There are many fishes in the sea (and the river!) that you can buy at the supermarket. You see a lot of them, mostly, in their filleted forms. You don’t always see the whole fish in stores, except the smaller fishes. So, it’s likely that you may not be familiar with how some fishes look at all!
What does walleye taste like? I think the better first question is what does walleye look like? How do you prepare walleye? If you are a fishing enthusiast, you might even want to catch one yourself! How do you fish for walleye?I’ll do my best to answer all your questions!
What Does Walleye Look Like?
Firstly, let me clear this up. Walleye is a freshwater fish, and it goes by many names. Depending on where you are, people have a local name for it. In Canada, it may be called pickerel, though they are not pickerels.
It’s a close relative of the pikeperch and resembles its looks, but the two are distinct in color. Pikeperch is silvery from the belly and turns greenish approaching the dorsal fins. Walleyes, on the other hand, have golden scales and have rounder bellies.
Both species have white tender meat which is prized food source. They are also grown in controlled environments to supply the increasing demand.
What Does A Walleye Taste Like?
There will be a good debate on the taste of walleye. It seems that walleyes on different regions taste differently. But let’s leave that to the connoisseurs and let’s define what you may expect from a walleye. They come a bit expensive in restaurants and, I know, you at least want an idea how it tastes before getting one!
Via chevydetroit.com
A walleye is a prized fish that you can easily prepare yourself. They yield a good amount of meat for their size. The best way to enjoy them, for me, is broiled or pan fried. Cooking it in other ways will add more flavor which may hide the distinct flavor of the walleye.
Well, some people say it tastes like chicken (maybe they were joking!). But a walleye tastes like a fish. It has a mildly fishy flavor. Some people may claim it’s a bit bland and not as good as snappers. But fish meat is not just about the taste. The texture of walleye meat is top-notch!
Cooking it plainly will tell you the unadulterated flavor of walleyes. Pan frying them with some salt and pepper is already a mouthwatering feast! The texture is just astounding with a mild and satisfying distinct fish flavor!
But don’t mistake walleye from Alaskan walleyes. They have the same name, and people get confused about it. Alaskan walleye is a saltwater dwelling fish and is not even a distant relative of the freshwater walleye.
Via gilbertlodge.com
They are also famously deep-fried with some special batter recipe. Well, since it is a somewhat bland tasting fish, it absorbs and melds with the flavor of the other ingredients. So, I say, deep fried walleyes are only as good as the taste of the batter!
How to Prepare Walleye
There are numerous ways to prepare walleye. Pan frying and broiling is my favorite! You can also deep fry it like many other enjoy and have it dipped in some special sauce. But other than that, there are more creative ways to prepare a walleye.
Baked Walleye
Another simple way to prepare a walleye is to bake them. If you are not a fan of deep frying but want to have a similar taste, you can bake them to crisp!
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Grilled Walleye
If you can have whole walleyes, yes, the whole fish, with all the guts and everything that comes with a fish, you can make a tasty grilled fish dinner with it! Well, it may be a bit hard to find them in this form, but that shouldn’t stop you from grilling your walleye!
Via photobucket.com
Get a tin foil, spritz some nonstick spray, Season your fillet and grill it!
Roasted on a Spit
For me, this may be the only proper way to cook a fish. Roast it on a spit like a caveman! If you haven’t roasted anything on a spit, you are missing out a lot! This may be a primitive way of cooking, but it is awesomely delicious! (mumble a few gibberish chant while cooking roasting your fish!)
Walleye Fishcake
Who wouldn’t love fishcake? Especially if it’s made of walleye! Make this, and everyone will beg you for another serving!
Via taste.com.au
Lime Cooked
If you are not a fan of eating raw fish, you may want to try a milder version of it. Milder regarding the rawness but full of flavor! Soaking fish in lime juice can cook it (not as cooked as you expect from deep frying it though!). It’s a bit difficult to explain it, but you should try it!
Via goodtaste.tv
Catching Walleye
If you have a fishing rod, and you live in the northern part of the US, and you like fishing, you better catch your walleye to enjoy it in its freshest form! Walleyes are nocturnal feeders. The best time to catch them is before the sun comes up and after the sun goes down.
Walleyes usually bite on live baits so be sure you have it! Just be patient and wait for a bite. In a few hours, you will be going home with some delicious fish! Roast them on a spit!
Last Words
Walleyes are one of the most sought after and prized freshwater fish. That’s the primary reason they are a quite expensive in restaurants. But what does walleye taste like? Well, I just hope you can imagine the description above! But, still, the best way to find out is trying them out! They surely taste awesome!
Liked this post? I hope this gave you some idea on how walleye tastes like (they don’t taste like chicken at all!). I want to know what you think about it. Leave a comment below, and I will get back to you soon!