun to catch!

-J.

If boiling, try using 7-up/Sprite instead of water. As you can imagine, it makes the meat sweeter when eating like lobster. I was one that used to frown when hearing of eating Burbout, but let me tell you, it can be VERY good.

I am also boiling them in salt water. Have tried sugar water and confirmed this is what my buddy is using is sugar instead of salt. Either way it tastes great.

I am also ringing them like a catfish, peeling the skin back. However there is no point to gut them, just fillet the meat off. You can do this rather easily with a razor sharp knife. First make a cut most of the way down to the cavity. Then, once you get into the cavety, tilt the handle back down towards the head so only the point of the knife is cutting from the inside cavity up. This will cut the fillet off after making the initial cut. On that initial cut follow the stomach cavity, then take out to the tail. Much quicker to do then it is to explain.

Lastly, use REAL butter, not margarin!

Boiled fish dipped in butter? Yuk.

think of it more like boiled boiled lobster tail dipped in drawn butter….yummmmmmmm

Can’t be as good as lutey though.

I bet it will at least stay on the fork Putz

AND IT WONT PEEL THE PAINT OFF THE WALLS EITHER . MUCH LESS MELT THE SILVER FORK YOUR EATING IT WITH

Lars-
Just because we are going fishing this weekend doesn’t mean that we are going to be cooking pout. I have a limit of nice tastey walleyes to cook. It will take a few miller’s in order for me to eat the pout.
See you thursday night.
Jason

I figured it would be a good time to experiment with the pout, you know after a few of those tasty beverages.

Jason,

I’ll take all your pout you’re willing to send. You just don’t know what you’re missing!!!