Mushy trout?

[Daryl]

Thanks for all the tips -- I've also noticed that it only happens when I gut-and-bake them in foil, and never when I filet-and-fry them, so I'm thinking that it's either due the way I'm handling them during cleaning, or the cooking method itself. This last batch I've tried to handle them gently, put them on ice and keep them dry, hopefully that does the trick.

Try placing them butterflied open on top of the foil with your seasonings on top. Shouldn't take more than 12 -15 minutes on the middle rack with the oven preheated at 350. You could also bake, broil or grill your fillets, just don't wrap them up.

Try it out and let us know how it works out for you.

[SierraPeaks]

For a small $49.00 investment...you can have yourself a portable live well. I keep all my fish alive as the moment I catch them until it's time to clean them and never have mushy trout.
Of course...where you're catching them has a lot to do with the texture too.
I only fish for trout in high alpine lakes and streams with cold water....makes all the difference in the world in the texture and taste.

[sansou]

The dirt funk taste you are experiencing is the result of "geosmin tainting". It's my experience that you get it in practically all Socal trout, cause all you can catch around here are stocked trout that have been bred in relatively crap water (meaning high bioload or silty/muddy), and re-ingest crap water in the lake they get stocked in. Hence the reason high altitude clean water lakes result in a "cleaner" tasting trout, even if they too are initially stocked with hatchery fish.

Mushy trout is simply trout that has been bruised, and/or not kept iced immediately after it is dispatched.

If you plan on poaching gutted trout, try liberally rubbing coarse salt or sea salt in the cavity and letting it rest 20 mins. Wipe it off with a paper towel. The salt cures any bacteria, and absorbs moisture and funk. You will find your poached fish will taste better.

[smokehound]

The dirt funk taste you are experiencing is the result of "geosmin tainting". It's my experience that you get it in practically all Socal trout, cause all you can catch around here are stocked trout that have been bred in relatively crap water (meaning high bioload or silty/muddy), and re-ingest crap water in the lake they get stocked in. Hence the reason high altitude clean water lakes result in a "cleaner" tasting trout, even if they too are initially stocked with hatchery fish.

Mushy trout is simply trout that has been bruised, and/or not kept iced immediately after it is dispatched.

If you plan on poaching gutted trout, try liberally rubbing coarse salt or sea salt in the cavity and letting it rest 20 mins. Wipe it off with a paper towel. The salt cures any bacteria, and absorbs moisture and funk. You will find your poached fish will taste better.

I had completely forgotten about this. The main culprit seems to be algae, both in the water, and the trout food.

Though recently, the hatchery trout around here have been of higher quality. Late last year, i didnt catch a single muddy trout at all.

[Daryl]

Good info Sansou.

Thanks!

[SierraPeaks]

The dirt funk taste you are experiencing is the result of "geosmin tainting". It's my experience that you get it in practically all Socal trout, cause all you can catch around here are stocked trout that have been bred in relatively crap water (meaning high bioload or silty/muddy), and re-ingest crap water in the lake they get stocked in. Hence the reason high altitude clean water lakes result in a "cleaner" tasting trout, even if they too are initially stocked with hatchery fish.

Mushy trout is simply trout that has been bruised, and/or not kept iced immediately after it is dispatched.

If you plan on poaching gutted trout, try liberally rubbing coarse salt or sea salt in the cavity and letting it rest 20 mins. Wipe it off with a paper towel. The salt cures any bacteria, and absorbs moisture and funk. You will find your poached fish will taste better.

I'm going to try your sea salt trick Sansou. It makes total sense. Thanks for the tidbit.

[smokehound]

BTW, be careful. Im pretty sure it's illegal to transport live trout like that. Dont want you to get a ticket.

I would be tempted to do that though, sounds like the best way to keep em fresh =P

[SierraPeaks]

BTW, be careful. Im pretty sure it's illegal to transport live trout like that. Dont want you to get a ticket.

I would be tempted to do that though, sounds like the best way to keep em fresh =P

Only from the boat to the cleaning station bro....by the time we get there...they're pretty much done. I mean just keepig them alive while on the boat all day.