Northern pike; how do i clean and cook?

by admin on August 13, 2009

toodles_1399 asked:

I just caught a northern pike. it is pretty big. i was wondering if i am supposed to gut it first. also, should i fillet it and seperate it from the skin?
If i seperate it from the skin do i still have to scale it?

What are some good recipes for a pike?

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

baby-rae August 13, 2009 at 5:44 pm: umm… well my dad and my brother fish and they have caught them many times. So what they do is they skin it just lke a regular bass and they deep fri it in they pan but there a TONS of bones so don’t chock have fun
lou August 13, 2009 at 6:24 pm: scale or skin it and pan fry like any other fish. If you haven’t gutted it. throw it away. you do that first.
Swamprat August 16, 2009 at 12:42 pm: It depends on how you are going to cook it.If you are going to fry it fillet it and take skin off, if you are going to bake it or cook it on the grill leave skin on. You do know that they ar pretty boney but do make goooooood table fare.
bran August 17, 2009 at 8:34 pm: fillet it and beer batter or zatarans fish fry mmmmmmmmmmmmm

lets think about this if you take off the skin do you heave to scale it the scales are on the skin
stop_makin_cents August 20, 2009 at 6:35 pm: The problem with a Northern is their “Y-bone”.

Do a Google search for “how to fillet a Northern Pike”.

They ARE “bony”! If you don’t want to fillet them, cut them up into 2″ “chunks” and fry them in peanut oil. (use your fav batter- Corn meal, Beer, Tempura, Etc). They will be bony, but good “finger food”.

And yes, you have to gut them, and skin them.
buffalopgp August 24, 2009 at 5:07 am: very well thank you
tkept August 25, 2009 at 1:19 am: I have learned a couple tricks that work well for me. When you catch a pike, take your knife while it is still alive and make a cut just above the tail through the bone. This will bleed the fish well. Makes it much nicer to fillet without the blood. Then gut it, then instead of trying to wash the slim off it when you go to fillet it, give it a wipe down with paper towel, hang it in a cool place for 15 minutes or so till the slim dries. It is allot easier to handle.
I fillet my pike, and use the rib meat ( after it is boned out ) for frying or anything you want to do with it like any other fish. The part with the Y bone, I pickle. The Y bones completely dissolve and it pickles great. Hope this helps you, it works for me.