Yellow Perch: Fried vs. Baked

Yellow Perch in bucket

I had another great season of ice fishing in Brattleboro and caught many Yellow Perch. They are definitely one of my favorite fish to eat, with very tender white and flaky flesh. They have a delicate texture and are a versatile fish to cook. In the winter, the female perch are heavy with thousands of eggs. I fry those those up for my dogs. They go crazy for that Vermont caviar!

Fish spoil quickly, so it's important to keep their temperature as cold as possible before preparing them. Of course, that's not a problem in the winter. Once I snap their necks, I put them in a bucket and pack snow all around them. That way if I don't clean them right after a long day on the ice, I can do it the next day without any risk of spoilage. Also, they are easy to cut through once they've stiffened up a little bit.

I typically fillet them with the skin off, cut them into 2"-3" pieces, dunk them in beer batter and fry them in an iron skillet with canola oil on medium heat until golden brown. 

Squeeze a little lemon on them and pop the bite-sized pieces into your mouth. Boom! It doesn't get much better than this.

these fried Yellow Perch spell "I Love Vermont"

Extra uncooked fillets are put in the freezer. I submerge them in enough water to cover all the flesh. This avoids the dreaded taste of "freezer burn," and keeps the fish fresh for months. For best thawing results, put the frozen brick of fish-ice in a bowl of cold water in the fridge. It takes about a day, but is totally worth it. 

Yellow Perch fillets frozen in water

By March, there were lots of fillets in the freezer but I kept fishing anyway. Sick of filleting, I simply prepared them the way I did in my youth. I gutted them, cut off their heads, rolled them in flour with salt and pepper and baked them at 350 degrees. When done, the skin peels away easily, the fins pop right out, and the meat falls right off its skeleton. After picking out the remaining bones, it still takes me less time than filleting. Plus, it wastes less meat. What can you do with the leftovers? Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon on it and it will maintain its delicate flavor by marinating in the fridge for up to a few days without spoiling. 

Lately, my favorite lunch is Yellow Perch tacos.

Yellow Perch taco

It takes only a few minutes to prepare. Fry some corn tortillas, add the (previously baked) cool marinated lemony perch meat, some Aquaponic lettuce and top with some Chipotle sauce. Mama mia! This is a perfect meal for a hot day.

fried Yellow Perch

baked Yellow Perch

Fried vs. Baked...I can't decide. They're both awesome. What do you think?

Got a perch recipe to share? Post it below!