A surprising number of searches get directed to this website for the search terms “How to cook bonefish,” or “cooking bonefish.”
Don’t eat bonefish. Really… just don’t do it. I know some cultures have a history of doing it, and for them, I say “I wish you wouldn’t, but understand if you harvest one every once in a while.” If you are not one of those people I just say “DON’T DO IT!”
These are game fish that are way too valuable to be eaten. Go get some Mahi Mahi, go get some carnitas (mmmmm, carnitas) or kalua pig (mmmmmm, other form of pork). Don’t eat bonefish. In Florida, they figure that each bonefish, over its lifetime will contribute about $75,000 to the Florida economy, about $2,500 each year. This is sustainable, catch and release angling. These are good jobs which value local eyes and local color. This isn’t cleaning up the puke from spring breakers… these are good jobs.
If you absolutely MUST cook a bonefish, here is what you need to know….
- Take a 6″ bonefish (bonefish over 6″ are poisonous and will kill you with the slightest taste) and set aside.
- Get a kettle of oil, fill kettle all the way to the top and heat to 650 degrees.
- Call fire department.
- Run out of burning building.
If you think you can’t destroy the bonefish stock and that they’ll always be there, just ask the people of Campeche in Mexico. There used to be bonefish there and there aren’t bonefish there anymore. Haven’t been bones there for 20 years or more at this point. Netting is what did it. You can pretty well wipe out a whole population with modern nylon netting.
