How to cook Hickory Shad?

[wasabi]

I brought a few home yesterday. Any tips on preparing?

[HJS]

I just cooked an American shad I bought at the supermarket using the following recipe. Turned out great, no little bones could be seen. Don't know how hickories would work thought. Probably a 4 hour cook would be enough. Traditional pan frying will result in you having to pick thru a 1000 little hair-like Y-bones.
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Six-Hour Baked Shad with Onions and Bacon
serves 5 to 6
1 whole shad, about 3 pounds
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram
4 slices bacon
Have the fish cleaned and scaled. The head and tail may be removed if necessary to fit your roasting pan. At home, cut open and remove the strip of red flesh lying inside the cavity along the backbone. Rinse the fish thoroughly inside and out until no traces of blood remain.
Preheat oven to the lowest setting it will hold; 200 to 225 degrees is ideal. Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil shiny side up and oil the middle of the sheet lightly. Season the fish inside and out with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Spread half the onions in the middle of the foil, lay the fish on top, and stuff the cavity with the remaining onions and herbs. Lay the bacon strips on top of the fish and seal the foil tightly around the fish.
Place the fish in a roasting pan and bake 5 to 6 hours. Transfer the wrapped fish to a deep platter and slit open one side of the foil (it will release a lot of juices). Carefully slide out the fish and discard the foil. To serve, use a fork and spoon to pull pieces of meat away from the backbone and ribs; the remaining bones are edible. Spoon the juices over each portion. Serve with steamed new potatoes or French fries.

[DonQx]

Plank em'!

[sunfish king]

Smoke 'em!!!
Split then in half (vertically - from the belly side) soak for 4 hours in a brine solution (use Kosher salt and I add a dash of garlic salt) in the refrigerator. Drain thoroughly. lay them open (skin side down) on cookie sheets and leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight...this puts a nice glaze on the fish. The next day smoke at low temperation (not over 200*F) for about 6-8 hours. I usually baste twice....once when I fist put 'em in the smoker and then again about halfway through. Baste usually consists of olive oil, melted butter, lemon juice, a glug of soy sauce, and fresh cracked pepper. I recommend using a smoker that has the water pan between the coals and the racks.

[mgardner1]

I brought a few home yesterday. Any tips on preparing?

Store bought? I hope you didn't catch them in MD if you caught them.

Summary of Maryland Tidal Recreational Fisheries Regulations (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/recregchrt.html)

[goose70]

Wasabi's address is Virginia.

I must say, having caught and released hundreds of Hickories and dozens of Americans, this thread confirms that I'm doing the right thing by releasing them. This is WAY too much work for a fish meal.

[Bo_G]

I've always heard you smoke them on a plank, throw the shad away and eat the plank!:eek2:

[wasabi]

What you don't want to do is bake them for 30 minutes and try to eat them, unless you like picking bones. I recommend a lot of side dishes whatever method you try.

[DRB]

I agree with Goose70. Catch and release the shad. Fire up grill with bbq chicken and a cold beverage when you get home.

[RKOCH]

Yep put them on a plank an d smoke em' . Then throw away the shad and eat the plank.