Anyone raise carp to eat?

[Mountaineer]

Sounds nasty to me but I know historically they have been eaten all over Europe and China.
In my situation, cold winter/hot summer, poor aeration etc etc, trout won't survive year round.
Carp would do beautifully!!!
But how's the eating? I "hear" bony and muddy. Don't know anyone who's eaten one though.

I read that vegetarian/omnivorous fish make a heckofa lot more sense to raise than trout which need store bought feeds.

[bob clark]

from what i have heard you bout have to pressure can it all because of all the bones

[primal1]

I've only ever had em on the bbq in the spring, bony but good.

[snoozy]

I've had them in Sumatra as well as Seattle. They weren't "muddy" nor do I recall them as being particularly bony. But I do like oily, fishy fish, while a lot of people want white fish that doesn't taste like fish.

[Bearfootfarm]

Why not just raise catfish? They survive well and taste good

[agmantoo]

I lived in the Orient for 5 years and have eaten a number of carp. I never actually watched the preparation but the end product was fine eating. It is all in the preparation IMO. The carp, including the head, would be delivered to the table steamed in a bamboo enclosure with main body portion deboned, cut into squares(checker board style) but still resembling the whole fish. The flesh was firm and white. The locals considered the head to be the premium part but I could never get to the point of sucking the eyeballs from the sockets.

[Junkmanme]

A friend of mine used to mix ground carp with beef hamburger 50-50 and cook it as hamburgers on the "barbie". VERY TASTY!

They are boney. Around here they have gigging contest for rough fish and at the end of the tournament they fry up the fish. They fillet the meat off the backbone as much as they can and then they score it by making a whole lot of little slices throughout the meat. They then roll it in cornmeal working the meal down into the score cuts and then deep fry it. Any remaining bones are fried crisp enough to not harm you. Very delicious when prepared this way. Other then that my Ma use to can them and make fish patties out of them. I like them this way better then deep fried.

[Natalie11]

Filling a pool with clean water and letting them swim for a few days before killing and eating will clean the meat of all the "muddy" after tastes.

[Mountaineer]

Very interesting, thanks everybody.
Why not catfish- well, as far as I can tell they won't survive or at least be efficient in cold water. I read about them and figured they were out. Seems to be something from the south?
Other reason, I assumed they were carnivorous, would eat baby ducks, and frogs and what not.

[Mountaineer]

I think carp may too.... (crap)

[electronrider]

It's hard to make alternative suggestions when we have no idea of the geographical area you live in, or about the water you have available that you want to put to work for you

[muzzelloader]

I was born and raised in the midwest on the banks of the Mississippi River and have eatin carp all my life. R.H. InOkla. gave a pettey good discription of the most popular way to fix em around here. They are quite ofthen served with fried bread. You take rizen bread dough and pull small chunks of about the size of a golf ball and deep fry. Sort of a midwestern version of hush puppies. A number of the bars located down on the river have all you can eat night. Oh yes catfish is quite popular around here and they do just fine inthis cold northern weather. Oh yes you allso want to have a large serveing of homemade cole slaw to go with them.

[Rowenna7]

In my area smoked carp is pretty popular. I'm extremely picky about what fish I eat...can't stand catfish or bass, a lot of people here eat sheephead (freshwater drum) but I think it tastes horrible. In my opinion fresh panfish like bluegill, crappie, etc. can't be beaten, walleye is really good too. However, I do really like the smoked carp the way it is made locally, although I don't think I'd be able to eat it prepared any other way.

[MELOC]

isn't that the one you are supposed to nail to a pine board by the head, skin carefully and toss away so you can cook the board? :baby04:

sorry, i couldn't resist.

[logbuilder]

In the south there is a recipe that I hear is the best way to cook with carp.

First, you need to find a fresh cow pattie.
You take the whole carp and pack the cow poop around it like a cocoon.
Then you put the whole thing in a fire with lots of coals.
When the outside gets real hard, you then break it open, throw away the carp and eat the cow poop.

[Mountaineer]

Ugh!!! LOL!

[elkhound]

i have eaten a fish called a redfin that is like a carp down in tennesee.they get them in spring and scale and can then up.they make great "salmon" patties.i might try a couple carp this spring and can them up and see how it works out.

[Rocky Fields]

Catfish survive northern winters with no problem. They are very hardy and will tolerate
poor water conditions. They have more meat on them than carp do. As you know, they also do well in the heat down south. Talk to someone who owns a catfish farm for more insight. Most people I know don't eat carp, they use them for fertilizer.

[susieM]

They mixed the letters...it's really spelled C.R.A.P..