Is carp crap?

[mnsmokin]

Some people tell me that they love smoked carp and others tell me that "you cant shine a turd". Its not an easy fish to find a recipe for and not sure on what temp to cook on.

 

[cajunsmoke13]

We used to catch the crap out them in PA, but never ate them...

 

[meandmytwodogs]

I don't have a recipe but I have had smoked grass carp before and it was pretty good. Otherwise there is a place in Omaha (Joe Tess' Place) that specializes in serving fried carp. They just score the heck out of it so that the bones literally get cooked away by the hot oil.

 

[mballi3011]

Now I don't know about carp but I have heard alot of people like smoked amberjack and I would feed it to my dog. So I'm sure you will find someone here that can help you out. I'm not your smoked fish guy either unless you want some fish jerky I think thats all I can finish up with it seems.

 

[smokebuzz]

It may be a "2nd" cut/fish, but is VERY good, I ain't done any in years but we used to do alot of it.
1 thing to remember, Is brisket a rib eye?, is butt a chop?, think about what we do with what most folks call junk meat.

 

[monty]

I have had farm raised carp and it was ok. Nothing too spectacular. And with that I will emphasize...farm raised.

The carp is a bottom feeder and any carp caught anywhere near civilization will have a whole laundry list of toxins from heavy metals on down in their flesh.

And therein lies the difficulty in finding recipes for carp. Folks in the States just generally do not eat carp.

In some other countries it is eaten widely and the plentiful numbers of carp which, can exist almost anywhere, make it an attractive and cost effective source of protein. But not for me.

They can be a fun fish to catch but unless raised under controlled conditions I would not purchase carp for consumption in any form.

And that is my $.02.

Cheers!

 

[got14u]

well I know they eat crap...lol..I really don't know how it is...never had it. Might as well give it a shot all you can do is spit it out and feed it to the dogs

 

[twistertail]

I have had canned carp made into to patties like you would do with salmon and really like it. I've never had it smoked but would give it a try. My advice is dont buy into what other people say is good or not good, try it out yourself. I've tried lots of fish that other people will not eat and have liked a lot of it, not all of it but a lot.

 

[richoso1]

As far as cooking.smoking carp is concerned, treat it like any other fish.

 

[tank]

I have never eaten it but I have always heard to make sure that you clean out the mud rings in them. I am not really sure what this means but they say if you get the mud rings out then they are good to go.

 

[werdwolf]

I pretty much agree with Monty^^.

There is also a "mud vein" That you want to remove.

Just be careful where that fish has been.

 

[erain]

if you get the fish early in the season, when the water is still cold, and at the beginning stages of the spawn... keeping the smaller fish only, they are excellent smoked. yes they are considered a rough fish but if gotten at the right time of the year and fish are selected wisely you can have some great stuff. give it a shot...

 

[meateater]

Take the carp and place on a cedar plank. Season well and smoke till tender. Toss the carp in the garbage and eat the cedar plank.

 

[silverwolf636]

They are not crap! When I catch a carp, I take it home and dig a hole in my garden and bury it. They make great fertilizer.
I hear they eat a lot of turds that don't fully decompose in the sewage treatment plants and is transfered to our creeks and rivers. These turds are ingested in the little fishy bodies and distributed throughout their body for nourishment and growth. So I guess their bodies are made up of digested poop. Thus, fertilizer that you buy is poop, usually from cattle, so there ya go. Free poop.
There's a saying, "I'm goin to go take a crap." Which usually means, that.... Ah, never mind, I think you know. So I guess I stand to be corrected. Carp are CRAP!
Just my 2 cents...
--ray--
(0|||0)

 

[hog warden]

You guys who don't eat carp probably do eat tilapia....right?

From wiki....

Hmmmm.

Anyway, carp is ok fried. How to fry? Take your headed, gutted and scaled or skinned fish and score them (small back to belly knife cuts about 1/4" apart and all the way to the back bone.....and remove that bloodline on the side) then cut them into chunks. Back bones and rib bones are still attached. Rub with mustard and coat with your normal fish fry coating, and deep fry in some hot peanut oil. All the small little bones that make it inedible otherwise disappear. Get one under five pounds from a river and it's highly edible. A lot of fish frys in the midwest feature carp and buffalo from the rivers. Potato salad (real stuff not Ron White) and/or slaw, hush puppies and ice cold beer. Eat till you puke (not because it's bad.....it's that good)

 

[meateater]

I wont eat Tilapia either, I tried once and in the trash it went. Tasted like dirt, now catfish I'll eat up, good stuff!

 

[chainsaw]

My grandparents, who lived on the riverbank, caught carp on their throwlines morning and evening, along with the catfish, gars, turtles, and other fish. Unlike smoking, they fried them up. (We were, as children)) always admonished to "watch the bones" but we still ate them!

 

[tasunkawitko]

i tried one last year and it was fine. the only way to know is to try one.

 

[Bearcarver]

I agree with Erain about the small ones in the spring (much like mud-cats).

My grandfather used to catch real big ones. He would roto-till them into his veggie garden----GREAT fertilizer !


Bearcarver

 

[mrh]

Growing up we ate lots of carp. My Grandpa smoked them pickled them and fried them. I really enjoyed the smoked and pickled ones. Grandpa always soaked them overnight in a brine of saltwater (Enough to float a egg) and a little liquid smoke then cooked them in a oven. The pickled ones I couldn't tell you, because he didn't use a recipe just by taste i guess. But it would gell up when cooled and the bones got soft. We also canned some which was good too. Like erain said the ones from the cold water from late fall and winter were better.

Mark