Favorite walleye recipes?

[Hunting Wife]

We really slayed the walleye this year, and I have some in the freezer that need to be used. I’ve done the fish frys, fish tacos have been a big hit, did them on the grill a couple times. All good, but thought I would ask the group for some tried and true favorite recipes for walleye. I don’t usually have a lot of fish to play with, so I’m excited to see some ideas and experiment a little.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

One of my favorite recipes is blackened walleye. Sometimes I need a break from fried fish. That saves me

 

[huntin24/7]

I mostly fry ours, so this may not be a big help to you. One trick a friend taught me is to get most of the moisture off the fillets and shake the fillets and seasoning(shore lunch, fry magic, etc.) in a Zip loc bag and set in the fridge from 30 min-several hours before cooking. This really helps with the seasoning sticking to the meat. From there, fry like you normally would. I also came across a dynamite fish taco sauce about a year ago that includes sriracha, mayo, sour cream, and fresh squeezed lime juice. I can find the quantities of each ingredient if you have any interest. We serve them simple with just a flour tortilla and lettuce. Fish is fried as described above. My brother started smoking some. I haven’t tried it yet, but he says he liked smoked walleye over smoked trout or salmon.

 

[Sask hunter]

I deep fry all mine. Just use different seasonings

 

[F250]

Sometimes just very simple : 3 - 4 fillets in tin foil with a few pats of butter, salt, pepper, dill weed. Close up the tin foil and it let steam itself. You can do it in an oven, gas grill or open campfire.

 

[Ridgerunner6901]

Brine them, then bread with house autrey breader and deep fry. I like to chunk them up in pieces vs the whole filet. Simple and delicious

 

[Flatrock]

Give this one a try: Bacon wrapped stuffed on the grill.



Zatarain’s spice

Regular thickness bacon

1-1.5 pounds walleye fillets



Filling:

2 cups broccoli, chopped small and lightly sautéed

½ cup finely chopped onion, sautéed

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup mayo

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese



Cut a slit in the fillet on the side so that it has a big opening like a pita. Season fillets with Zatarains spice. In a bowl, mix the filling ingredients. Stuff the mixture into the fillet. Then wrap a piece of bacon around the fillet and secure with a toothpick. Put on the grill and cook for roughly 6-10 minutes, or until it starts to flake.

 

[Big Fin]

Here is a recipe I hijacked from a former restauranteur in Minneapolis. I've modified my version to my own tastes. I started with the recipe below from Lucia Watson. It was published in a magazine about 20 years ago. You can lean out the flour to make it even spicier, or crank it up to 2 cups of flower to make it less spicy.

WALLEYE WITH CAJUN RUB AND CILANTRO LIME RELISH

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne (or to taste - may add up to another 1 tsp.)
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 4 tsp. thyme
• 2 tsp. dry basil
• 1 tsp. garlic powder (or to taste - may add up to another 2 tsp.)
• 1 T. paprika
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 4 walleye filets
• 2 T. butter (add additional, if needed)
• 2 T. oil (add additional, if needed)

Combine all the herbs and spices in large baggie. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Melt butter and oil in large skillet (350 to 360 degrees F.) until the butter foams (do not let the butter burn).

Lightly pat each walleye filet dry with paper towels. Place filets in baggie with flour mix and let sit for 10 minutes.

Fry the filets over medium heat (350 degrees F) until golden brown, then flip the filets and fry the other side, until done (fish should flake easily). Drain filets on plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with lemon juice, if desired.

Place on a plate and top with Cilantro Lime Relish (recipe follows) and oven roasted potatoes, if desired.


CILANTRO LIME RELISH

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 T. fresh chives, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Zest of 1 lime, (zest should be finely chopped)
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Large dash Tabasco

Combine all relish ingredients.

Video version below.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I'm a simple man.

Butter, lemon, and maybe lemon pepper. Wrapped in tin foil, baked/grilled/campfire/etc until at the desired doneness.

Also my go to for Alaskan salmon

 

[wytex]

Season how you like and coat with panko bread crumbs and fry or grill.

Congrats on the catch.

 

[Hunting Wife]

@Flatrock and @Big Fin are setting the bar high with those recipes!

Thanks everyone for sharing your favorites

 

[HSi-ESi]

I've been meaning to do this one with Walleye. I've only done it with Halibut... one of the first "fancy" dishes my wife and I made together (in a small apartment) - so it's got sentimental points too. I pulled this direct off this website: https://bigskyjournal.com/a-montana-tradition-chico-hot-springs/

It's a bit more involved, but a fun weekend dinner. The port-wine-butter sauce goes great with just about anything (I've made it while floating the Smith and putting it on Elk Steak, which sounds like blasphemy - until you try it).

CHICO’S PINE NUT CRUSTED HALIBUT
Serves 4 people
Pine Nut Crust
2 cups pine nuts
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup parsley
Halibut
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
Mango Salsa (yields 2 cups)
1 mango, peeled, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch chopped chives
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Port Wine Butter
2 cups port wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
Preparation: Pine Nut Crust: In a food processor add all ingredients. Pulse until nuts are diced, but not too fine; remove and set aside. You may also prepare the crust by hand. Be sure to dice the nuts before combining with other ingredients.
Port Wine Butter: This sauce cannot be reheated or chilled, so prepare it just before the main course is in the oven. Reduce port over medium heat until it forms a syrup (about 20 minutes). When it coats a metal spoon, it is ready. Add cream, reduce until thick. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Turn heat down to low and use promptly.
Mango Salsa: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Halibut: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place buttermilk, flour and pine nut mixture in separate bowls and arrange in a row on the counter. Dip fillets on one side only in flour, buttermilk and then add pine nuts. On the stove heat a pan with a touch of olive oil (teaspoon) and with crust-side down sauté the fish until nuts are golden brown. Place the sautéed fish on a greased baking dish, bare fish-side down and bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Present the halibut in a pool of Port Wine Butter Sauce, topped with the fresh Mango Salsa.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

I try different ways to use fish but always go back to deep or pan fried. Fish chowder is a good way to use some freezer fish. Good on a cold day. Poach about 4 cups worth of fillets for about 15 minutes. Put a little lemon pepper in the poaching water. Let cool and break into chunks. Saute 4 cups cubed potatoes, 1 cup fine chopped celery and 1 cup fine chopped onion until potatoes just become tender. In another pot mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can cream of celery soup and 1 or 2 cans of milk depending on how thick you want it. Add the sauteed vegetables and the flaked/chunked fish. Season with Old Bay and pepper.

 

[Horse]

Parmesan/pistachio Crusted walleye

Coat fillets in miracle whip. Sprinkle a little Old Bay seasoning on.
Place in buttered baking dish. A few small chunks of butter around the fillets.
Take pistachios and chop into small pieces. Then sprinkle on top of fillets.
Then Sprinkle with “real “ shedded parmesan cheese. Not the kraft pizza topper stuff.
Bake in oven with high heat 475, until fillets will flake.

Works good with the larger fillets, as it gives the cheese more time to melt and brown.

 

[Jmnhunter]

my new one i really like is pellet grilled walleye

brine fillets in equal parts milk, water, lemon juice for atleast 30 min
pat dry
rub in your favorite fish rub
grill 4-6 min per side

 

[JEL]

This recipe works for a lot of different fish. I haven't used it specifically on walleye.

Fish Matecumbe

1/2 Spanish onion chopped (I just use purple)
one 8 ounce jar of capers
5 shallots peeled and chopped
5 tomatoes chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
2 lemons juiced
1 cup olive oil
8 fish fillets
salt and pepper

In a medium bowl add all ingredients except fish and stir thoroughly to combine. Refrigerate at least an hour so flavors blend.

Preheat broiler and position the over rack so it is at least 4 inches from the broiler but no more than 6 inches

Place fish fillets on a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Place under the broiler and cook until done on one side. Watch carefully as it may only take a couple minutes. Remove from broiler and turn fish over. Top each fillet with about 1/2 cup sauce. Return to broiler until fish is done on the other side and cooked through.

Serve with rice if desired.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

Walleye ceviche! But that's for fresh fish.
Like others I also fry or bake with some lemon and salt but have been experimenting with different sauces ontop. A homemade pesto sauce is really nice ontop of a lightly seasoned fillet. I made a weird huckleberry sauce one time that wasn't half bad...but had some room for improvement. I also make different salsas to put ontop of a fried fillet with some "Spanish rice" or lime cilantro rice.

 

[Irrelevant]

Mermaid's Pantry Seafood Rub and Seasoning

Good on any and all seafood across the board from salmon to halibut to shrimp and walleye. Ingredients: Sugar, salt, paprika, spices (including celery seed), corn syrup solids, honey, citric acid, concentrated lemon juice, wheat starch, natural flavor, not more than 2% silicon dioxide added to...

store.themeateater.com

It's not fried fish but not bad.

This one is about the same rating from our family but different flavor.

Sweet Seasoning | Montana Mex

A balanced, salty-sweet seasoning that is gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, organic and DELICIOUS. Buy now.

www.montanamex.com

 

[sharpshooter97]

I'm pretty simple when cooking fish, I coat in flower and season with lawrey's seasoning salt and pepper then pan fry in butter. Or I season with salt and lemon pepper then bake on a oiled cookie sheet in the oven until it flakes.

 

[Steve in Canton]

Butter poached.