# Best recipe for Whiting



## lipjerker (Apr 27, 2012)

Who thinks they have best recipe for whiting? Come on guys let's have em.


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## Whoopin It Up! (Dec 20, 2010)

I like Whiting like this:
For the past 2 summers I have made an effort to catch Whiting in the Surf at Padre Island National Seashore (PINS). And once I catch them, I like to have the old fashioned fish fry right there at PINS. But 1st you have to catch them! 

I have discovered you can readily catch whiting right on the PINS beach in front of the Maequite Visitor Center in the Month of August. The surf water is warm, the bait fish is in the surf, and so is the Whiting (and specs & reds, too)... but the Whiting population in the PINS surf is over the top in Mid-August!!! I use a 7' rod with spin reel and extra light jig heads. My favorite is the Bomber Saltwater Ny-la Lure Jig in a peppermint color. You can tip the hook with just a dab of FishBites and that's all that is needed. One Bomber artificial lure and a 8 to 12 pound test line and you are good to go! I caught about 75 Whiting all by myself in 2 hours this past August 2012. I must have released another 25 that was small, but the 75 were good sized keepers. I just iced them down in the old Igloo. I work up a big appetite in all that wade/surf action. With many Whiting filets (very fresh filets, for sure!) I get my on the beach fish fry ready! I use my propane powered deep fryer. I just fry them to a nice golden brown - using a store bought fish fry such as Tony Chasseriers', or Deep South Golden Fish Fry - - - any will do. The point is you can have delicious fish & chips (fries) and cole slaw at the beach! Plus have fun catching your meal!


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

I have made fish tacoes on the beach using whiting, they were good.... other then that, they come in on a hook and go out on a bigger hook!


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## Whoopin It Up! (Dec 20, 2010)

*I'll drink to that!*



JOHNNYREB said:


> I have made fish tacoes on the beach using whiting, they were good.... other then that, they come in on a hook and go out on a bigger hook!


Fish Tacos ... I will try thatmy next time on a Whiting trip!


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Also makes great ceviche


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

When I moved to Mississippi, I learned right away they eat mullet. My recipe for whiting is the same as I used to tell the guys there about mullet.

Take one large whiting, cut into three pieces. Place on hook and turn into three bull reds, sharks, jacks, etc.


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## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)

If I catch a small one I cut em in half and put em on a circle hook. I hear they are good eatin but never tried them though.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

When my kids were young we spent a week at SS very summer we cooked several meals of Whitings while we were there. One it taught that what you catch you either let loose or you ate. Plus it made them feel good about catching supper.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

I've cooked 'em and used them for bait. I only keep the big ones for both reasons, otherwise it's too much fight for the bite. I grill them like I do all my surf fish: Coat some tin foil with a healthy portion of olive oil, slap the whiting fillets skin down, spice the top with blackened seasoning, garlic salt and lemon juice (optional), cook on low/medium heat (~325 deg) for 15-20mins, turn over and peel the cooked skin off, spice this side the same way, grill another 10-15mins, EAT. Makes great fish tacos too. Sharks and Bullreds like whiting sashimi!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Cook em foil(about like surfguy does) right on the beach fire when you are starving after surf fishing, swimming in the waves and digging the truck out of the sand. 
They will be the best fish you ever ate!
Told a guy from Louisiana once that whiting were good to eat. He said "What? Nobody eats _channel mullet_" I said "Dude you guys eat real mullet" enough said!


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

All them small fish like pompano I just gut them, use a spoon to remove the scales, dust them in fish fry coating, anything will do, and cook them in a pan with a tablespoon or two of oil. I like cast iron but that won't do on a ceramic stove top. Been eating crappie that way for years. Even baked them that way. Learned that from Russel Tinsley's book "Fishing in Texas." He uses busted Ritz crackers for his recipe.


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

Smaller ones (6-8") become bait if needed. I usually start tossing them in the cooler at +10" or so. Gotta love the big ones (some up to 15" this year). I fillet, skin and de-bone the fish. It doesn't leave lots of meat, but they go fast. I can clean a dozen in 15 min or so. There are only 2 fish eaters in my house (me and mother in law) so I don't need a lot of fish to have a meal. In the kitchen, I go with one of two options.

Sauteed whiting filets. Make some light side dishes (rice, noodles, veggies) and have them ready. I heat the large non-stick omelet pan and melt a teaspoon of butter with a splash of olive oil. I dust the filets with Nature's Seasoning and add them to the skillet. They start to get white after 2-3 min over medium-high heat. I turn them and drizzle a teaspoon of red chili oil over the filets (dried red pepper flakes soaked in good olive oil). Just before they are ready (2-3 more minutes), I give them a squeeze of lemon. Serve with the sides and a chilled dry Sauvignon Blanc. A Chardonnay is good, but a bit robust for the delicate flavor of the fish.

Fried whiting and chips. Heat the fryer (mine is pretty small). Make some potato and/or veggie fries. I like to set the oven to 200 and put the fries in a pan in the oven to stay warm while I am doing the batches of fish. As the fish come out, I add them to the oven pile until the whole meal is done. I shake the filets in a dry fish fry mix (Zatarains with some extra cayenne and Nature's Seasoning) and then fry them 6 min or until the coating changes from light to medium. When I am ready to serve each plate, I add the fish and fries back to the basket and crisp for 1 min in the fryer. I serve with a salad, cocktail sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce and lots of beer. Wine just doesn't stand up to a big fry like that. Finish it off with some antacids before bedtime, of course...


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Scale, clean, sprinkle with green onions and minced chinese ginger, microwave with a wet paper towel covering fish (about 5-6 minutes depending on the size), poor soy sauce over it, and fish with some hot oil over the top to crisp the skin.


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## TomCat (Jan 6, 2006)

Jolly Roger said:


> Also makes great ceviche


X10 The best.


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## Bearwolf34 (Sep 8, 2005)

no sushi lovers here?? freeze it after filleting and walla..sushi


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## bbgarcia (Mar 23, 2008)

I steam them in water w/ crab boil until they're opaque and then take a fork to the filets and flake them up. Put a little mayo, chopped bell pepper and onion, Cajun seasoning, & bread crumbs. Put a ball of the mixture in your hands and pat it out and you have made some of the best fish cakes you can put in your mouth. you can oven bake them or fry them.

I also fry, saute', and blacken them just like I cook a lot of my other fish.


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

bbgarcia said:


> I steam them in water w/ crab boil until they're opaque and then take a fork to the filets and flake them up. Put a little mayo, chopped bell pepper and onion, Cajun seasoning, & bread crumbs. Put a ball of the mixture in your hands and pat it out and you have made some of the best fish cakes you can put in your mouth. you can oven bake them or fry them.
> 
> I also fry, saute', and blacken them just like I cook a lot of my other fish.


Ok....the fish cake recipe sounds good!


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Fishingcacher*

You must be oriental. That's the southern Chinese was of preparing steamed or poached fish!


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

steverino said:


> You must be oriental. That's the southern Chinese was of preparing steamed or poached fish!


Asian yes.


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## coastalmayham (Jan 14, 2011)

louisiana fish fry, oil, and fish. Tastes lovely!!!


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## skooter2 (May 3, 2011)

I enjoy getting into the "bull whiting". Very versitile. Sauce pequant, cubian, gumbo, stir fry, fish cakes, cold smoked, on and on. I still prefer fried up right on the beach


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## Cody C (May 15, 2009)

fishingcacher said:


> Asian yes.


That sounds pretty tasty. Might have to try that

Cody C


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

bbgarcia said:


> I steam them in water w/ crab boil until they're opaque and then take a fork to the filets and flake them up. Put a little mayo, chopped bell pepper and onion, Cajun seasoning, & bread crumbs. Put a ball of the mixture in your hands and pat it out and you have made some of the best fish cakes you can put in your mouth. you can oven bake them or fry them.
> 
> I also fry, saute', and blacken them just like I cook a lot of my other fish.


That sounds pretty good. Do you leave the ribs in and then just flake the meat around them? Seems like you lose so much meat on a whiting with traditional fillet.


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

I just put a bunch of whiting into a huge pot of gumbo that I made. Turned out way better than expected. I just waited until the last minute to put them in with the shrimp.

I have in the past tried them grilled, baked and pan fried. All methods turned out good, but they fall apart on me. The last time before the gumbo was the first time I deep fried with corn meal coating (louisiana cajun stuff or something) and it was amazing. I'll be doing a lot more deep frying with whiting from now on. I think it was as good or better than deep fried crappie.

Deep frying also gives me an excuse to make jalapeno hush puppies.


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## bbgarcia (Mar 23, 2008)

justletmein said:


> That sounds pretty good. Do you leave the ribs in and then just flake the meat around them? Seems like you lose so much meat on a whiting with traditional fillet.


Depends on how big they are. I usually won't keep them unless I can fillet them. I fillet them so my youngins won't eat any bones because they love to eat fish.


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## lipjerker (Apr 27, 2012)

*best recipe for whiting*

okay boys,
You knocked this one out of the park. well done! These recipies are fantastic. I have so many new ways to fix whiting now. I think the fish cakes were my favorite. But just a plain ol fish fry on the beach is an awesome way to get the kids involved in catching, cleaning, cooking, and best of all....eating.
Thanks to all for replying to this post. Just proves again that 2-cool fishing is the best site on the web. 
You guys ROCK!
Lipjerker.


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