Finally Some Shad Roe (w-Bacon & Eggs)
It’s been about 10 years since I’ve had any Fresh Shad Roe.
Shad, much like Salmon Swim up Rivers to their Birth place to Spawn every so many years (I believe it’s every 7 years).
So in the Delaware River, mostly between Pennsylvania & New Jersey, is one of the best places to catch Shad.
I won’t bore you with the Complete Life Cycle of a Shad, I’ll just tell you I used to catch Shad when I was a Kid.
I used to fish for them with my Dad, and we would fish all day, and we’d be lucky to boat 2 or 3 Shad.
In Our opinions, shad are one of the worst tasting Fish around, and also the Boniest. The only thing good to eat on a Shad is the “Goldmine” they carry in their Bellies during their Spring Run up-river. That would be the big Egg-Sacks that are growing inside them.
So about 12 years ago I bought about 20 sets from a Wholesaler near Lansdale, PA for $7 per set.
Then a couple years later I got 7 sets from Giant Market for $10 per set. Then for years I couldn’t find any anywhere.
Last year I called Giant, and they said, if they ever get any in, they would have to charge at least $20 per set.
So this year Bear Jr got the Low-down on how to catch Shad from the Best Shad Fisherman known. They call the old guy “Shad Pappy”, and he has Shad Catching down to a science.
So last Thursday Bear Jr & his Buddy went Shad fishing near Easton, PA, and they caught 7 Shad. Only one was a “Roe” (female), and the other 6 were “Buck” Shad. The limit is 3 per day, so they kept 6, because they had a plan for the Shad bodies themselves. Shortly after they got back, Bear Jr brought me a Nice Set of Shad Roe to play with.
So I gently cleaned them up & rinsed them a number of times & put them in a big bowl of Salt Water overnight, to draw the blood out of them. Then the next morning I Rinsed them off a number of times, changing the water as I went along, and leaving them in some clear water in the bowl for a few more hours to get the salty flavor out of the Roe.
Then to try something new, I put the Roe in a Vacuum bag & sealed it, and put it in my Sous Vide Supreme @ 140° for 3 hours to bring them all up to 140°. Then into a bowl of Ice Water & into the fridge until I was ready to use them.
So then I made a Whole Pan of Bacon, and saved the Bacon Fat to Fry my Roe in. Then I put the Roe in the bubbling Bacon Fat, and gave both sides a good hard searing.
Then I added a pair of Sunny-Side-Up Eggs to the plate, and the Bacon I cooked earlier to finish my Plate.
This Breakfast was Great, but next time I’m probably going to raise my SV to 160°, because I never did care for my Shad roe to be on the Rare Side. Also My Ninja may get involved next time, because the Eggs were exploding from the Pan, just as if they were filled with specks of C4.
More Experiments needed.
Thanks For Looking,
Bear
Soaking in Salt Water. Note after overnight soak, the water turns Pink from the blood being drawn out of the Roe:
After Soaking in Salt Water:
Soaking in Cold Clear Water to remove Salt Flavor:
Ready for cooking:
Bagged & Ready for SV:
After SV @ 140° for 3 hours:
Ready for Frying Pan:
A Pan of Bacon & Saving Bacon Fat:
Shad Roe in Bacon Fat in Frying Pan:
Finishing in Pan:
Ready to Eat: Millions of Eggs inside those Sacks:
Bear's Shad Roe, Eggs, and Bacon Breakfast:
Close-up. Note: I slit the right side open to show the inside is somewhat Rare:
Another View of Bear's Breakfast: Note: A Double Yolker Joined the Party:
