Freezing spangled emperor

G'day everyone,

 

Just chasing your opinion on the eating quality of Spango's after they've been frozen. On 3 different occasions I have eaten spango's after being frozen and find them surprisingly tough considering some of the fillets had only been frozen for 2 weeks. I initially thought I may have over cooked them however I don't believe this is the case as I cooked a piece of spanish mack for the same time and it turned out delicious. My old man even said his batch of spango was tough.

 

Your thoughts?

 

 

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Xtreme Coolers's picture

Posts: 726

Date Joined: 02/01/10

Yep

Thu, 2013-10-31 10:42

I have always found them tough and only use the frozen spangly for fish cakes. I have heard a lot fo talk about keeping them on ice for a period of time after being caught to improve the eating quality when freezing.

Dave

milsey's picture

Posts: 1462

Date Joined: 22/08/07

 I had some last night from a

Thu, 2013-10-31 11:21

 I had some last night from a couple of months ago and really don't rate it, fresh it's good (not my fav) and whole in the fire is awsome but dont think ill bother with freezing it again. 

Posts: 2925

Date Joined: 27/12/06

freezing

Thu, 2013-10-31 11:29

some fish just dont semm to last as well in the freezer.  I cryovac all mine and leave in large chunks and find Dhu fish, estuary cod freeze really well and 3-6 months later are in mint condition.

Other species like coral trout, baldy, pinkies and spangleds dont last as well throw mackie in there too.

still nowhere as bad as some of this meekong cat shit they serve up at work

scuttlebutt's picture

Posts: 454

Date Joined: 24/03/06

Spangles are a bit of a

Thu, 2013-10-31 11:34

Spangles are a bit of a gamble.  They can taste good but most often a bit rubbery for my liking.  I don't even keep them anymore. 

The Saint's picture

Posts: 482

Date Joined: 30/01/13

Gota say I don't rate

Thu, 2013-10-31 12:27

Gotta say I don't rate spanglies at all as a table fish. Like scuttlebutt I don't keep them anymore.

sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 They're good for curry and

Thu, 2013-10-31 12:28

 They're good for curry and Marinara and don't fall to bits.

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Bodie's picture

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Date Joined: 05/11/07

yep no good at all frozen,

Thu, 2013-10-31 13:03

yep no good at all frozen, similar to saddle tail as well. Doesnt freeze well and tough.

Belly88's picture

Posts: 380

Date Joined: 08/02/12

Delishious

Thu, 2013-10-31 13:27

 I rate them higher then heaps of fish.. Crovac the day of capture and I've eaten a year later still as good as they were.. I guess everyone is different and likes different fish but in my opinion if you don't crovac you might aswell not bother freezing any fish.. 

Each to there own but I've never eaten a bad spango and I'm pretty spoiled with fish..

Belly

Cruise Control's picture

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Date Joined: 03/11/10

 I agree Belly. Each to their

Thu, 2013-10-31 14:00

 I agree Belly. Each to their own, I quite like the firm texture of the Spanglies

crasny1's picture

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Date Joined: 16/10/08

Not the best

Thu, 2013-10-31 14:08

But I do rate them frozen. Not that we did that much fishing Dampier as we only kept enough fish for a few meals, then excuse to go again. But the ones we did freeze was rather nice. Best freezing fish IMO is a Estuary Cod. We did freeze them for lean time and delicious, but didnt mind spangies. It is funny how different our taste buds are. Eg dont rate dhu's as high, but good freezing fish.

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sunshine's picture

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Date Joined: 03/03/09

Bloody brilliant in a mornay

Thu, 2013-10-31 14:37

Yes they are firm but that is one of their attributes - stunningly good eating in a good mornay sauce but really like them on the barby fresh out of the water   

craig_johns469's picture

Posts: 29

Date Joined: 06/03/12

Love the spango!

Fri, 2013-11-01 09:05

One of my faves - put them up there with Dhuie - I was stoked to hear recent reports of them being caught Metro...

Each to their own I guess!

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Griffo84's picture

Posts: 118

Date Joined: 28/05/10

Yeah interesting comments

Fri, 2013-11-01 10:02

Yeah interesting comments lads. I wouldn't bother freezing it again however a fish curry would work really well...A spicy thai red spango curry is on the cards I think. :-) 

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Do the right thing and there will be fish tomorrow.

Faulkner Family's picture

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Date Joined: 11/03/08

all fish can be tough after

Fri, 2013-11-01 20:55

all fish can be tough after freezing. however, a lot of it depends on how the fish is treated before freezing.
always put them on ice . we never wash our fillets off after filleting them, they go straight into a cryovac bag and into the freezer unless we are going to eat within a couple od days. we have pulled out a piece of red emp just on 2 years after freezing (found in the back of the freezer ) and it was still edible.
once you wash off the fillets , any contaminants in the water can taint the flesh. wash off after thawing is the best way imo

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Belly88's picture

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Date Joined: 08/02/12

one plus

Fri, 2013-11-01 21:36

One plus thats exactly what we do.. Perfect every time. Even fish like tailor feeze ok if treated like this.

Belly

carnarvonite's picture

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Date Joined: 24/07/07

Spangos

Sat, 2013-11-02 08:24

If I catch one it goes back, pricks of things to fillet because of their odd shaped rib cage, tough to eat and not as tasty as black snapper that are more readily available .

Posts: 791

Date Joined: 05/12/09

keh? youre on drugs!!!! 

Sat, 2013-11-02 14:40

keh? youre on drugs!!!!  lol

Piece of piss to fillet... fillet as per usual but leave it joined where that little pain in the ass spot is, put a hole through the tail of the fillet, stick your finger in and rip up.... tears the fillet straight off and you can trim that bone out pretty easy then..

I reckon they are awesome to eat, awesome to catch.... but have to agree a nice little Blackie is as sweet as you'll get!! Once youve had Black, youll never go back is the saying yeah!!  ;-)

carnarvonite's picture

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Date Joined: 24/07/07

Filletting

Sat, 2013-11-02 16:41

Done heaps of filleting over time, just getting fussy and can't be bothered with crappy fish. Call me spoilt and I will agree-----there's only pearl perch, goldband, red emperor, radiant cod and some coral trout in the freezer. [Its nice to have a son working on a wetliner]

Xtreme Coolers's picture

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Date Joined: 02/01/10

Aaahh John

Sat, 2013-11-02 19:58

 Three of my favs in the freezer. Funny thing this year, could not find a pp at Gnaraloo. Unusual.

Dave