Canning suckers

[Sniper-T]

Saturday evening I got a phone call that sent shivers down my spine. My neighbor on the other end said simply "Suckers are running"
When and where? I ask
Tomorrow 0700 says he and hangs up.

Boots - check
Landing net - check
coffee set - check

We arrived on site at 0930... by 1030 we had almost a hundred suckers in the truck... and since we teamed up with another couple guys we met out there... so did they.

Home by noon, and set up in the garage. By 1600 the garage was cleaned up and all the meat in bowls.

I have some in a straight salt brine, a tomato sauce, Italian salad dressing, and Greek salad dressing, to marinade, and I will stuff the jars and pressure can tonight.

:)

[Sniper-T]

my share, getting washed:

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/food%20-%20cooked/0410161908b_zps06d2k8z8.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/food%20-%20cooked/0410161908b_zps06d2k8z8.jpg.html)

first set drying:

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/food%20-%20cooked/0410161932a_zpsvuul5wch.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/food%20-%20cooked/0410161932a_zpsvuul5wch.jpg.html)

second set:

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/food%20-%20cooked/0410161920a_zpsk3uwhptv.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/food%20-%20cooked/0410161920a_zpsk3uwhptv.jpg.html)

third set:

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/food%20-%20cooked/0410161908a_zpsv9dqmyyk.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/food%20-%20cooked/0410161908a_zpsv9dqmyyk.jpg.html)

didn't get pics of the last set. Will get some more during canning tonight.

[helomech]

Cool, but what are suckers?

[Sniper-T]

a type of fish, considered a 'course' fish and not generally tried for, due to their boney nature. Canning is basically the only way to eat them.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Z9LmTwhuwQ/TM88-zt0uTI/AAAAAAAAAOU/flgtFexq_Ck/s1600/20101017_32edited.jpg

[jamesneuen]

Look like carp

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[bacpacker]

Yep snipers version of carp.

[Stormfeather]

ok. im intrigued. They look like carp, but didnt know they "ran". Would you mind going into a deeper explanation?

The reason I ask, Carp here, are bottom feeders, so they are pretty rough meat to handle and not very tasty, they can be eaten, but have to either soaked in milk overnight, or salt water.

[ElevenBravo]

Cockroach of the water, bottom feeders...

[Sniper-T]

Yep bottom feeders, that explain the sucker mouth. I am pretty sure they are a relative of some kind to carp; and probably not too distant.

They are the first fish (at least up here) to spawn in the Spring, so with the high water and runoff everywhere, the scoot out of the lakes and up the ditches in the fast water. This is what is called the 'run' not too different than a Salmon run.

This is when many people head out with nets and waders and scoop them up, or they can be taken with Archery equipment too. it's also not uncommon to see people in the ditches with pitch forks.

Following the suckers, are the Jackfish and then Walleye run, but both of those are considered gamefish, and not legal to dipnet.

I got 24 pints and 4 quarts of fish canned last night, under 4 different recipes, and have about another 8-10 jars to do tonight.
They are typically a pretty bland tasting fish, so they will take on whatever flavours that you give them.

[bacpacker]

Love me some Walleye. We don't have a large amount of them here, but they sure are good.

[jamesneuen]

I used to shoot carp with a bow and arrow in our lake growing up.

[realist]

Those aren't carp, they're bank fish, you catch em and throw them up on the bank.......didn't know anyone ate them.

[Sniper-T]

Went out yesterday, spent less than an hour in the water...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/Fishing/0414171229a_zpsjnogorvh.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/Fishing/0414171229a_zpsjnogorvh.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/Fishing/0414171229b_zpsxjkfd5ih.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/Fishing/0414171229b_zpsxjkfd5ih.jpg.html)

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt140/Sniper-T/Fishing/0414171230a_zps9nya2cgu.jpg (http://s605.photobucket.com/user/Sniper-T/media/Fishing/0414171230a_zps9nya2cgu.jpg.html)

Still processing, but in total we had 130 fish.

pulled 12 to the side to try smoking.
ground up 4 pounds, and after tomorrow, the rest will be canned.

Will post up the canning recipes later...

[helomech]

You just catch them with a net?

[Sniper-T]

yep. some skill and technique involved, but not a whole lot. It's time to fill the pantry

[Sniper-T]

Batch one: (16 pints)
Tablespoon tomato soup/ea
1/4 whole Jalepino pepper w/seeds (8 pints)
2 slices Serano pepper w/seeds (8 pints)
1/2 tsp salt/ea
Added to jar first - didn’t seem to boil through properly.


Batch two: (8 pints/ 4 quarts)
Tablespoon ketchup/ea 2 for quarts
1/4 whole jalepino w/seeds (2 pints)
1 slice serano w/seeds (6 pints)
5 slices Serano w/seeds (4 quarts)
1/2 tsp salt/ea
Added to jar first - didn’t seem to boil through properly.

Batch three: (8 pints)
1 can tomato soup
12 slices Serano pepper w/seeds (diced)
1 tbsp reallemon
Mix all together add when Jar was 1/2 full of fish
1.5 tbsp tomato soup /ea
1/2 tsp coarse salt/ea

Batch four: (8 pints)
8 oz Ketchup
2 tbsp pepper corns
1 tbsp reallemon
Mix all together, add when Jar was 1/2 full of fish
1.5 tbsp sauce/ea
1/2 tsp coarse salt/ea

Batch five: (2 quarts)
6 oz sweet chili lime sauce (divided)
1/2 tsp coarse salt
Add throughout, as fish was added
Note: Fish cut into pieces.

Batch six: (1 quart/1 pint)
4 oz Franks Redhot sauce
1/2 tsp coarse salt
Add throughout, as fish was added
Note: Fish cut into pieces.

Batch seven: (1 quart)
6 oz sweet chili sauce
6 Serano pepper slices
1/2 tsp coarse salt
Add throughout, as fish was added.
Note: Fish cut into pieces.

Note: 1 med-large fish = 1 pint stuffed.

[Stormfeather]

SO how do they taste? I guess kind of is where it all matters at right?

[Sniper-T]

depending on the sauce, that's where most of the flavour comes from, as it is a very delicate flavoured fish; but the texture and consistency is almost identical to canned Tuna.