preparing eels?

[novembeRain]

I've been out this morning and found there's a lake (pond) in the woods that I didn't know about.

I wouldn't really expect there to be any "fish" in there but there might be eels- would you think?

Working on the assumption that there is or could be, I may well try some bushcraft style fishing in the hope or catching lunch .

I'm sure I read somewhere that eels have a black, poisonous fluid around their spine hence the question;-

I'd probably skewer it over a fire, how do I go about prepairing the eel?

 

[Shewie]

Not sure about the black fluid but my brother used to prep them by putting a nail through the head and then peel the skin back with a pair of pliers.

 

[hiraeth]

Not sure about the black fluid but I`ve my brother used to prep them by putting a nail through the head and then peel the skin back with a pair of pliers.

Never heard that before either, got to agree with Shewie as to the best way to prepare them. Have always wanted to try smoking the eels.

 

[novembeRain]

so peel them! lol (I remember seeing a picture of that bit somewhere). What else needs to be done?

 

[hiraeth]

Watched wild food on tv yesterday and RM skinned an eel to its tail, leaving skin on ,gutted it stuffed the cavity with marsh samphire, rolled the skin back on and cooked the eel in the embers of the fire.

 

[Treemonk]

Third for nail and pliers treatment.
When the skin is off a finger can scrape out the alimentary canal.
Might I reccommend a damp tea-towel which is useful to keep a grip on them as they wriggle a lot even when dead.

How do you propose to capture the eels in the first place? there are after all a lot of fishing techniques out there!

 

[novembeRain]

So, by the sounds of things, pretty much the same as any fish

 

[novembeRain]

Third for nail and pliers treatment.
When the skin is off a finger can scrape out the alimentary canal.
Might I reccommend a damp tea-towel which is useful to keep a grip on them as they wriggle a lot even when dead.

How do you propose to capture the eels in the first place? there are after all a lot of fishing techniques out there!

Ah, can you tell me more please, sounds like you're an old hand at this!

As for catching them, I've not thought yhat one through yet, probably a handline or similar in case there are fish in there - but could go for the wool and worms method

 

[Joonsy]

at this time of year eels don't move around or feed a great deal and pretty much lie dormant until warmer weather, they really need warmer water temperature to get them moving and feeding. However should you be sucessful they are fine eating, if you skin them whatever you do leave the heads on to assist ''grip' with skining, just make a circular cut round back of head and peel back. They are excellent skinned, cut into approx 2'' sections, rolled in seasoned flour and fried or deep fried, also you can ''jelly'' them by just leaving skin on and cutting into sections and boiling in small amount of water then placing in fridge to set.

 

[novembeRain]

thanks for that joonsy, all the years I was into fishing and I never knew that.

I may still try though, There may be other fish in there to keep me entertained.

 

[Joonsy]

best of luck, a small 2''-3'' fish for bait may catch eels, pike, or even perch, and of course the pike and perch are also fine eating and feed readily at this time of year, perch especially are nice to eat (in my opinion). ''Tight Lines'' as they say.

 

[Kerne]

perch especially are nice to eat (in my opinion)

Pike too! I don't know why we don't eat more of it over here. If you go to the Loire, there are riverside restaurants that sell "brochet au beurre blanc" (Pike in white butter) straight from the river - excellent!

 

[sparkplug]

Have always wanted to try smoking the eels.

It's an absolute winner!

I've only had a couple of opportunities to do it, but I've hot smoked them for about an hour and because they have a strong flavour they will work with some of the stronger smoke woods, but I prefer a cherry or apple as it gives a more delicate flavour.

I hope you get the chance to have a go at it.

Lovely!

 

[hiraeth]

It's an absolute winner!

I've only had a couple of opportunities to do it, but I've hot smoked them for about an hour and because they have a strong flavour they will work with some of the stronger smoke woods, but I prefer a cherry or apple as it gives a more delicate flavour.

I hope you get the chance to have a go at it.

Lovely!

What form is the wood you use to smoke the eels i.e saw dust or chips, got an idea of the way to set up but was not sure about the wood.

 

[novembeRain]

well, no joy today.

The other day I saw a kingfisher at the lake so there's probably at least something in there - and Half of the worm was missing in the end so there's probably fish in there.

To be honest though, apart from the possibility of eels being in there, I'd guess they're minnows / stickleback, I didn't see any signs of anything bigger splashing about.

I will be trying again though, I enjoyed a peaceful hour or two sat by the pond.

 

[ForgeCorvus]

If you do catch an eel save the skin, its useful stuff

Grain flails used to have eel-skin links (round here anyway) as its tough stuff
You can use it as a lashing that gets tighter (like rawhide)
I've seen a knife sheath made from two slabs of wood covered with it (it had been peeled off sock fashion rather then opened up the belly)

And, the Royal Navy (back in Nelson's day) issued a strip to the sailors on Sunday morning to retie their Queues (I get the impression that they'd only need to do it weekly that way)

 

[Lordyosch]

. Have always wanted to try smoking the eels.

I've never got the buggers to light...

 

[john scrivy]

Use to catch eels as a kid just gut and skin I was a bit fussy as a kid and removed the bone COOK in a little butter in a frying pan FANTASTIC

 

[Graywolf]

Most admit I have not caught or eaten eels for 25 years,but for 10 years on a regular basis I used to catch and eat them.Never skinned them just cut of head and cut into 4 inch lengths and fried.probably would have skinned and gutted but the things never seemed to stop moving

 

[John Fenna]

Eels are the spwn of the devil!
To kill them you have to use a silver knife to cut off their head and to stop them moving even when decapitated you have to lie them on a cross cut into the soil!
Teir bodies are made of bones tied together with scraps of foul flesh and their skin is bullet proof.
I am not a fish lover and eels are the worst!





Unless you are hungry when they are the food of the god!
And easy to catch....