That algae taste

[el_carpo]

Hello all,

I just read an article in a cooking magazine that said that to get rid of the algae taste in fish, you should soak the fillets in buttermilk for one hour. They said that there is a substance in the algae that gives the fish that horrible flavor. That substance can be destroyed in acid. First, they soaked the fish in a diluted lemon juice/water bath; it got rid of the algae taste but ruined the fish's texture (it became mushy). Then, they used the buttermilk and said it worked well. I've never used this yet but will. The fish they experimented on was tilapia. I hope that it does work because I've had to throw out both tilapia and catfish in the past because of the "algae monster."

Buttermilk. Hope this helps.

[Nic]

I heard that it's the fat in freshwater fish that holds most of the muddy taste, so you need to be careful to trim it all off. Word is soaking the fish overnight in egg and milk can also help... some guys at a barra farm used to do that, I believe.

[tunaticer]

A good skin and fillet job done soon after death and before the flesh sets rock hard and be sure to remove all fat and bones will usually remove most traces of odd flavour. You need to wash the fillets as you do them to make sure any fish slime is removed then ice them down as cleaned fillets.

Most times it is the slime and skin that gives this flavour and not the flesh. Any freshwatewr fish i catch to keep goes onto a stringer and kept alive until i am about to leave and usually filletted within about ten minutes of the fish's death.

Jack.