cooking Butterfish

Page  123 4>
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Spearo2b Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: cooking Butterfish
    Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 9:23am
Spearo2b View Drop Down
Silver
Silver
Avatar

Joined: 07 Feb 2013
Location: auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 355
i know there has been numerous threads on this topic but i cannot find them i was just wondering if there was a particular way or recipes for Butter fish last two times i have cooked it it has gone quite tough (just a thicker texture) and fallen apart im wondering if anyone out there has recipes or cooking techniques to avoid this much appreciated cheers 
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kolt45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 9:38am
kolt45 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2348
Best way is to give them to your neighbor and cook a snapper for yourself!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Mullins Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 9:45am
Mullins View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 19 Aug 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 5976
Aim high
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Troy Tempest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 9:54am
Troy Tempest View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 30 Aug 2008
Status: Offline
Points: 1030
Great - a butterfish thread.  Unleash the haters!!

Thai curry is great - any flakes just make the sauce thicker.
Fishcakes - all good and no need to worry about flakes.
Lightly freeze a fillet and finely shred it, cook it like a whitebait patty.
Frying - don't do it from cold seems to help, leave the fillet at room temp.
·.¸¸.·´¯'·.¸¸·´¯'·.¸¸.·´¯'·.¸ ><((((º>
.¸¸·´¯'·.¸¸.·´¯'·.¸ ><((((º>

Just quietly getting on with it...
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kolt45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 9:58am
kolt45 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2348
There may be something in the room temperature bit. I've got a mate who swears by allowing beef to warm to room temp, so maybe this works with fish as well. I actually don’t mind a butterfish wrapped up in baking paper with olive oil, capsicum, courgette, garlic, ginger, chili, and kaffir lime.

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote red rooster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 10:21am
red rooster View Drop Down
Silver
Silver


Joined: 07 Feb 2014
Location: wellington
Status: Offline
Points: 154
if frying do so on low heat, otherwise fillet will curl up - lots of seasoning
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Diver Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 10:57am
Diver Dan View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 7412
Butterfish makes great Thai fish cakes - coarse puree with crayfish and scallops even better, and all the usual flavourings.

If I pan fry or egg and breadcrumb it, I finish it in a hot oven for 3 or 4 minutes - will be cooked through and tender.

Personally, if you are after a delicate tasting fish, it is hard to beat (blue cod is the best - or King George Whiting!).

Kolt, snapper is so over rated in general. Next time you get a big snapper though, scale it, skin on cutlets, salt for an hour or two, then rinse, and confit in olive oil or duck fat, finish skin side up under a very hot grill. You will be blown away.
Proud member of the Glen Innes Spearfishing Club
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kolt45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 11:30am
kolt45 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2348
Snapper are appropriately rated in my opinion.

I scale almost all my fish and wouldn't dare take the skin off a snapper of any size. I also keep all the wings on all my fish except koheru. If people didn't throw away the wings, they'd find that they have twice as many meals off the same number of fish, plus more variety in taste and texture as well.

If you have to cover up the flavour of something with something else, doesn't that mean that it wasn't very good to begin with? Mincing scallops and crayfish with butterfish is a crime.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Chazza404 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 11:36am
Chazza404 View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze
Avatar

Joined: 27 Mar 2011
Location: Wellys
Status: Offline
Points: 53
Originally posted by kolt45 kolt45 wrote:

There may be something in the room temperature bit. I've got a mate who swears by allowing beef to warm to room temp, so maybe this works with fish as well. I actually don’t mind a butterfish wrapped up in baking paper with olive oil, capsicum, courgette, garlic, ginger, chili, and kaffir lime.


Letting meat settle to room temperature helps with heat distribution while cooking; a thicker or chilled fillet means it'll take longer to cook to the centre - the risk being of over cooking the outer sections of the meat.

A good guide for cooking steak; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhOV89EQtJs


I quite like a butterfish ceviche, also baked in foil with some butter and fennel seeds turns out nice (works well with most fish).
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote e.m.p! Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 12:47pm
e.m.p! View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Location: Welly
Status: Offline
Points: 1550
I've heard that butterfish turning either mushy or rubbery is a seasonal thing. Also apparently it helps to leave the fillets in the fridge over night. Great recipes in this thread - maybe I should give it another go…

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote spear crazy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:26pm
spear crazy View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 1358
Thai fish curry is awesome with butters and I normally leave in the fridge at least overnight so help. Will try it with fishcakes though after reading this!
Axemen Spearfishing... "Putting the crap back into elite"
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote herby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:31pm
herby View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 6356
Get yourself an Old El Paso soft taco crispy chicken kit from the supermarket, substitute the chicken for strips of butterfish.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote pjc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:42pm
pjc View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Location: papakura
Status: Offline
Points: 12473
wife made thai green curry,tasty,she usualy uses snapper and i could not taste difference only texture was a bit corser.
Sex at 58.Lucky I live at 56
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kolt45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:43pm
kolt45 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2348
My favourite Mexican spice mixes are by Tio Pablo. Use proper Mexican style tortillas made with masa instead of the crap OEP wheat flour ones. Soooooo Goooooood. Tio Pablo
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Spearo2b Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:48pm
Spearo2b View Drop Down
Silver
Silver
Avatar

Joined: 07 Feb 2013
Location: auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 355
cheers for the help will have to give some of these a go thanks

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 4:48pm
cirrus View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 07 May 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 9849
IMO butterfish would one of the top N.Z fish to eat. Would rate well above snapper ,but maybe because snapper is the main fish i catch.

I just simply pan fry in butter.

Sometimes see it whole & gutted in Asian fish places in A.K @ around $12 kg,and ironically they are very fresh and firm,unlike most of the other fish which is in varying stages of decomposition.

So where they source it and how they get it in top condition i dont know
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote herby Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 5:04pm
herby View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 6356
^ I do.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Diver Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 5:05pm
Diver Dan View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 7412
Ok Kolt, why is the crayfish/scallop/butterfish thing sacrilege? I admit it is a luxurious dish, but it adds a level of richness and sweetness to them. Awesome.

Those Tio Pablo tortillas are OK, but if you can source masa harina and use a tortilla press to make your own, it is way better.

Some people think wearing denim top and bottom is OK as well.
Proud member of the Glen Innes Spearfishing Club
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote kolt45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 5:23pm
kolt45 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 2348
I would enjoy scallops in all their unadulterated glory before I went and mashed them up with a blasted butterfish.

I totally agree that making your own proper tortillas will always be best. Uncle Pablo sells masa harina too.

I also agree that denim is the way to go. All denim.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote harrison Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2014 at 6:07pm
harrison View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 27 Apr 2013
Location: Stokes Valley
Status: Offline
Points: 1067
For the butters defo in the fridge or chilly bin overnight then nothing beats simply frying them in some kind of cooking oil with salt and add pepper, use same pan to fry up a couple of eggs, place on top of fish and devour with appropriate utensils and of course more salt and pepper.

The room temperature thing makes sense but my fish is normally on the bench for 15mins or so before i cook and always slice them thiinner so 1 fillet becomes 2 if its thick so wouldnt know otherwise.
      
Back to Top
Page  123 4>
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.228 seconds.

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bream Bay Fishing Report - 29/10/26

'Softly softly' approach to workups. Now is the time most inshore snapper fishers dream of... Read More >

29 Oct 2026
Freshwater Fishing Reports
Rotorua Fishing Report - 29/10/26

Fantastic fishing set to only get better! The fishing around the Rotorua region has been... Read More >

29 Oct 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Eastern Coromandel Fishing Report - 29/10/26

Kingfish, snapper and crayfish on the menu. The anticipation is building as we find ourselves... Read More >

29 Oct 2026
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Tauranga Fishing Report - 29/10/26

Fishing and diving heating up. Let’s start on a positive note this week, as water... Read More >

29 Oct 2026
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites