Monkfish???

[westexasmoker]

I just picked up some monkfish filets that were marked down for a heck of a price. About 3/4 inch thick and a white meat.  Anyone smoked/grilled/fried one of this before??  I don't even know what a monkfish is, welcome to west texas!   :)

C

[West Coast Kansan]

Never have smoke them but they stay together real nice in fish stews, gumbo. 

[westexasmoker]

I did a google (gotta love google) on monkfish

The monkfish, known variously as the goosefish, anglerfish, or "allmouth," is a large, ugly, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in the coastal Atlantic area. Its size ranges up to about three feet, and its body is composed mainly of a huge, gaping mouth attached to a muscular tail. The monkfish is an anglerfish; its spine ends in a flexible, extensible cord which it dangles for use as a fishing lure.

The only edible portions of the monkfish are its muscular tail and its liver. The tail meat of the monkfish is delicious: dense, sweet, and very similar to lobster tail meat in both flavor and texture.

I love lobster tail, I'm a thinkin this is going into the smoker tommorrow!!

Has anybody else tried this?  Oh yea, it is one butt ugly fish (reminds me of my first wife.....but thats a whole nother story)   ;D  ::)

C

[Kummok]

Monkfish is called "Poorman's Lobster" in places I've visited east of the Rockies. Great description except that there's nothing "poor" about it anymore $$. Absolutely delicious when grilled to perfection.....one of the top three fish I order when visiting a seafood restaurant that offers it.

[manxman]

I get a fair amount of monkfish from a local trawler skipper who gets them as a by-catch when fishing for scallops, they are one of the most ugly fish in the sea but also one of the most tasty. Most of them are pretty small nowadays, overfishing has seen to that.

A few years ago they couldn't be given away but attract premium prices nowadays.

I have never tried smoking them, my favourite recipe is parma ham wrapped monkfish fillets.

The monkfish fillets have a membrane on them when they have been skinned, try and remove as much as the membrane as possible before cooking.

Cut the bones from the top and bottom fins off with scissors, the only remaining bone is the backbone which is best left in and removed after cooking IMHO, it is cartilage and lifts out easily.

I wash and pat dry the fillets thoroughly. Add a small knob of butter, a few sprigs of parsley and some lemon juice then wrap in parma ham. Wrap the fillets in tin foil and bake in the oven, typically for around 30 minutes. 

We generally serve it with potatoes and vegetables, new potatoes are what we like best and be sure to drizzle some of the juice from the tin foil parcel over the potatoes and vegetables.

The heads are good for making fish stock, there are some good cheek bits of flesh etc which all add to the stock.

Whatever way you do them westexasmoker I am sure you will enjoy.  :)

[Habanero Smoker]

Kummok is right on with his information. It used to be a good bargain until it became more popular. It one of the firmest white fish out there. I've never smoked it in a smoker; I usually pan fry or roast it. I use the planking method when grilling (grilling on cedar planks). This gives it a mild smoke flavor. I don't think you would want to apply too much smoke to Monkfish anyway.

[3rensho]

I usually grill it.  Here it is very $$$ but we often go to Spain and there it's quite reasonable.  It's a nice, firm meat.  Sometimes I drizzle chunks with olive oil while grilling and I have also made an emulsion from butter and raspberry vinegar and paint that on for grilling.  The flavor is mild and I think smoking it would be detrimental, at least for my taste.

Tom

[manxman]

I think smoking it would be detrimental,

I would agree but if you do smoke it let us know, maybe I will have to change my opinion!  ;) :D

[Habanero Smoker]

I agree with Tom and Manxman, when I grill it on cedar planks that is just the right amount of smoke. One additional advantage to planking is that you don't have to turn the fish over if you have a covered grill. So this gives the option of placing mango salsa, sun dried tomatoes (reconstituted) etc on the surface of the fish while it is cooking.

[3rensho]

Habs,

I've never used cedar planks.  Are they reusable after washing or is it a one shot deal?  I guess they're cheap as chips in any case. 

Tom

[Habanero Smoker]

Most of the time they are reusable. I have a gas grill and use 3/8" planks, and depending on what I am cooking (the length of time on the grill) I can easily get 5-8 uses out of them. If you have a charcoal grill I would get 1" planks (which are really 3/4"). Soak them over night fully submerged, so you will need a container long enough to hold the planks, and place something heavy on to so they don't float. I usually use a sauce pan or large bowl filled with water to keep them submerged.

Prior to using I apply a light coating of oil on the food side. To clean I use a wire brush to remove most of the charcoal on the bottom (I don't scrub to hard just enough to remove the looser particals), and use a food brush with some hot soapy water to wash the food side. Rinse well and let dry. To save some money, instead of buying cedar plank for bbq, and cooking stores, go to you local lumber yard and ask for untreated cedar boards.

[westexasmoker]

Monkfish is the bomb....hit it with 20 minutes of smoke and then threw it on the grill just long enough to sear both sides drizzeled with melted butter, and OMG it was awesome!  Like everyone has said, close your eyes and you'd think your eating lobster!   ;D

C

[FLBentRider]

I'm gonna have to watch for that in my store..

[Smoking Duck]

I used to do a Poor Man's Lobster boil with walleye.  Just cut the walleye fillets in one inch cubes (pay close attention to the bones), boil them in water (I always throw in taters, corn on the cob, onions, etc).  When they are finished cooking, dish em up and then dunk them in drawn butter.  Used to make it in walleye fish camp when I went up north of Wawa, Ontario. 

I'll tell you what:  I don't like the way the women smell in Canada, but it's hard to be a Poor Man's Lobster Boil in Canada fish camp.

(I made that last statement just for Mike so he knows I'm still a little ticked about making fun of the schoolgirl comment  ;D)

SD

[Kummok]

I used to do a Poor Man's Lobster boil with walleye.  Just cut the walleye fillets in one inch cubes (pay close attention to the bones), boil them in water (I always throw in taters, corn on the cob, onions, etc).  When they are finished cooking, dish em up and then dunk them in drawn butter.  ......

Do that same/same with halibut.... surprisingly close to lobster taste when dunked in drawn butter!