Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption          Downsizer Forum Index -> Fishing Northern Boy Anyone ever eaten Conger? It has a bad reputation, but I am not able to work out why, is it just a bad taste? If so what is the taste? Or is it texture? Or is it bony? A pain to skin? What? The only two recipes I have seen involve (1) stuffing it with sausage meat and wrapping it in bacon or (2) liquidizing it with pernod, suggesting that there wouldn't be much conger flavour left. Jonnyboy All of the above IMHO. And it's on the do not eat list, I think. toggle Re: Anyone ever eaten Conger? It has a bad reputation, but I am not able to work out why, is it just a bad taste? If so what is the taste? Or is it texture? Or is it bony? A pain to skin? What? The only two recipes I have seen involve (1) stuffing it with sausage meat and wrapping it in bacon or (2) liquidizing it with pernod, suggesting that there wouldn't be much conger flavour left. the texture is odd, the flavour isnt all that great from what i can remember.
Mrs R	oh good I thought it was just how I cooked it - it was chewy and didn't taste very nice.
dpack	not the best of fish to eat but meaty best effort i have had was cut into lumps ,soak in fresh water for 12 hrs ,boil until soft ,flour /batter and fry still fairly horrid but nutricious ps they struggle a bit and can recover from some quite severe blows to the head in a rather angry bitey mood
Went	Having just consulted with Greenfoot (who eats it fresh from time to time) he assures me that it can be lovely and tasty if you get the best bits and it is cooked correctly. The most succulent and juicy cuts are near the belly - less bones and more flavour (perhaps you got the tail end?). Cooked slowly in a pan with a stock (onion, pepper, white wine, salt, pepper, stock) will result in tender, flavoursome, melt in the mouth pieces of Congor.
Tavascarow	I eat it once in France & it was OK. Mind the smells coming from the kitchen where off putting, but I can't say that was the conger or something else.
LynneA	As a child, I was paddling not far from shore in Bognor Regis when I put my foot in the open mouth of a Conger. Fortunately the head was one that had been cut off by a fisherman, but not fun all the same.
Went	As a child, I was paddling not far from shore in Bognor Regis when I put my foot in the open mouth of a Conger. Fortunately the head was one that had been cut off by a fisherman, but not fun all the same.

That's enough to scar you for life....Do you remember the Richard Wilson sketch where he put his foot in a dead hedgehog (one foot in the grave)...classic. dpack

As a child, I was paddling not far from shore in Bognor Regis when I put my foot in the open mouth of a Conger. Fortunately the head was one that had been cut off by a fisherman, but not fun all the same.

a big one on a pier taught me respect Bodger

For an area so far removed from the sea, in the old days conger eel was once much loved by the people of Stoke-on-Trent. There are different cuts on a conger, some sweet and other not so. Therefore it depends on which piece of the conger that you get but don't ask me which bits the best bit, after all I did say that it was in the old days. Jonnyboy

http://www.fishonline.org/search/simple/?fish_id=175

Avoid. dpack

not a critter i would target for dinner

if you want a fight perfect

where there are conger under the rocks there are tasty fish in the water above Northern Boy

So the general consensus is it's a bit grim! kirstyfern

Quote "Due to its abundance in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the conger eel is one of the most well known fish in Argentina, and above all because its meat has a great flavor. It tastes very good even in the simplest preparation on the grill, with a little salt, lemon and a few drops of olive oil; in the oven with lemon, olive oil, chopped parsley, and a chive. Also, rosemary makes an excellent match with the flavor of this white, tasty and abundant fish."

I think it says 'avoid' on the fish site due to ethical reasons rather than taste... Tavascarow

I think it says 'avoid' on the fish site due to ethical reasons rather than taste...
Yes but if it's being pulled up in the nets & thrown back dead surely it's better eaten. sean

Don't think there's any significant net catch of conger. They're reef fish. The conger fisherman I knew in Guernsey set long lines of baited hooks with a buoy at the top and a seriously heavy weight at the bottom. Northern Boy

I was asking because I want(ed) to target them myself, but generally only target stuff I want to eat. If I get something tasty and a good scrap then that's the perfect combo. It seems conger is about the biggest fight you can target recreationally and still eat, at least in UK waters. Maybe I'll stick to smoothound. murdrobe

when i had it from my local fishmonger it was very odd and im sure it was a case that i had a bad 1 though. it tasted of menthol. including that funny sensation you get on your tongue.... Moniar

I was asking because I want(ed) to target them myself, but generally only target stuff I want to eat. If I get something tasty and a good scrap then that's the perfect combo. It seems conger is about the biggest fight you can target recreationally and still eat, at least in UK waters. Maybe I'll stick to smoothound.

I have eaten conger as a child, after catching one off Holyhead breakwater - the middle section is supposed to be the best. I have eaten it after cutting into steaks and baking in oven in butter and bit of milk. It is supposed to be really good in currys as its firm bit like monkfish and huss. Like Huss its an acquired taste, but if I caught one over about 8lb I would probably bring it home as it would be worth the effort involved in prep work.

I am not aware of it being on any non ethical list - like pollack its found over reefs and deep water wrecks so net catches should be very low. Most angling skippers I know will insist on punters putting any decent size one back but will usually be ok about killing and taking an average size one for the pot.

I know a few kayak anglers in the uk that fish for them at night on the south coast as they ut up a decent fight, but I would rather target mackeral bream and pollack/coalies for eating, as I do not fancy trying unhook a big conger by torchlight on my kayak at night They are bad enough to deal with when caught off the shore!

Presume you dont eat smoothhound Northern Boy? Great fighting fish and one I fancy targetting down here in west Wales this summer, just for the scrap they give for their size. I was fishing off the kayak off an Anglesey mark three years ago when an adjacent charter boat had a client hook inot and boat a new Welsh record for smooth hound - 25lb 6oz monster, which I watched being caught , netted weighed and then released whilst speaking to the skipper alongside - the ones down here in west Wales tend to be smaller so will be giving them a go soon if I can find some local crab. Northern Boy

I do not fancy trying unhook a big conger by torchlight on my kayak at night They are bad enough to deal with when caught off the shore!

Presume you dont eat smoothhound Northern Boy? Great fighting fish and one I fancy targetting down here in west Wales this summer, just for the scrap they give for their size.

I have never tried smoothound but only because I didn't know they are good eats. I have caught one (on feathers!) but chucked it back. I only moved back to the UK recently and am just getting the hang of British sea fish. I caught some very large and tasty fish in California and miss the 'sleigh ride' on the yak! I would have a crack at the Tope but (I don't think?) you're allowed to eat them?

Think I'll have a crack at the hounds this summer. Definitely going to be up your way at some point as well. celestialspore

Years ago my mum used to take the ones my dad caught in his creels (lobster pots) up to the local chinese and swap them for a meal.

The congers go in and eat the lobsters, so some fishermen don't like to release them again here. catbaffler

I once had one mouthful... I abandoned the rest, not because of the taste but because it was the closest I hope I ever come to munching on a loaded pincushion Duckhead

If you catch a fish that you don't fancy eating, but you have caught it, then do this.

Salt it so it goes dry salted. Then clean it with lots of changes of water. Then put it in a bowl with some milk and garlic and pummel it, pestle and mortar style. It will "come together" and you can eat it on toast, like they do in Venice. pricey

Conger is lovely to eat, you just need to cook it right, it needs to be stewed nice and slow, the fish stall still sells it every day so it cant be bad. robins

I kept one of about 7lbs some years ago and seem to remember it made quite good fish cakes but was a bit strongly flavoured for eating in its own right.

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