Thread: cooking gar

Originally Posted by Gansett

A group of folks living on Lake Jordan, AL have a unique way of cooking gar. They have not confided their secrets to me (yet). But, they call it Lake Jordan lobster. I'll be darned if it doesn't taste just like it.

I have not tried it but I was told you use tin snips to cut and remove the backstrap so it must be tough skin. Was told by the same person to cut backstrap into small peices and boil in crab boil and dip in melted butter. Said it tastes like lobster so that is probably what the Lake Jordan folks are doing.

Originally Posted by fishwish

I have not tried it but I was told you use tin snips to cut and remove the backstrap so it must be tough skin. Was told by the same person to cut backstrap into small peices and boil in crab boil and dip in melted butter. Said it tastes like lobster so that is probably what the Lake Jordan folks are doing.

This is exactly the way to do it. I cut the head off with a machete, in order to get the snips under the scales, and then cut the skin along the back, and they just kind of peel open then. Cut out the back straps, and cut the straps into one inch pieces, and then boil in crab boil for 1 minute. If you boil it to long, it will be like chewing on a tire, so boil it just long enough to cook it, and then dip in butter. If you do it correct, you will be hard pressed to tell it apart from lobster. But you have to cut it into small pieces so it cooks fast, other wise it will be very tough. Just dont eat any of the eggs. They are poisonous, and will make you quite sick. So wash the meat very well if it is a female that is full of eggs.

thanks for all the come back i just heard a friend talk about them getting the back out like you do deer cause i kill them and put back so the little fish can have some thing to eat

gar is great in pattys or balls....like pawpaw said..scoop meat out and mix with onions, green onions and mashed potatos or bread.....or you can use the meat in whatever recipe you use to make crab cakes..........dont knock it till you tried it...

Yes, someone in a pontoon boat told me about a week and a half ago that gar have some of the prettiest meat, but I wouldn't eat it-that is unless we have another depression, but possum, racoon, groundhog and squirrel sound more appealing than a gar, and I eat none of those animals either.

Hello All,

I fried gar many times. Season well and deep fry.

But, I preferred mine in patties.

We bought a "hunk" of gar. I used a spoon and raked that across the meat. It takes out the meat and leaves the connector tissue. Mix with egg, breadcrumbs and seasoning. Make into a pattie and pan fry in shallow oil. Soooooo good.

But, the "mud fish" which has another name, shoepick? cypress trout? makes the best fish patties. Do the same way with the spoon, egg, bread crumbs and season. These are even better.

Don't knock it until you try it.

SilverLady

Do a search in Google for "Gar Fish Recipes" and you come up with a loooooong list.
1perchjerker

A WWII ranger I used to work for told me how to prepare a Gar. Wish I had paid closer attention to him. He could prepare and cook anything that was legal and moved. Was an amazing outdoorsman. Sure miss him.

Anyway, he said there was white meat and yellow meat. Discard the yellow meat, cut the white meat into small pieces, bring the water to a boil, put the white meat in, salt to your liking and when the meat rises to the top, remove and eat. Said it tasted like shrimp.

Now, this has been 35 years ago he told me this, and my memory is good, but reallll short, so follow someone that has a more in depth recipe. Sure wish I had listened to him more.

Thanks to all for sharing.