[Tony S]

Sheepshead are somewhat difficult to clean, but it’s worth the effort. They are one of the best tasting local fish. When filleting, clean the sheepshead as you would any fish. Avoid the rib cage.

VBSF.net's BOILED SHEEPSHEAD

Cut fillets into chunks.
Boil them quickly in water seasoned with crab boil.

Remove them from the water and dip in drawn butter and lemon.

Tastes like lobster.

[Tony S]

Baked Sheepshead with Stuffing

Fillet out at least one fish and remove the skin.
Take the left over live shrimp you bought for bait, head and peel them.
Take some carrots, celery, onions and garlic, dice them.
Place a pan on the stove with water and bring to a boil.
Place 1/4 stick of butter in the pan and add veggies and garlic.
Boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add shrimp.
Add enough Stove Top Stuffing to absorb the water (look at the box for the correct amount).
Stir a few times and take off of the heat.
Take 1/2 of the filets you have and place them on a greased cookie sheet or foil.
Place the stuffing mixture on the filets.
Place the other 1/2 of the filets on the stuffing.
Squeeze fresh lemon on filet drizzle butter on filet.
Place in preheated oven 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

[Tony S]

Sheepshead Recipe

Ingredients

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
1 T canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T lemon grass, chopped
1 T shallots or red onion, chopped
1/3 c rice wine vinegar or cedar vinegar
1/3 c sugar
2 heaping T of peanut butter
1 T Thai chili sauce
juice of half a lime
1 T each chopped cilantro and green onion

Crust

1/3 c seasoned to taste all purpose flour
1 c Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg slightly beaten with 2 T water

Rice

1 c rice
2 c water
dash of salt
dash of cumin
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 T chopped cilantro

Preparation

1. Cook rice. Bring 2 cups of water, salt, cumin, and juice to a boil. Add rice, cover and cook until done. After rice is cooked add zest and cilantro.

2. Dredge fillets in seasoned flour, then egg wash, then Panko breadcrumbs.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in sauté pan and cook fillets until they are golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Place sauté pan with fish in pre heated 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until fish are cooked through.

4. Prepare sauce while fish is in the oven. In a small saucepan saute garlic, lemongrass, and shallots in 1 table spoon of oil, until tender. Next, add vinegar and sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved, add Thai chili paste and peanut butter and cook over low heat for one minute or until peanut butter is melted. Remove from heat and add lime juice, chopped cilantro, and green onions. Serve on the side or top of fish.

[Tony S]

FRIED SHEEPSHEAD

1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup of seasoned flour (add salt and pepper to plain flour to make seasoned flour)
1 box Ritz crackers
2-3 lbs. sheepshead skinless fillets
1 qt. vegetable oil

Heat oil to 350 degrees in large pot. Whip the egg yolks into the milk, add salt and pepper to the flour and crush the crackers to a fine powder for breading. Cut the fillets into 2-inch-wide strips and drench them in flour until they are covered. Dip the strips into the egg and milk mixture. Then, place the fillets in the cracker crumbs and pat them with crumbs until they are covered. Drop them into oil and fry to a golden brown.