Page 122 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2024

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
REDfish:
From Sea to Table
story by John N. Felsher photos by John N. Felsher and courtesy of Gulf Coast Restaurant Group
During my youth, many people considered redfish “trash fish” unfit for the table until the “blackened redfish” craze hit in the 1980s. I never saw it that way. We fried many redfish fillets and still do.
However, people can prepare the delicious fish several different ways. For other ideas on how to prepare redfish, I consulted Rob Heffner, vice president of the Gulf Coast Restaurant Group. The group operates the Half Shell Oyster House with 14 locations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama as well The Rack House Steaks & Spirits in Gulfport.
When anglers want to eat their catch, they must keep it alive or cold until they clean it, an absolute must in the scorching Mississippi summer heat. Heffner recommends adding a layer of plastic wrap between the fish and the ice in the cooler.
When cleaning a redfish, notice the strip of dark, reddish tissue down the center of each fillet. Many people use a sharp knife to cut that “bloodline” out of the fillets before cooking to improve the taste. Then, people can prepare the meat numerous different ways.
“One of our seasonal guest favorites is our Bacon Pecan Encrusted Redfish topped with Citrus Beurre Blanc,” Heffner advises. “This dish was created as a fall special to compliment the season and pairs well with our sweet potato crème brûlée. Redfish was chosen as the flavor and texture of the bacon pecan crust compliment the mild flavor of the fish.”
TOP LEFT: Bailee and Ronnie Daniels with Fisher-Man Guide Services of Pass Christian show off a redfish Bailee caught while fishing near Cat Island in Mississippi Sound south of Long Beach.
LEFT: Before eating redfish, angler must catch them. Redfish hit a variety of soft-plastic enticements that mimic crabs, shrimp or minnows.
122 | May 2024
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