Eating Tailor and how you cook them

how many of you enjoy eating tailor? are there any good recipies you havce come across.

or are they just a good catch and release fish?

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Date Joined: 22/10/12

 Would love to hear also, we

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:01

 Would love to hear also, we love catching them, have just pan fried them on the beach before.

 

uncle's picture

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my missus loves them

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:03

fried in batter,her favourite fish, she used to hate it when BJ and I caught them at the Carn. jetty and took them for a ride to quobba,there was always enough for a feed though

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carnarvonite's picture

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Pan fried

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:06

Done in a pan with a bit of butter, don't freeze or keep them for more than one-two days because the flesh turns to mush

spook's picture

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Carnarvonite is spot on there

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:11

Carnarvonite is spot on there

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Uluabuster's picture

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Salt, pepper, curry powder

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:13

Salt, pepper, curry powder and olive oil on top. Wrap it up in aluminium foil and put it in an oven/grill at 200 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

Garnish with coriander and serve.

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+1 Carnarvonite.

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:13

+1 Carnarvonite.

Philly's picture

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Agree eat em fresh or

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:21

Agree eat em fresh or mulloway bait

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I lightly fry 'em in butter.I

Tue, 2013-06-18 12:44

I lightly fry 'em in butter.

I have had no problem keeping them in the freezer.  Defrost them overnight & cook as if fresh. Beautiful.

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I usually lightly fry in

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:03

I usually lightly fry in butter with stacks of diced garlic, very low heat, and a couple of mins either side, never let the butter brown and cook until the garlic goes soft like roasted garlic, never brown the garlic.

My other method is to soak in milk for 20mins, then crumb in panko bread crumbs, lightly fry in veg oil until crisp. Drain the oil and then throw back in the lightly oiled pan/wok with diced green onions and chillis for 30 seconds at the last second throw a cap full of chinese cooking wine into the pan and toss,  then sprinkle with a spice mix of equal quantities, ground ginger, five spice, chicken stock powder, salt and black pepper.

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"This is some serious gourmet

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:21

"This is some serious gourmet shit"

carnarvonite's picture

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Mouthful

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:48

Might just as well have a handful of spice in one hand and a bit of fish in the other and take alternate bites of each.

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Bang em in a smoker, wicked! 

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:07

Bang em in a smoker, wicked! 

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(No subject)

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:03

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+ 2 for smoked..

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:43

..but needs to be fresh, don't freeze

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Dont bother with big tailor

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:16

Caught 5 tailor ranging from 87cm to 65 - 70cm in Kalbarri January this year. Decided to keep the 87 and 70cm ones for eating. They quite literally had no taste pan fried in butter so i tried smoking them - crap as well -  just no taste at all - I even noticed it when i was gutting and filleting them there was hardly any "fresh fishy smell" . I agree with the above recipes for smaller ones they taste OK (but still wouldnt rave about them personally) from now on I will take a photo and release anything over say 45 - 50 cm what do other people think, anybody had the same situation?

WSHN4FSHN's picture

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I gotta say beeroclock I had

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:16

I gotta say beeroclock I had an experience quite the opposite. I had heard a similar thing until I caught an 83cm last year up north and with snapper on the barbie already this one went to the freezer. We started eating it a week later and it was one of the sweetest tailor I had had in years. I frequently eat 35-50's so I was pleasantly surprised. Not bad coming out of the freezer either. The only thing that needs to be done is a natural defrost on the sink. Def no hot water or microwave!! I also fillet as soon as possible and get the fillets on ice. I think this helps the preservation and quality through freezing as well.

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Snags's picture

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Ginger, soy sauce, spring

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:21

Ginger, soy sauce, spring onions, baked whole wrapped in al-foil.  Everyone who's tried it likes it!

Sambal & lemongrass is another recipe worth trying.

 

And like others have said, release the bigger ones, they are drier.  

crasny1's picture

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Personally dont rate them

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:29

And as they have become more infrequent, they are now a pure sports fish for me. Still love catching them because of the hit and aggression, but if possible released to fight another day.

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Fish guts's picture

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i tend to agree with you

Tue, 2013-06-18 14:54

i tend to agree with you cransy. some good recipies on here thou...

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sea-kem's picture

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Fresh only skin down and pand

Tue, 2013-06-18 13:52

Fresh only skin down and pand fry as Carnarvonite says until flesh is nearly cooked flip for 10 secs then serve with lemon juice and salt, taste of the sea yummo.

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Justo82's picture

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yeah, not a big tailor fan

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:01

yeah, not a big tailor fan here either.  but if fresh, most fish will taste good.  give me a Bight Red Fish anyday!!!  def my favourite fish

Noxious's picture

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I think something that is

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:17

I think something that is worth noting is immediately bleeding and icing the fish. I never go fishing without at least one bag of ice. It is good to keep your drinks cool, your bait fresh and your catch in the best possible condition. Something so simple that many people overlook. Makes a significant difference.

WSHN4FSHN's picture

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+1

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:18

+1

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Burley it and they will come.

Justo82's picture

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you are spot on.  a bucket of

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:22

you are spot on.  a bucket of water just doesn't do it.  I usually have 3-4 bags of ice on the boat.  I bleed all my fish (except whiting), and put them into an ice slurry.  Filleting becomes easier, and you can tell the quality from the firmness of the flesh on the fish.

 

great point you make.

Noxious's picture

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Yeah, a bucket of water is no

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:48

Yeah, a bucket of water is no good. When I take the boat out, i grab 3 bags of ice usually 10bucks from the servo. Put one in an esky for drinks and put two in the kill tank with some salt water to make a slurry, lasts all day.

 

Tailor are terrible if you don't ice them immediately, if iced they are a decent fish to eat (not amazing but worth eating). The flesh is easily bruised compared to other fish also, be gentle with them don't go throwing them around etc. Not all fish flesh is born equal.

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 With the keeping side i

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:53

 With the keeping side i thing i cryovac the fillets and they keep fine in the fridge for upto 2 weeks.Have also eaten frozen cryovacced tailor expecting it to be shit,but was still quite nice..I love tailor and would happily eat along dhuies,snapper etc..50CM is the perfect eating size imo 1 fillet serves 1 person and still nice and tasty.Recently ate the big one i caught a bit over a week ago (75cm) and it was still nice but not as good as the 40-50cm models.

mjohns's picture

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Another vote for smoked, had

Tue, 2013-06-18 15:55

Another vote for smoked, had a couple last weekend came up a treat!

 

Have caught quite a few 70cm ones and they were fine, maybe a bit hit and miss i guess? even one i didnt have ice on me (but it was a cold winters morning, still tasted good just had a bit more fishy flavour to it)

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Date Joined: 31/01/13

Don't mind them & I've had a

Tue, 2013-06-18 16:07

Don't mind them & I've had a few in the 70-80cm range that tasted fine, just pan fried or on the bbq with a bit of butter lemon juice & pepper. There's better eating fish around imo that you can pretty much bank on catching if you target them. So these days if I want a feed I'll go after some whiting or flathead, I only keep the occasional tailor for bait, the rest go back to fight another day.

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Super peg's picture

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mostly catch and release,

Tue, 2013-06-18 20:14

mostly catch and release, sometimes bait, seldom green thai fish curry.

some great recipes on here though! thanx fellas

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Wrap them in alfoil (Stops

Sat, 2013-06-22 11:09

Wrap them in alfoil (Stops them drying out)

Ginger, Salt, Chives, spring onion, oil, + dash of chinese cooking wine

or

Garlic, Salt, butter plus Corn chip Salsa if you like

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 Ice is all good on the boat,

Fri, 2013-06-21 22:02

 Ice is all good on the boat, ever tried walking a k up the beach with all your gear and a bag of ice... Neither. Do keep an esky with ice in the back of the ute in summer now, after gettin home with half cooked fish a couple of times. My favourite would have to be crumbed (flour, egg, crumbs) dipped in orange sauce, potato gems on the side.

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