Off-Flavor tastes in catfish are derived from certain types of algae and bacteria that occur in nutrient rich, densely stocked catfish production ponds. The flavors are varied, but are often described as musty, muddy, woody, sewage, rotten or diesel tasting.
HOW TO BLEED A CATFISH
When I was living in Alaska I learned very quickly how to bleed out salmon and halibut. It is a common practice before throwing the fish on ice. Bleeding your fish removes blood from the meat. Bleeding fish carries fishy taste out of your catfish. Fish bleeding is not as common here in the south. People either throw their catfish on ice or keep them alive until ready to clean. Throwing your catch on ice will help focus the blood along the spine and organs removing it from the meat itself. This is probably better than keeping the catfish alive. When you clean a catfish that is still alive the blood is flowing freely throughout the fishes’ body. This is why you get so much blood on your cleaning station when cleaning live fish. The blood can be removed with other tips listed here.
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The best way to bleed out your fish is to cut through both gills. The fish will bleed out pretty good, but to really bleed your fish it should be submerged into cold water. Submerging into cold water will introduce water into the veins in the fish, flushing out the blood as completely as possible. Moving the fish around in the water will expedite the process.
Another great way to bleed a catfish that is easier and quicker is to cut the tail off the catfish and hang vertical. The catfish should be alive to pump the blood from its body when you do this. The removal of all the blood will help eliminate that fishy taste from catfish.
SOAK FISH IN MILK TO REMOVE FISHY TASTE
We may have all heard about soaking wild game in milk to remove gamey flavor. This also works for removing fishy taste from catfish. There is a science behind the process and I will explain it here as best I can. There is a protein in milk called casein. This casein protein attaches itself to the organic molecule that is the fishy smell you get as it evaporates from the fish. The milk protein attaches to these amines expelling them from the fish. This makes the fish smell and taste fresher with less of that fishy taste you don’t like. This works with deer meat or any meat that you want to remove a strong flavor from. Soaking fish in milk for 20 minutes should suffice. Rinse fish after soaking in milk.
A great way to mask any fishy taste in your catfish is to grill it. Grilling will introduce smoke to the meat masking some of the fishy taste. Of course, you will have to introduce smoke to your catfish when grilling on a gas grill. The charcoal will add just the right amount of smokey flavor. Add a few wood chips wrapped in aluminum foil to add more smoke flavor. Grilled catfish are delicious. Grilling opens up many recipes for your catfish. These recipes can include spices and lemon juice that will also help with the fishy taste in your catfish.
What makes catfish taste muddy to some people.
FAQ
How do you get the bad taste out of catfish?
Is catfish a good tasting fish?
Why does my fried catfish taste fishy?
Why do catfish taste muddy?
When cutting open a wild catfish, you’ll see that their bellies have a lot of mud in them! This is why they can taste muddy and extra fishy, with only a very slight sweetness. If you don’t like the muddy taste, follow these tips when preparing your catfish.
Why do catfish taste better?
The meat found on smaller catfish tends to be much fresher than that on larger catfish. The fish is not as old and thus contains fewer toxins, which improves the flavor. This is similar to why people prefer lamb or veal. Younger meat will often taste better, and this is no different when it comes to catfish.
What does wild catfish taste like?
Wild catfish are the kind that you would usually catch in a pond or a river. They have a very fishy taste that is also a bit muddy. This muddy taste tends to come from the middle. Towards the end of the fish, it is normal to get a sweeter flavor of fish, which is the normal taste you would expect to get from catfish.
Do catfish eat mud?
They’ll even eat mud, which is why they can taste muddy! Farmed catfish, on the other hand, will swim in clearer waters and are grain-fed, giving them a cleaner and more consistent flavor. They taste mild and sweet with a moist but firm texture that’s less flaky than other white fish. Why Does My Catfish Taste Muddy?