Is barracuda safe to eat?

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote tennut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2009 at 10:31pm
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Good on you Youngfisherman!!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Keith C Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2009 at 10:42pm
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They are perfectly edible and the local NZ fish were being exported back to South Africa by the container load. I smoked and sold the stuff commercially here in NZ and my product was shipped all over both islands. The smoked product (not mine) is still sold in some shops here in NZ that sell South African produce. If prepared correctly, it can be an excellent table fish. One of the biggest problems is that the disregard that kiwis have for the fish means it isn't handled like all fish products should be.
Yes, it often has "worms" but these do not detract from the flavour. The biggest problem is mushy flesh which is not prevented by good handling. The fish go through times of the year when the flesh is useless as anything but bait or berley. The darker the flesh, the better the condition of the meat.
Excellent on the barbie basted with garlic butter or roasted in foil with garlic or lemon butter. Many a kiwi has scoffed it by the plateful in my home and refused to believe it is couta even after I show them the boxes of skin-on fillets in my freezer. If filleted correctly, there are no small bones but many long bones which are only easy to remove when the fish is cooked.
I used to catch them semi-commercially, working two 100 lb handlines simultaneously. Hard, back-breaking and possibly dangerous work if you don't know how to quickly break their necks when you swing them on board and under your armpit.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Uncle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2009 at 11:08pm
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Keith, those 'cutta are my friends so please don't encourage the likes of Youngfisherman & co to deplete the ranksLOL
 
Next time you're here in Tga, I must find out more about your work with the razor gang---sounds interesting.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Youngfisherman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2009 at 7:32am
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i just fillet it when i got home sprinkle of salt put in fridge then when i got back from school pan fryed it with plenty of black pepper....im sure if they had less bones and worms this would be a popular fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote hookerpuka Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2009 at 8:21am
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Originally posted by Youngfisherman Youngfisherman wrote:

i just fillet it when i got home sprinkle of salt put in fridge then when i got back from school pan fryed it with plenty of black pepper....im sure if they had less bones and worms this would be a popular fish.
 
 LOL I'll put that to the Razor council next time they meet.... till then I think I'll be avoiding them.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Youngfisherman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Mar 2009 at 8:23pm
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yeah i dont think ill be eating them again eaither because spottie are much better eating in my opinion.I think spotties are sweeter than butterfish because both the meat have the same texture but spotties flesh is much sweeter. Spotted wrasse is also similar
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SACoastal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Sep 2014 at 8:44pm
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Hi Keith...
Could you tell me of any NZ company to whom I can speak about importing barracuda to South Africa please? Your help would be much appreciated.
You may contact me directly in this regard at [email protected]
Warm Regards
Francois Julius
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Contract Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 9:25am
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I remember quite a few years ago, catching a load of Bara's on the way up to Tutukaka for a gamefish weekend. As soon as the first one came in, I filleted & skinned it. Could quite clearly see the "worms", but cut bite sized pieces around the nasties, floured, egged and then Panko crumbed.
Fried in butter and we were eating fresh Bara within 30 minutes of it swimming around.
EVERYONE on board could not believe what they were eating ~ flesh was firm and flakey. If I had to describe it, I would say a cross between JD & Hapuka.
I must admit, I have not repeated the exercise because I try not to target them !
If I had a choice .... I would go with snapper ~ if I didn't ~ I would not waste a freshly filleted Bara !

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Reel Deal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 10:29am
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Grew up eating them. Didn't hurt me none
What parents put there kids through. Father called the worms fish spaghetti.

They eat good though with a squeamish missus we keep and turn them into crayfish via a pot or use as bait.

And we never tell the old man we caught any.....
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men's lives the hours spent on fishing - Assyrian Proverb
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