Deep Pink meat?

[Kokaneegal]

Last summer (August) my husband and I fished Green Peter and caught quite a few Kokanee (13 - 15 inches). We froze them to eat this winter. When we took them out to cook we noticed most of them were lighter in color, pale pink to whiteish. (Didn't really notice that when we caught them) Is that normal and was it because it was so late in the year? Or is it just Green Peter fish? We thought all Kokanee were deep pink/red at all times of year. Confused......

 

[eric71m]

sorda depends on how you cared for them post catch, pre freeze.

 

[Brown bear]

I've found if you vac-pac them or freeze them in water they wont fade as bad, just my two cents

 

[SeaDog]

Hi!

Yes! I always freeze my fish in water -> Prevents freezer burn and in my opinion preserves their color!

SeaDog

 

[kokaneekid]

Last summer (August) my husband and I fished Green Peter and caught quite a few Kokanee (13 - 15 inches). We froze them to eat this winter. When we took them out to cook we noticed most of them were lighter in color, pale pink to whiteish. (Didn't really notice that when we caught them) Is that normal and was it because it was so late in the year? Or is it just Green Peter fish? We thought all Kokanee were deep pink/red at all times of year. Confused......

The fish will fade some, but mine are still great to eat. I wasn't sure if I could eat all the fish in my freezer but I'm getting really low. 101no101 If you vacuum pack them they will keep better. Or even better can them they will taste better after they sit a year. The problem is they won't last that long we canned 10 cases, and I think I have 3 left. My dad just called and said he was out so now I'm down to 2. I guess it's time to go fishing again. mememe I have to make sure I don’t run out of fish… I told my wife it’s my JOB to keep the freezer and cupboards full of kokanee. Man I love my job… not the one at work the other one that I made up to give me an excuse to go fishing for a limit of the best tasting fish around. tooexcitedtooexcited

Fish On kokaneekid

 

[SilverBullets]

I start koke fishing later than most due to Paulina Lake being high elevation and froze over. By the time it thaws (sometime in May) the kokanee are already in good shape with red meat. By mid season at Paulina the meat is BRIGHT red...some say they're the best tasting in the state. I'm sure alot of the meat color and taste has to do with the plankton and minerals in the water. The water in Paulina comes from melt off from the caldera surrounding the lake from past volcanic eruptions and underground springs so the water is very clear year round...never gets discolored. By the end of the season the meat goes towards a pale pink/orange color and the taste changes. I stop fishing when the kokes start to spawn and the meat turns mushy. I've noticed from reading early reports here from other lakes that the taste and the meat color isn't that good yet. That will all change by mid season once they put on some weight. I also recommend vacume packing.

 

[Kokanut]

The fish will fade some, but mine are still great to eat. I wasn't sure if I could eat all the fish in my freezer but I'm getting really low. 101no101 If you vacuum pack them they will keep better. Or even better can them they will taste better after they sit a year. The problem is they won't last that long we canned 10 cases, and I think I have 3 left. My dad just called and said he was out so now I'm down to 2. I guess it's time to go fishing again. mememe I have to make sure I don’t run out of fish… I told my wife it’s my JOB to keep the freezer and cupboards full of kokanee. Man I love my job… not the one at work the other one that I made up to give me an excuse to go fishing for a limit of the best tasting fish around. tooexcitedtooexcited

Fish On kokaneekid

How do you can the Kokanee and then how prepare it to eat?

 

[Kokaneegal]

Thanks for your replies. We always vacuum pack our fish. Maybe I will try it with water. We fish Paulina also and have never had a problem with the color of the fish there.

 

[Guy]

I wrap my fish in plastic bags and then put in the vacuum pack bags you would not believe the difference.

 

[Metal Manipulator]

Some Vacume seal bags are better than others. I switched once and bought some cheaper bags and my frozen food did not last as long.

 

[kokaneekid]

How do you can the Kokanee and then how prepare it to eat?

I fillet and skin the kokanee, I use the Kerr 8oz wide mouth mason jars. Fill them 3/4 full with kokanee put the lid on and pressure cook them for 90min at 10lbs pressure. You can also fillet the kokanee smoke them for 1 hr in heavy smoke or until you can remove the skin and then pressure cook them for 90min at 10lbs pressure. I don't add or put anything in the jars. Kokanee have enough natural oil that they turn out FANTASTIC on their own.

Fish On kokaneekid

 

[ok doke]

I also can Kokanee exactly like Kokaneekid. One of my favorite ways to have it is to make pan fried patties or nuggets. Take a jar of canned straight kokanee and a jar of lightly smoked kokanee or coho salmon. Pour the oil off and put the two in a big mixing bowl. Then I add a egg and a few smashed up saltine crackers along with three or four finely chopped green onions. Add salt, pepper, your favorite seasonings. I mix this concoction up a little bit but not enough to break up all the chunks of fish. Then in gets covered with plastic tight to the mix so no air can dry it out and I put it in the fridge for a while. An hour or so. Pull it out of the fridge and make some patties. They will be fragile and a little crumbly. Then I pan fry in hot olive oil for just a couple minutes on both sides. Just till lightly browned. It’s a little tricky flipping them over but they taste the same if they look good or not.
Goes great with some Alfredo coverd pasta and a cold one.101cheers101
Kick butt left overs.

 

[Lip Ripper]

I also can Kokanee exactly like Kokaneekid. One of my favorite ways to have it is to make pan fried patties or nuggets. Take a jar of canned straight kokanee and a jar of lightly smoked kokanee or coho salmon. Pour the oil off and put the two in a big mixing bowl. Then I add a egg and a few smashed up saltine crackers along with three or four finely chopped green onions. Add salt, pepper, your favorite seasonings. I mix this concoction up a little bit but not enough to break up all the chunks of fish. Then in gets covered with plastic tight to the mix so no air can dry it out and I put it in the fridge for a while. An hour or so. Pull it out of the fridge and make some patties. They will be fragile and a little crumbly. Then I pan fry in hot olive oil for just a couple minutes on both sides. Just till lightly browned. It’s a little tricky flipping them over but they taste the same if they look good or not.
Goes great with some Alfredo coverd pasta and a cold one.101cheers101
Kick butt left overs.

If you haven't tried these fish patties you are really missing some thing. I have been making them for years. Also a bit of liquid smoke ads a good taste to the pattie also. 101chromefish101