I killed a nice needlenose last weekend and decided to carry it home and try it out. Cleaning it was a pain but straightforward. Using tinsnips, I cut the "shell/exoskeleton" along the spine from the head to the tail. Once it was split, I simply skinned the shell free from the fish and filleted the meat off the spine and ribs EXACTLY like you would the backstrap from a deer.

Like I've heard from others, the meat was white, clean and free of bad smells or textures. As far as preparation, I found a salt brine recipe online and brined the meat for a couple of hours in the fridge. Looking back, I could probably have skipped this step because it did make the meat a bit saltier than I really wanted. After brining, I washed, dried, cut into 2" long chunks, breaded and fried the meat just like any other fish.

The consistency is a little chewy, more like a beef steak than the flaky meat you normally associate with fish, but it didn't take away from the edibility. The short of it is that it made a pretty good meal and I will most likely do it again.

If you've never tried it, you are missing out on some pretty decent table-fare.





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I had it while I was growing up. It was fine.

Good job! I really like it off the pit.

They are definitely edible but there is much better eating fish to be had. It's not a flakey fish and tends to have a mushy texture.

Sounds as if might do well on a smoker.

It does better on the grill, like shark and tuna steaks.

I should have also said pan seared. I seared a big black fin tuna steak in the skillet last night with a big pile of seasoned rice on the side, filled in the cracks with some BB Buttered Pecan Ice Cream and slept like I had been drugged. I am almost out of tuna steaks, gonna be a while before I get some more. Have one more bag of yellow fin steaks