Sheepshead fish is a species of fish commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico and Western Atlantic Ocean. This fish is also known as convict fish and is one of the highly prized fishes. Sheepshead fish is valued for its white meat and mild flavor and it resembles black drum, and Atlantic spadefish in appearance.
Methods of Preparation
The fish has a flakey texture, which makes it suitable for preparing in following ways –
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Sautéing – The fish fillets are dredged in a spicy flour mixture and sauteed in a frying pan with little oil until it becomes golden brown. The sauteed fish is sometimes baked in the oven for some more time for gaining a moist texture.
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Broiling – The fish fillets are seasoned with salt and pepper, and broiled by basting with oil. It is usually teamed with a butter sauce.
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Frying –The fish fillets are dipped in the suitable batter and then fried in the pan.
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Boiling – The sheepshead fillet is boiled in a broth consisting of spicy ingredients until it becomes flakey and smooth.
Sheepshead Recipes
Following are some of the recipes involving sheepshead fish-
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Baked Sheepshead – The fish is dredged in a spicy flour and then coated with panko breadcrumbs and dipped in egg batter prior to baking. It is served as a side dish with freshly steamed rice and Thai peanut sauce.
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Fried Sheepshead- The fish fillets are dipped in the mixture of salted milk, flour and beaten egg and fried until they become deep brown. The fried fillets are served with any preferred sauce.
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Convict Fish with Drawn Butter – The small or medium sized fillets are rubbed with the spices and served with the drawn butter sauce. It is sometimes topped with lemon and parsley prior to serving.
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Convict Fish with Parsley Sauce – The fish fillets are salted and kept in acidulated water. The water is drained and then served with parsley sauce.
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Simmered Sheephead – The fish fillets are added to a buttered fish-pan along with flavorsome ingredients like butter, green pepper, parsley, onion, tomatoes, and wine. It is simmered in the mixture until it attains a flakey and soft texture.