What do you do with your Walleye cheeks?

[Cal]

I just cook them however I'm doing the fillets but I've talked to guys who save up a whole bunch of them and then cook a whole mess of them. Just wondering what you guys do with them? Any favorite cheek specific recipes?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Cheeks? what cheeks?......walleye have cheeks?

Are they attached to the head that I leave at the cleaning stations?

LC

[357xp]

i never knew bout them until a few years ago someone told me about them. that is the really good meat! not very big on a small fish, but we had a few in the 10-12 pound range and that was a fair chunk of meat

[Mxyzptik]

Lots and lots of garlic and onions and don"t over cook 'em.

[Nait Hadya]

a nice snack though only 2 or 6 cheeks doesn't go very far when there are hungry eyes around.

[Attilathecanuk]

We save up until (freeze in a Baggie of water) there is about 1/2 lb or so and deep fry in beer batter for around the campfire. *growl* well, gotta go see how many I have now.....

[Alberta Bigbore]

I cut them out and fry them up in garlic butter.


When I come back from Manitoba, and bring back a cooler or two of walleye fillets, I also bring back a bunch of huge ziploc bags full of walleye cheeks. Best part of the walleye IMHO.

[laut]

Originally Posted by Cal

I just cook them however I'm doing the fillets but I've talked to guys who save up a whole bunch of them and then cook a whole mess of them. Just wondering what you guys do with them? Any favorite cheek specific recipes?

They are excellent especially cook it in salty water then dip in butter with garlic. Get yourself a little little old metal spoon, then sharpen the edge of it. You just have to insert the tip of the spoon from the edge of the cheek , then simply spoon it out. A lot of work but worth every penny. Don't forget the throat or the fin just behind the bottom gill. Just cut the triangle part of the throat after you remove the fillets, then remove the skin. fry them up with the fin on.

[RapStaff]

Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmm good, fry up those lil suckers in some butter.
So so good.

[albertadeer]

Wrap it in bacon on kabobs with peppers onions and mushrooms....Mmmmm

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by laut

They are excellent especially cook it in salty water then dip in butter with garlic. Get yourself a little little old metal spoon, then sharpen the edge of it. You just have to insert the tip of the spoon from the edge of the cheek , then simply spoon it out. A lot of work but worth every penny. Don't forget the throat or the fin just behind the bottom gill. Just cut the triangle part of the throat after you remove the fillets, then remove the skin. fry them up with the fin on.

I've done the cheeks but not the additional ones you posted. Thanks for this!

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by laut

They are excellent especially cook it in salty water then dip in butter with garlic. Get yourself a little little old metal spoon, then sharpen the edge of it. You just have to insert the tip of the spoon from the edge of the cheek , then simply spoon it out. A lot of work but worth every penny. Don't forget the throat or the fin just behind the bottom gill. Just cut the triangle part of the throat after you remove the fillets, then remove the skin. fry them up with the fin on.

Only takes about 10 seconds to remove a check with a little practice. Just cut around the check about 7/8 around, then stick your thumb in there and remove the check leaving the skin on the fish. Thx for the tip about the throat part, never knew that. How big of a pc of meat is that? About the same as the check or more?

[bisonhunter]

Lake trout have great cheeks also.

Just so you know.

[Freedom55]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

I cut them out and fry them up in garlic butter.


When I come back from Manitoba, and bring back a cooler or two of walleye fillets, I also bring back a bunch of huge ziploc bags full of walleye cheeks. Best part of the walleye IMHO.

I take it that you travel with a large family or have some type of interprovincial commercial license?

Free

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Kim473

Only takes about 10 seconds to remove a check with a little practice. Just cut around the check about 7/8 around, then stick your thumb in there and remove the check leaving the skin on the fish. Thx for the tip about the throat part, never knew that. How big of a pc of meat is that? About the same as the check or more?

No need to remove the skin, I used to do this but stopped as it is about as pointless as scaling a trout. They taste exactly the same either way. Love the bacon wrapped idea Alberta Deer, will deffinatly give that a try.

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

I cut them out and fry them up in garlic butter.


When I come back from Manitoba, and bring back a cooler or two of walleye fillets, I also bring back a bunch of huge ziploc bags full of walleye cheeks. Best part of the walleye IMHO.

X2 Nothing better. Fry em in garlic butter same as scallops as far as I am concerned.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by Freedom55

I take it that you travel with a large family or have some type of interprovincial commercial license?

Free

Some of the ex's family commercial fish. I'm friends with the family, and help out with some chores while I visit in exchange for some tasty fillets.

[sureshot]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore
I cut them out and fry them up in garlic butter.


When I come back from Manitoba, and bring back a cooler or two of walleye fillets, I also bring back a bunch of huge ziploc bags full of walleye cheeks. Best part of the walleye IMHO.

I take it that you travel with a large family or have some type of interprovincial commercial license?

Free

Didn't you know he has a giant freezer truck that he drives around.

Andy

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by sureshot

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore
I cut them out and fry them up in garlic butter.


When I come back from Manitoba, and bring back a cooler or two of walleye fillets, I also bring back a bunch of huge ziploc bags full of walleye cheeks. Best part of the walleye IMHO.

I take it that you travel with a large family or have some type of interprovincial commercial license?

Free

Didn't you know he has a giant freezer truck that he drives around.

Andy

that's all tricked out on chrome 22's. Lol

[Freedom55]

[QUOTE

Didn't you know he has a giant freezer truck that he drives around.

Andy[/QUOTE]

Bwaahahahaha

Free

[pickrel pat]

in catch and release lakes i come home with bag fulls of cheeks. have your knife ready and cut em out fast and get the fish back in the water. doesnt harm the fish and you still get a feed of walleye. since you release the fish you cant be charged.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by pickrel pat

in catch and release lakes i come home with bag fulls of cheeks. have your knife ready and cut em out fast and get the fish back in the water. doesnt harm the fish and you still get a feed of walleye. since you release the fish you cant be charged.

trolling comment of the year award goes to........

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

trolling comment of the year award goes to........

lol, couldnt resist.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Thats why all the walleye in Hasse are cheek-less! Last time I experienced anything "cheek-less" was when I met ABB in the Cambodian Tire parking lot...it was not a pretty sight....

LC

[Rock Doctor]

Best part of the fish, we always cook them up with the rest of the fish. Dip in egg, roll in Corn Flake Crumbs and seasoning, fry in a little oil.
looks like this


At the start of this vid I remove the cheeks from a Walleye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B33XTxf5jc

RD

[208prov]

Here is my christmas treat. Alot of walleyes in this bucket.

[pickrel pat]

mmmm, i want your cheeks!

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Thats why all the walleye in Hasse are cheek-less! Last time I experienced anything "cheek-less" was when I met ABB in the Cambodian Tire parking lot...it was not a pretty sight....

LC

oh you seen cheeks alright....i tried on the butt-less chaps you sold me and you know it!

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

oh you seen cheeks alright....i tried on the butt-less chaps you sold me and you know it!

.....don't you hate when a good joke backfires....

LC