I've lived my life believing that barracuda was fun to catch but not fit for human consumption... Well, a recent fishing trip in Ensenada BC Mexico and some subsequent research has taught me differently;
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Is Barracuda Edible? (Video)
- Thread starter Capsicumexanthematicus
- Start date
Young Cuda are ok to eat down here in FL, its the big ones yah have tah stay away from, so I've been told.
we catch 'em throughout the summer here (California barries). they're tolerable--not the best. I find that they are delicious the first day, but not a fish I can enjoy for several days in a row, which is a bit of a problem, since when you catch them it's usually a bunch.
The roe of the California barracuda is excellent, though.
The roe of the California barracuda is excellent, though.
Blue water 'cuda on the grill down Mexico way ala Ascencion Bay was fantastic. Makes an unbelievable fish taco.
My filipino buddies family cuts it into chunks seasons with chickn buillon then fry it. Eat it with white rice seaweed and soy sauce
They sure are edible.....
The main thing with Barries is they have a fairly large blood vein that runs down the side of the fish (the dark red portion of the fillet) - and this has a very fishy flavor if you trim most of this vein off of the fish when processing the resulting fillets will taste much better ( unless you are smoking etc. where you want that flavor to be more pronounced )
The main thing with Baracuda is that they are a reef predator... Safe to eat while they are young, but after about 3 feet, you'll risk getting sick with ciguatera...
In the FL keys they say "longer than your arm, will do you harm". It applies to any predatory fish - from Amber Jack, to uhm I can't think of a tropical predatory z fish... but grouper, snapper and so forth are subject to the same issues... tro
despite living here in the tropics, I've never met, or known of anyone whose been sick from c-toxin...
I hear that they substitute 'cuda meat for mahi mahi and some of the other expensive fish.
I usually leave them alone. I spend more time diving for lobster, than fishing, and if I'm diving I'd have to take it with my gloved hands, and a dive knife... something I have done with grouper, but not baracuda. They sure creep me out on occasion though... PIcture being 20' under water, arm in a hole up to your shoulder, trying to pull out a particularly tough lobster, and all of a sudden you feel yourself being watched... Then comes the enormous shadow.... Somewhere in the back of your mind the jaws theme song starts.... Then it swims into view, and its just a baracuda. No big deal. put the watch in the lobster bag, and no problem.
Biggest baracuda I've ever seen was easily 6 feet long... They are ugly (in general) but disproportionately so when they are as big as you are.
In the FL keys they say "longer than your arm, will do you harm". It applies to any predatory fish - from Amber Jack, to uhm I can't think of a tropical predatory z fish... but grouper, snapper and so forth are subject to the same issues... tro
despite living here in the tropics, I've never met, or known of anyone whose been sick from c-toxin...
I hear that they substitute 'cuda meat for mahi mahi and some of the other expensive fish.
I usually leave them alone. I spend more time diving for lobster, than fishing, and if I'm diving I'd have to take it with my gloved hands, and a dive knife... something I have done with grouper, but not baracuda. They sure creep me out on occasion though... PIcture being 20' under water, arm in a hole up to your shoulder, trying to pull out a particularly tough lobster, and all of a sudden you feel yourself being watched... Then comes the enormous shadow.... Somewhere in the back of your mind the jaws theme song starts.... Then it swims into view, and its just a baracuda. No big deal. put the watch in the lobster bag, and no problem.
Biggest baracuda I've ever seen was easily 6 feet long... They are ugly (in general) but disproportionately so when they are as big as you are.
