Grilled Bonito? I dunno but it's not that bad!

623 Views 22 Replies 15 Participants Last post by jwilson1978, 2 d ago

Battman771

Discussion Starter · 4 d ago

I know I will get some heat for this but I had to try it, it's pretty good!

I was hacking up a bonito we caught the other day making a super top secret special bait that may very well catapult me into fame and fortune - nope, probly/definitely not. I had to take out the loins and my imagination took hold... "Hmmm what would one do if he were in Selma", and that's where it starts.

Take the loins out of a bonito then remove any and all blood line. Depending on the size of the fish, you will be left with strips about the size of chicken tenders (mine was on the smaller side). I blasted them with the hose on shower mode. Put em in a ziplock bag and splash some olive oil in there, then dump a little Everglades fish and chicken seasoning in there - I dunno how much ok? I was winging it. Just enough so they look coated but not crusted or swimming, sort of like you would a chicken leg or whatever... Grill them lil fellers on med-high heat and get some seer marks on them. Then coat/brush with Sweet Baby Rays Honey Barbeque sauce. Grill a little more till the sauce gets all gooey and sticky. Don't over-grill them like I did, they will get a tad chewy. Note - the piece on the right was a taste tester, it wasn't bad but then I decided to use BBQ sauce to finish the piece on the left. I don't think I would make a meal of it, but a little snack while your hacking up fish is not bad!

Kinda taste like a cross between ribs and chicken. I was very surprised, they are not as bad as their reputation gives them.

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etrade92

· #2 · 4 d ago

So I have an awesome Bonito recipe that people have used for ages.

Get ya a nice Bonito, bleed and put into an ice slurry immediately. Once home, fillet the fish leaving the skin on. Prep the grill, shooting for a temp around 700 degrees. Season the fish with S/P, garlic, Tony's, and any other flavoring. Here's the catch... get an asphalt shingle and lay the skin side down on the shingle and slide shingle and fillet on the grill.. sear for 3 minutes. Remove from grill and probe, looking for an internal temperature of 150 degrees. Next, feed the fish fillet to the dog and eat the asphalt shingle

All jokes aside - Bonito is eatable just not high on my list! Thanks for sharing.

Reactions: 5

stevenattsu

· #3 · 4 d ago

Ive had it and it was good but the last time I had it, they wrapped it in bacon and you couldn't even eat the bacon it was so bad

Reactions: 4

X-Shark

· #4 · 4 d ago

You can have mine.

Reactions: 2

jack2

· #5 · 4 d ago

well, the way you did it looks pretty good ol' son,
but sit down in that chair right there and lemme show you how it's done.
1 gal water, 1cp salt, 1/2cp br. sugar. brine the filets 24hrs. smoke at 175 for 3hrs. skin down. makes some great dip.
jack

Reactions: 1

Boliver T Wheelock

· #6 · 4 d ago

Forty years ago I read an article on canning bonito. Using as tuna substitute. I filled as many jars that would fit in a large pressure and processed them. Tried as tuas fish salad. Truly bad but the Irish Setter did manage to eat them over time.

Reactions: 2

Flyfisher59

· #7 · 4 d ago

Battman771 said:
I know I will get some heat for this but I had to try it, it's pretty good!

I was hacking up a bonito we caught the other day making a super top secret special bait that may very well catapult me into fame and fortune - nope, probly/definitely not. I had to take out the loins and my imagination took hold... "Hmmm what would one do if he were in Selma", and that's where it starts.

Take the loins out of a bonito then remove any and all blood line. Depending on the size of the fish, you will be left with strips about the size of chicken tenders (mine was on the smaller side). I blasted them with the hose on shower mode. Put em in a ziplock bag and splash some olive oil in there, then dump a little Everglades fish and chicken seasoning in there - I dunno how much ok? I was winging it. Just enough so they look coated but not crusted or swimming, sort of like you would a chicken leg or whatever... Grill them lil fellers on med-high heat and get some seer marks on them. Then coat/brush with Sweet Baby Rays Honey Barbeque sauce. Grill a little more till the sauce gets all gooey and sticky. Don't over-grill them like I did, they will get a tad chewy. Note - the piece on the right was a taste tester, it wasn't bad but then I decided to use BBQ sauce to finish the piece on the left. I don't think I would make a meal of it, but a little snack while your hacking up fish is not bad!

Kinda taste like a cross between ribs and chicken. I was very surprised, they are not as bad as their reputation gives them.

View attachment 1104336

I’ve never been able to bleed a Bo well enough. I see people eating them but it’s not high on my list. If I do naked and afraid. Then maybe.

Reactions: 2

Battman771

Discussion Starter · #8 · 4 d ago

X-Shark said:
You can have mine.

I think I should host a PFF get together.. If I do, I might need more since I'll be serving BBQ-Bo McRibchick tenders. Fame and fortune I tell ya! LOL

Reactions: 3

Jason

· #9 · 3 d ago

A couple of years ago I got some Bonita and took the blood line out of it (which was ALOT of the meat, and then smoked it. I used it in Wade's Tuna Dip Recipe and it turned out fantastic....I always said I would never throw back another bo bo

Reactions: 2

Play'N Hooky Too

· #10 · 3 d ago

If you eat canned tuna you've eaten Bonita. It falls under the FDA'S list of fish species that can be marketed as "tuna".

Battman771

Discussion Starter · #11 · 3 d ago

The blood line is huge!!! Also full of pin bones. I thought it might take a smoke too.. I'll try that next, I cant wait to try out my new bait though

Reactions: 1

kanaka

· #12 · 3 d ago

1" chunks, boil in salted water till starting to flake.
"Tuna" salad without using better tuna for stuff like that.

How many of the naysayers here will eat sardines out of the tin?

Reactions: 2

Bigc2013

· #13 · 3 d ago

We always take the ones we catch home and freeze them and watch them turn into Groupers on the next trip. 😜

Reactions: 2

Deja vu

· #14 · 3 d ago

pin fish and croaker taste better

jack2

· #15 · 3 d ago

Deja vu said:
pin fish and croaker taste better

especially if you pressure cook them. the bones get real mushy like sardines. don't forget to add the salt.
jacki

Reactions: 1

Battman771

Discussion Starter · #16 · 3 d ago

Damn, you guys kill me!! I'm not sure who is serious or not anymore... I know I cant wait till the next offshore, my secret bait is ready!!

jwilson1978

· #17 · 3 d ago

Bigc2013 said:
We always take the ones we catch home and freeze them and watch them turn into Groupers on the next trip. 😜

Yes Sir! Best Dead bait there is. My favorite anyway. It's tough stays on the hook and will catch every thing From 10 to 2000 foot! Whole, Chunked, Striped, Sowed on Whatever. 8 to 10lb one can be easily be converted to 3x or more in fine eating fish!

Reactions: 1

LY-zer

· #18 · 2 d ago

Battman771 said:
my secret bait is ready!!

Nothing creepy about that statement. You just went fishing with Jack didn't ya.?.

Reactions: 3

Battman771

Discussion Starter · #19 · 2 d ago

LY-zer said:
Nothing creepy about that statement. You just went fishing with Jack didn't ya.?.

Dammit Jack!!! What happens on the boat stays on the boat! That's what you taught me isn't it??!! What about the loose lips sink ships thing?! Can't find a good teacher anymore, for real, I quit..
Seriously tho. Wait till I post that Wahoo catch soon... You'll be begging for some of that secret sauce too.

Reactions: 2

YELLOWCAT

· #20 · 2 d ago

Taste like Cobia

Reactions: 2

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