Spanish Mack Recipe Anyone ??

[Snooker]

Hey,
I am looking for a decent recipe for grilling, baking or whatever for macks. They are too bloody and have a rather strong flavor whenever I fix em. I always bleed the fish and then soak in milk to try and make it less strong but nadda. Good god man, that is some more horrible tasting crap. They are fun to catch but I have been releasing or giving away.
Sure would appreciate any help. I have been catching a lotta macks lately and its a shame I cant eat em. Or should I have said that I am a lousy cook. Just kiddin, love to fry up snook but not lately and don't plan to target them for a while. Winter put a serious hurt on their arse.

Good Luck All

[filletnrelease]

First off, you are never going to make a Mack taste like a Snook, Grouper or Snapper. These fish are definitely stronger in flavor, a distinct flavor you either like or dislike. One thing you can do, is when you catch the fish, cut it's throat and put it head first in a bucket of sea water. After it bleeds out, ice it down good. If you skin and fillet it, make sure to cut the blood line out, this also removes the vertical bones in the front 1/3 or so of the fish. I like to marinate the fillets for a while in Italian Dressing, then place on a piece of foil, add a couple thin lemon slices, wrap it up tight and grill on the top rack. Of course, like Mullet, these fish smoke up great and is probably my favorite method. Macks and Kings also make a good poor mans lobster, but then you must like the taste of the fish. If all else fails, they make great cut bait for Grouper. ;D

[Floridaboy]

Cut them in half and soak them on the bottom for Tarpon ;D Other than that, catch & release.

[arrantzale]

I eat them quite often, and while they dont taste like grouper or snook they are still good. I eat mine broiled either the day I catch them or the day after and they never have a fishy taste.

So this is what I do.
I fillet them and leave the skin on and soak them in ice water for like 10 mins after filleting. About 2-3 hours before you are going to cook them, rub the fillets liberally with extra virgin olive oil then add whatever spices you like (also liberally). Let them sit in fridge for at least 2 hours then broil on the top rack for like 6-8 mins depending on the thickness of the fillet. The meat should be nice and white, flaky and boneless. Good in my book.

[cheesegrits]

I agree that they can be very fishy if not handled properly. Once you get the filet off the fish slice all of the skin off. This is important as the skin carries a lot of the fish taste. Once you get the skin off cut out ALL of the bloodline, debone where necessary, then put into gallon bag and flush with fresh water until you don't get any more blood coming out. When I flush with the water I let it fill the bag up and let the filets sit then dump and do this again and again until the water stays pretty clear. You can freeze them at this point but don't keep them more than a month or so and always freeze them in the water.
Now to cooking them. I like smoking them also but I am usually in too much of a hurry so i will usually either grill them or bake them.
I also agree that the italian dressing is good but we recently found an even better method. Even my friends who don't like fish that much loved this method.
So whats my new secret?
Tony chachere's butter creole marinade. Its one of those injectable ones made for turkeys But dang it makes those macks as good as candy! Don't believe me ? Try it, and don't throw them back I'll take all you don't want when I come back down!

[installman]

I cook macks occasionally for the family. I bread em and deep fry em. When I catch a mack it goes straight into the cooler on ice. I never bothered to bleed em out. When I get home I cut the 2 fillets off, then cut the skin from the meat, then cut the red line out. I then rinse with fresh water and put into a ziplock with water with some salt in it fill the bag with water and fillets then squeeze out excess water and all the air and freeze. I have kept mackeral in the freezer for up to 6 months this way. They never taste fishy, in fact we tell the kids they're chicken nuggets and they love em ( they don't eat fish ya know). I think the key is to get them on ice as soon as possible, before the sun starts to cook em on the pier.
Good luck

[goindeep]

Deep frying is the way to go. I didnt like it when I tried it broiled or baked...but deep fried it was really good, not fishy tasting at all.

Also sauteed in a pan was pretty good...I squeezed some lemon on em and let em sit for about 10 minutes...sprinkled with some salt and pepper, then sauteed in butter in a pan, about a minute on each side. Put em on a plate and give em another shot of lemon juice.

[tylerdurden]

I was in the same boat as you last year till I talked to a guy that mentioned the italian dressing marinade. Just fillet them out and marinade them in the fridge for about 30 min in italian dressing after that do whatever you want to them and they will taste good, also used virgin olive oil with a variaty of seasonings for the marinade it was good but not as good as the dressing

[filletnrelease]

Try the Italian dressing with boneless chicken breasts or pork chops, marinade a little longer, actually the longer the better. Grill em, roll in breading and fry em, hell even shake n' bake and into the oven. Hell don't get no easier, comes in a bottle, no mixing no mess.

[no1painter]

Macks will spoil in a heartbeat so as soon as I remove the hook its on or rather in the ice they go. A lot of people will throw them in a cooler and then pour the ice on top or just lay the fish on top of the ice but to really get them cool they should have ice under and on top. I will if things slow down remove them from the ice and cut the throat and gut them, rinse well and back on the ice for the trip home.
As far as cooking breaded and pan fried or sprinkle them with some Cayenne pepper, some cajun seasoning and put melted butter on them and on the grill they go. Baste them with the butter with more spices added until done. Seem to like them that way.
I should smoke them one day, never tried it. Smoked mullet ummm good especially with a cold brew. Later, painter

[montylfl]

Mackeral Cookies. ( Saw this one on Hooked of Fishing 47)

Limit of fresh caught Mackeral .
Flavored Bread Crumbs
Half cup of fresh milk
I/4 lb of butter
three cloves of Garlic
Parm Cheese.

Preheat oven to 375
Filet Fish remove all skin.
Dip filets in Milk.
Pat breadcrumbs on top of fish
Bake in oven on lightly grease pan for 7-9 minutes.

While fish is baking melt butter in a small sauce pan.
Once butter is melted an chopped garlic and remove from heat.

After seven to nne minutes remove fish and turn on the broiler

Drizzle Butter and garlic on top. ( save a little for dipping)
Sprinkle with Parm Cheese.

Return to oven until parm Chese starts to brown. ( three to five minutes)

Remove from oven and place on serving dish with your favorite side dishes.
Use remaining garlic butter for dipping.

Enjoy

[ripnlips]

cut into small strips. leave the skin on. soak them in coconut milk. roll them in crushed club crackers. deep fry on high temp for about 2 minutes. quick and simple.

[eaglesfanguy]

Ice is the key. I do like someone said.. as soon as they come off the hook they are in a coating of ice. Never had a fishy one , when done this way. I fillet and either fry em. or put the fillets on a sheet of foil, then lay a bed of sliced onions, and tomatoes. slabs of butter.Place the fillet . then salt pepper and another layer of onions and tomatoes, and butter. seal the foil, and steam on the grill. about ten minutes. Fantastic. Eat everything.

[filletnrelease]

Like the sound of the onions and tomatoes, gonna give that a try.

[tristan]

When I've gotten some macks, I've filleted them, lightly dusted with season salt and pepper, and smoked over a low, smokey oak fire. Family loves 'em!