Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations How To Prepare Tilapia

Ok since I will be cleaning some Tilapia (not familiar with this fish) in the near future I thought I would get some ideas from my Pond Boss family as to the best way (or different ways) to clean them.

I have heard their bone structure is a little different.

Also some preparation ideas would be nice as well. I come from a long family of Fried Fish, so that is an obvious one, but would love to hear some other creative ideas or recommendations for these fish.

Any and All ideas are welcome.

Thanks

tilapia is very mild flavor wise, and will get nice flavoring from just about anything you cook with..
the only thing i've found in cleaning is that the fatty meat along the belly isn't very tasty

Any other recomendations out there?

I would filet like any other fish you normally filet. As far as cooking, I would grill it with some Lemon Pepper seasoning. I eat fish a lot during the Lenten season and you have be to creative with the ways one eats fish. Fried fish starts to taste the same after a few times.

I think of catfish, bass, and panfish more of as fish you would want to fry. I think tilapia is better grilled or baked.

Let us know what you see when (and if) you fillet a freshly dead one. If it's been dead for a while, you won't see it.

youtube has a bunch of video on filleting them.

As for cooking.
I start by patting them dry. then rub salt, pepper garlic an lemon zest on them. then i pan sear them in olive oil.

p.s. i forgot, i put a pat of butter in with the olive oil

Would you actually filet and eat a dead fish, especially if you don't know how long it has been dead.

I was talking about kill it and fillet it vs. toss it in a cooler with ice for 1/2 hr or so to kill/chill it.

What is the difference of kill and fillet as compared to ice down and clean it?

They still seem to be holding on, since it has warmed back up here. I hope to haul the fish that are going in the pond on Thursday, and try to fill the tank back up with some fresh water and let the Tilapia clean out and not feed them for a few days then start cleaning a few. I would like to eat a few of them fresh if I can before I freeze the rest of them.

Generally, Tilapia are put in ice water after being purged to eliminate any off-taste from their diet. In an ice bath, death occurs quickly and painlessly, stiffens the flesh, yet it stays flexible making filleting easier and there is no damage to flesh or decay when cleaning large numbers of fish.

Our favorite way to prepare Tilapia is a bit more involved, however we ONLY make it this way because it is so good.

In a deep frying pan melt about a 1/2 stick of butter (not margarine) and add about a tablespoon of olive oil to it. squeeze the juice of a lemon into the pan also on a low heat. Add 4-5 filets to the pan - but keep it on low heat. After about 7-8 minutes or when the bottom of the filets look like they are beginning to get cooked turn them over and cover the top of the filets with Italian style breadcrumbs. Swish the pan around so that the butter mixture splashes a bit on the top of the breadcrumbs. Cover the pan and let simmer for about 8 minutes.

If the tilapia has died due to cold water, my rule of thumb for good enough for the fillet knife is look at the fish's eyes. If they are clear and of normal appearence then the meat should still be okay. If the eyes are cloudy or have a white cast be suspect of the meat. Water temperatures that will kill blue tilapia are around 48F +/- 3F. In those water temps flesh decay after death will be slow compared to it in water temps of 65-75F.

I had a pondowner this weekend tell me that when he cleaned a tilapia a deep green fluid can out when he cut up near the head. He said this fish then tasted bad a sort of bitter flavor. They threw the cooked fish away and didn't clean any more; thought it was a fish flesh problem. I told him I also occassionally see this dark green fluid when I clean tilapia. I told him I thought this was liquid from the gall bladder. I sometimes see similar fluid when I clean other fish although it is dark yellow. When I see it I quickly and thourghly wash it off the fish. Then I rarely have fillets with "off flavor". Anyone else with similar experiences and opinions?

I see that a lot. It seems the intestine heavy Tilapia ooze a lot of blood and green fluid regardless of how carefully I filet. I have not experienced bad flavor though.

Maybe others with experience or Rex 'Rainman' will see this and add some insight to this topic.

I try to sell the tilapia alive ....I don't eat much fish.

The fluid is likely as Bill said, from the gallbladder or another organ being accidentally cut open and tainting the meat.

Tilapia are well known for their flesh NOT taking on the off flavors from any of their foods, like most animals do....Letting them purge (live) in clear water with no food source of any kind is always the easiest way to clear the intestines.

My Tilapia are still hanging in there in my tank and I would have never thought I could have kept it warm enough this long, but the winter has been so mild. I figure the time I get these fish cleaned and the tank put up, I will be getting it back out in 2-3 months to start over. I hope to get some off of Rex this year to see if I can get the Blues to spawn in my 300 gallon tank.

Now I just have to figure out how I am going to prepare these fish, many options but I am sure I will try them fried at least once.

Thanks

we use zatarains crispy southern batter and pan fry in veg oil. we usually cut the filet in half, long ways.. too good.
i didnt put any in my pond this year, so we buy walamrt filets.

i did have them 2 years in my pond. first year they were ok tasting, 2nd year they had a strong taste.
i saw the same grenish/blue fluid when i was cleaning mine also.

i like cooking them on the big green egg too.