HI...I would appreciate any help on how to clean and the best way to cook a California Sheephead my son caught today off the rocks at Cresent Bay in Laguna Beach....Thank you in advance for your help...John

I don't eat them myself but I heard a good way is steamed and then chilled with the meat flaked in cocktail sauce. Fillet is probably the best cleaning method. I haven't heard of bread crumbing them and frying but that might be ok too.


Big Hammer Swimbaits-Hammerhead Jigheads
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When you prepare them like that, I've heard they taste a lot like crab???

First of all, sheephead meat although highly valued, they degrade rapidly esp when frozen. Always eat it as soon as you can. Just store it in the refrigerator, not the freezer.

I had the best sheephead steamed whole in soysauce and ginger strips at Chinese seafood restaurants where they keep live fish in a tank. The meat is more tender than crab when cooked this way.:9

Now that sounds killer! I have had rockfish and sand bass done that way and have also tried to do that at home...steamed whole (less guts and scales obviously), covered with shredded green onion, grated ginger, whole leaf cilantro and then splashed with soy sauce. Then you pour a little hot peanut oil over the whole deal with it on a serving tray. The oil hits it and sizzles a la fajitas and infuses all the flavors. Serve with steamed rice. I'll try that with a sheepy.


Big Hammer Swimbaits-Hammerhead Jigheads
www.swimbait.com
Pro-Cure Scents
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For sheephead, two words: FILLET & TACOS

They sell the sauce which is pre-mixed with all kinds of seasons in addition to soysauce at Chinese markets. My wife bought one bottle and it works great on all the steam fish.