Yummy yummy carp

[burrows]

Ok I am not the type of person to say I don't like something without trying it so I fried up some carp and it was nasty so I tried it again in the oven and it was nasty and it was a lot of work cleaning it.

 Anyone here like carp if so how do you cook it?

[Dyerbassman]

I've heard it is nasty!  Don't want to try it

[bassh8er]

How big are the carp and did you score them?

 

[burrows]

 I don't plan on catching or eating carp again but I at least can say that I tried it before I hated it I do know some people like em I'm just curious who and why and how they made there fish. 

 I usually catch carp on corn and they are usually from 3 to 6 pounds in the lakes here I took two 5 pounders home and watched a video on how to properly clean and eat and even from a five pound carp you don't get a lot of meat. 

   Chewy suckers I'll tell you.

[J Francho]

Carp meat is like $75/lb. in Europe.  It's a delicacy.  Many Asian dishes even use the fins (because they're so pricey) for it's gelatin qualities.  Me, I'll try anything, but yeah....gross.

[roadwarrior]

Well, try this recipe:  

 

Begin with a cedar plank and soak for at least one hour.

Remove soft tissues (guts and gills) and wash the fish thoroughly.

Lightly season the cavity with salt & pepper, then stuff with lemons and finish with basil.

 

Place the fish on the cedar plank and grill over hot coals for 30 minutes or until the plank begins to steam.

 

Remove the fish on the cedar and let stand for 5 minutes.

Throw away the fish and enjoy the plank!

 

Bonappetit!

 

 

[RoLo]

I've tried eating pretty near everything I've harvested hunting & fishing.

I gave carp a shot about 40 years ago, but haven't touched one since.

It was a big fish, and the rib-cage resembled that of a human being.

 

I like Roadwarrior's recipe, only I might throw away the plank as well  

 

Roger

[UPSmallie]

Haven't tried carp before but I've tried freshwater drum. Those things taste putrid imo. Never again

[IndianaFinesse]

They are a very bony fish, but a small common carp caught in cold water is actually pretty mild and firm.  Removing all of their bones is a pain though, so I don't keep much of them any more.

[Bassun]

I've not tried them personally, but had a friend who basically cooked them just like deep fried spicy catfish, only cut in smaller chunks.  I'm guessing the smaller fish to breading ratio was part of it.  I think, but am not positive, he said to brine them first.

[scaleface]

It has to be scored , the local fish markets had machines that did it  .  Commercial fishermen would sell their catch to the markets .It was a thriving business when I was a kid . Theres not many of those old Mississippi river fish markets around anymore .

 

  I have ate carp numerous times . I even worked a booth and sold  fried  sandwiches with tartar sauce  at an annual fair . We couldnt keep up with the demand and ran out of fish .We had to go back to the fish market to get more . A local tavern had a weekly fish fry with carp and it was packed every time .  People dont eat it much anymore and the fish markets are gone . I enjoy a   carp sandwich loaded with tartar sauce and a cold beer . Last year I was driving down a highway in Illinois along the Mississippi river .  There was a little fish market/ outside restaurant  across from St Louis selling carp sandwiches . It was   pretty busy   .   I stopped and had one .

 

Ive canned it to  make carp patties  , man thats good stuff .

 

  

[Gundog]

I usually just use them for fertilizer. Works good cut up and mixed with cow manure.

[Yakalong]

I remember eating it once as a kid, I also remember how terrible it tasted. Stick to crappie, you will be much happier 

[.ghoti.]

If you remove the skin and all of the dark meat, carp are quite good. You need to get the dark meat off as soon as possible.

[Bluebasser86]

One of the few fish I've caught that I haven't eaten, no desire to either.

 

I've heard buffalo is good, they even sell it in stores around here in chunks for $4 a pound, I'd like to get in on that deal. 

[scaleface]

19 hours ago, Yakalong said:

I remember eating it once as a kid, I also remember how terrible it tasted. Stick to crappie, you will be much happier 

Yeah , carp are completely different than your typical white meat fish . If you  compare it to crappie, walleye .... then you will be greatly disappointed . It use to be quite popular along the Mississippi and inexpensive . Carp fish fries were frequent  but now that the fish markets are gone they are rare . There are still those who eat them , mostly poor people , but they have to score them with a knife , which takes a lot of time and hard to get good results . I dont even try . I gave a bunch away at my camp last year , the people I gave it too invited me for a fish fry the next week . I would have accepted but was not there at the time .

[burrows]

I would like to try some carp that is well prepared it doesn't sound so bad. I have a friend who's dad makes a soup out of it with potatoes and stuff and he swears it's really good.

[scaleface]

Theres my old fishing buddy on the left . My grandpa and Mr. Sims in a photo dated from  the 60's  .  Good ol boys . The fish   were caught at the grain terminal , a local  hot spot for carp fishing . These fish were eaten and enjoyed very much .  Its the way I was  raised .

 

 

I wish I had those old rod and reels  . I do have a split bamboo casting rod that was his . I had it re-glued , finished and new eyes added . Its one of my most cherished  possessions .

 

 

[Catch 22]

Long ago at the Conowingo  Dam,Md, people would hire a taxi cab to bring them down there from  New York city.They would carp fish all day,keep them in burlap sacks in the water.I saw them need two people to load a sack in the taxi. I guess they may still do  it.

I always heard that some people put live carp in a bath tub or other clean water source for a few weeks before eating them.

I filleted one long ago ,it sat in the fridge a few days before I lost my nerve and tossed it.

 

Here recently I have had several meals of pickerel strips deep fried. It is delicious,nice white meat and every bit as good as flounder. Real pia to fillet. Ya need one at least 23/24" to make it worth while. 

C22

[scaleface]

I understand why people think carp are yuk because they are compared to other fish . Us poor river folk acquired a taste for them  .

[JustJames]

A friend of mine told me he knows someone who gladly buy every carp he catch. I believe they are arabian or something in that region. 

I think this one sold for 50 bucks. Asain people also eat carp especially chinese who know how to cook them. 

[keeganzpapa]

I was stationed a short time in Germany. At the festivals they always had carp on sticks tilted over a campfire smoking them, You could smell them for miles. They were quite good. I compare Bowfin to carp as they both seem to be bottom garbage fish. I assume they both are equally poisoned with PCB's and mercury?