Just Curious About How Everyone Handles the Red Meat

[Cliff]

How do you all handle the red meat (lateral line) when preping stripper filets?
Do you spend time when first cleaning the fish or do you take care of it just before cooking it (like I do)?
Or, do you not even worry about it?
It takes a good sharp knife but I really work at it.

 

[birdsnest]

The blood line removal is part of the cleaning process when I fillet.

 

[Gem Morris]

I cut it out with a pair of sharp scissors before I vacuum pack with the filet bent along the lateral line to make it stick out

 

[Murph McBride]

I pull it out like a Zipper ! Thanks to a post on this Site a couple years ago.

 

[Fursniper]

I do not remove the red meat. Have tried eating it both ways and it does not make a significant difference to me.

 

[Steve Moore]

We get rid of it while filleting

 

[Flipper]

Go back in the old files and find the Tim Bagley striper fillet video. Buy one of those special Dexter Russell fillet knifes, and learn how to use it. Cut my striper filleting time by over half, and removes most all of the red meat in the process. I used to use an electric knife for stripers, but I can do them twice as quick with the 9" Dexter Russell knife. I'm sure one of the computer people can find it and bring it up. Around 2 years old best I remember.

 

[Big one]

I cut gills with knife before they hit the live well works great less mess while cleaning also

 

[Cliff]

Tried to find TBs video but not able. Maybe someone else can.
Lots of DR knives available
What do you use to keep it sharp?

 

[Gem Morris]

This video?

 

[Flipper]

That's the one. Thanks for finding it. I still can not go as fast as him. but I'm getting better. Must keep the knife sharp! It takes several fish to learn how to hold the knife at the proper angle, but once learned this method removes all but a thin line of red meat right down the center that is easily removed. The handle of the knife is what holds the blade up high enough to leave the red meat on the skin.

 

[Dorado]

I am usually overwhelmed just doing an efficient job on the water. The section above the ribs has the most meat, I concentrate on maximizing that during fileting. Filets are vacuum sealed at home as is. Before preparing, I am meticulous to remove any of the dark muscle...every speck. I find that this muscle is much stronger tasting than any other fish for some reason....

 

[Dave I.]

I'm with fursniper. We leave most of the red on. We've done both ways and really don't matter to us either way. The way I figure it, there is blood in the steak when I grill it. No different with the fish. Just make sure it's cooked al the way.
But I will cut the red out if we are making ceviche while on the lake. Does taste better without the red doing that.

 

[Ryan Kocherhans]

I also leave it on and dont worry about it. I'm generally processing so many stripers it slows me down.... I love fish and dont notice a big difference in taste.

I always bleed my fish and put them on ice asap. Those have been the biggest factors for preserving a fresh taste.

 

[Mildog]

I'm in the remove the red meat on stripers group and getting them on ICE asap as Ryan mentioned. It to me has a definite fishy taste to it. I prefer to remove it during filleting. I think it freezes and tastes better later if it is not left on. We usually bleed all fish we keep. It can be as simple as tearing a gill on stripers, there is less blood and mess when filleting and we feel they taste better and keep longer if bled out. I fillet with an electric fillet knife in a buddy system we slab them off with electric and buddy trims ribs and red meat with a very sharp fillet we can process a lot of fish in a hurry. To each his own and whatever works for you is great. Save shad eat Stripers!!!