Share your White Bass recipes.

Fish Tacos

Here's pretty much what I do. Feel free to ask about any details I may accidentally omit. Cut up fish (white bass or actually any fish works well - I use white bass as it is easy to have a freezer full) in small pieces maybe 1" x 1". I usually sprinkle a little cayenne powder or ground chipotle pepper on them to spice it up a bit. Shake them in flour, dip in milk and roll in breadcrumbs. You can season the flour or breadcrumbs to suit your taste. I fry the fish bits in about a 1/2" or so of hot oil until crispy. I prefer flour tortillas but my brother prefers corn - your choice. Fry tortillas in the oil after fish is done and set up on plate in "U" shape ready for filling. Put 4 - 8 pieces of fish in each tortilla (depends on size of chunks and the size of tortillas). Toppings should include cheddar cheese and shredded cabbage. Optional toppings can include onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado/guacamole, etc. The key to whole taco is the white sauce instead of regular salsa. The white sauce is made by mixing together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayo, tablespoon or less of Worchester sauce, 1-2 tablespoons of lime juice. It should be creamy consistency but able to spoon smoothly on over the taco. I will add minced garlic, minced onion, minced cilantro and a bit of horseradish to taste. My brother adds the onion and garlic but not the cilantro or horseradish. You'll need to experiment a little bit to find the combo you prefer. This recipe makes a fair amount of white sauce but it keeps okay for a while in the fridge and is good to dip left over fish pieces in as a snack - provided there are any leftovers! Spoon a tablespoon or two of this white sauce over the top of the taco and enjoy. They sound weird but I've yet to have anyone not like them. Hope this helps. It's a pretty easy meal to do for a group as you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and all you do when the guests are ready is fry up the fish while chatting with a cold brew. Set the stuff out on the serving table and let them build their own. Bringing everything cut up ahead of time makes it easy to do when camping too. Just shake fish pieces in a baggie of breading, fry and serve.

Fish Sandwich

Take about 2-3 fillets (depending on size) out for each sandwich and bread with your favorite breading. White bass works great but any fish will do. I like flour with cayenne or chipotle powder mixed in and maybe dipped back in the milk then coated with bread crumbs. I also hit the fillets with a light sprinkle of cayenne or chipotle powder and garlic powder before coating them. 

Fry up 2 slices of bacon per sandwich (cut the bacon in half so the slices fit on the sandwich). Then fry the fillets in the bacon grease until golden brown. 

I like to put the fillets and bacon on a Kaiser roll but the bread style is up to your taste. I add a slice of provolone cheese, and lettuce. I put a glob of mayo and horseradish to spread on the roll. Chow down! 

Fish Pot Pie -These are delicious and no reason to use walleye in them... use your white bass. Make two as they reheat well.

1 walleye fillet, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

1 c. frozen peas

2/3 c. carrots, sliced - can add frozen corn too

1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced

6 oz. cream of celery soup

6 oz. roasted garlic & mushroom soup 

1/2 tsp. thyme

fresh parsley

salt & pepper to taste

2 ready-made pie crusts

Preheat oven to 375° . . .

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and pour into an 8- or 9-inch pie dish lined with a ready-made pie crust. Cover pot pie with second pie crust and pinch top and bottom crusts together. Cut slits through the top crust to vent while baking.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Cover edges of pot pie with foil the last 20 minutes to prevent burning. Let pie sit 20 minutes before serving.

With the white bass season coming as soon as the middle of next month I thought I would re post my " Smoking White Bass Process " . My Dad came up with this recipe more than 40 years ago. I re wrote the process for my smoker. 

I appreciate comments both good and bad. If I can improve the recipe or process I will try to.

Thanks

Fish Smoking Process

Gut fish, leave heads on, take gills out

Combine 3 cups brown sugar, 3 Tbs. Peppercorns (ground), 4 Bay leaves (crushed), 3 Tbs. whole cloves (crushed), 1 Tbs. Thyme. Add to 2 gallons of cold water. Boil mixture for 5 minutes, Cool thoroughly.

Using a plastic or glass container (Not metal due to a chemical reaction) add 4 cups of canning salt to the above mixture. Stir until dissolved. This is now the brine.

Soak fish in the brine for 12 hours. KEEP THE SOAKING FISH REFRIGERATED as close to 34 degrees as possible. Shake off as much brine as possible. Pat fish dry.

Set smoker for 200 degrees, set timer for 3 hours using Applewood chips. This recipe was used to smoke 16 white bass at a time.

Enjoy