Rainbow Trout

[koolerb]

Two times over the last month I've tried to cook trout caught in a local lake and the fish has come out mushy. The lake is new to me, I usually catch trout out of streams. I've cooked trout before, not rocket science, always comes out good. A trout is a trout, right? Why are these different? Any Ideas?

 

[JB]

Re: Rainbow Trout

I think variations in the amount of fat in a fish changes how it cooks.

I have cooked farm raised salmon in a smoker, on a grille, even in my Geo. Forman grill and they come out great. Pretty much like the Chinooks I used to catch in Lake Michigan many years ago.

I bought some wild caught salmon (caught off Japan) at Wally World and can't get them to come out well at all. They over marinate in just an hour and require about 50% more time to thoroughly cook. Bleah!

My grandson (the chef) tells me that those fish are too low in fat and that's why they are so hard to prepare. He says not to bother with them.

Maybe that's the trouble with your lake-caught trout. . . not enough fat in the flesh.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: Rainbow Trout

Many years ago I was fishing with a buddy and we caught several rainbows, some were hatchery reared and some were locals. The hatchery fish were mushy and lousy tasting while the locals were excellent. I was told the way to tell the diff was by the color of the flesh. I am color blind and couldn't tell the difference so I took his word. He is a smart alex and could have been pulling my leg but his predictions seemed accurate.(he wasn't there when I cooked the fish, but I seperated them per his instructions when we cleaned them) Interesting.

 

[koolerb]

Re: Rainbow Trout

I've read a bunch of post on various sites on the subject. The consensus seems to say that some hatchery raised trout just plain suck. The flesh in the trout I've caught and cooked in the past has been pink in color, and firm after cooking. The flesh in the recent batch I caught out of the lake was more white in color. They were fun to catch but I think I'm done with that lake for a little while.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Rainbow Trout

A good way to tell a freshly stcoked hatchery fish from a native is look at the fins, They will be rubbed down a bit from the concrete tanks at the hatchery.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Rainbow Trout

They sound like hatchery trout to me. When I was a kid I helped the fish commision stock trout, so I know what they taste like! I love catching them, but if the stream or lake has been stocked within a week, I won't kill 'em. Gotta wait till they are pink ... White trout flesh just hoovers!

 

[edzzed]

Re: Rainbow Trout

alot can be dependant on diet. ie. the bugs eat blue-green algae and the trout eat ugly tasting bugs. comes full circle you are what you eat. Ed