Masgouf Perch 2013

I caught two nice size perch over the weekend and I decided to attempt to cook them Mastaffa Masqouf style. I split them open in the traditional Masgouf way. I lightly brushed them with Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the meat side. I then sprinkled the meat side with salt, black pepper and garlic powder. I then started the fire and skewered the fish with a modified hot dog grilling stick from Home Depot.

after the fish was about done, I placed them skin side down in the coals as mention in an earlier post by Mustaffa. I plated the fish and devoured them.....they were tasty. I will definitely do this again.

[M_Duong60]

Looks good...there's something fun about cooking in an "open" fire tastes great too.

[frettr00]

Well I've got a 12" perch in my freezer right now. Maybe i'll try this.

[AbuMasgouf]

LOVE IT BRO!!!!

Fantastic work on the Perch bro! Seeing those fish on the coals get's my mouth watering! Snaggedline University now has two Masgouf graduates: Minh (M_Duong60) and Martin (MOC)! Awesome!

[archeryrob]

This is awesome. I need a full tutorial on how to cut the fish. I sent the thread link to my daughter so we can make sure I don't forget.

Mustafa, you have any videos on how you cut the fish? Do you remove the bones or leave them in? Leave the scales intact or descale?

[Goody]

How do you split the head in half? Are you just cutting the fish in half with bones in tact? Looks good.

[moc]

Mustafa has videos on youtube on how to cut the fish. You do not scale the fish at all. The bones are left intact. You do not eat the skin. I used a shear to cut part of the perch skull, then I continued to split it open with a knife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHAEdb3K0so

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVGBkDF8L5E

[DaveFX35]

Masgouf style looks like the way to go! Always looks delicious.

I'm guessing the bones and scales hold it intact when being cooked? Has anyone experimented with flavoring wood chips used for grilling/smoking?

[AbuMasgouf]

Thanks for posting the video Martin!

Yup you leave the scales and bones as they are and as Dave guessed they help keep the fish intact. Once roasted the bones come out very easily. In fact one of the best parts is sucking the meat off of the spine!

Flavored wood chips work perfectly. You would want to put them in the fire from the beginning so the meat absorbs the flavor. Toyomo and I did that with the stripers we caught in the flats. It tasted really good!

One helpful tip for large/thick fish is to score the flesh by poking a few holes for any flavoring you put on to go through. You never need to worry about the fish not cooking through because to finish it off you have to lay it scale side down on the coals to cook the other side until you see the juices bubbling through the flesh (about 1-10minutes depending on the size of the fish). That's another reason you don't scale it, the scales protect the skin when you're doing this.

[Goody]

I saw that you put some special sauce on afterward once. What was that?

Thanks for posting the video Martin!

Yup you leave the scales and bones as they are and as Dave guessed they help keep the fish intact. Once roasted the bones come out very easily. In fact one of the best parts is sucking the meat off of the spine!

Flavored wood chips work perfectly. You would want to put them in the fire from the beginning so the meat absorbs the flavor. Toyomo and I did that with the stripers we caught in the flats. It tasted really good!

One helpful tip for large/thick fish is to score the flesh by poking a few holes for any flavoring you put on to go through. You never need to worry about the fish not cooking through because to finish it off you have to lay it scale side down on the coals to cook the other side until you see the juices bubbling through the flesh (about 1-10minutes depending on the size of the fish). That's another reason you don't scale it, the scales protect the skin when you're doing this.

[AbuMasgouf]

How do you split the head in half? Are you just cutting the fish in half with bones in tact? Looks good.

I use a really sharp knife (zyliss 8" carving knife that I got for $8 from home goods ) to Masgouf the fish. After I make the flesh cut, I pull out the knife and poke the knife in the top part of the head with the blade facing the side of the lips until I feel the bottom (don't go through and cut the bottom, then the fish won't hold well if the bottom jaws separate). Then I push the knife down in a cutting motion towards the lips. It won't go all the way but go as far as you can. Then I pull the knife out poke it in the head closer towards the lips (right in the cut you made when pushing the knife down) and the push the knife down again in a cutting motion towards the lips. Repeat until you've cut through the top part of the head and lips making sure to leave the bottom of the mouth intact.

If its a really hard headed fish (aren't they all? LOL ) you may need a cleaver or hatchet. Kitchen shears will also do quick work on soft and medium head fish like Martin used.

[AbuMasgouf]

I saw that you put some special sauce on afterward once. What was that?

I used the same sauce in this post:
http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...triper+masgouf

If you can't find Date Syrup you can use molasses or anything else sweet that you like.

[archeryrob]

I guess no one has done this on a snakehead yet? They got the thickest skull I have seen.

[AbuMasgouf]

I guess no one has done this on a snakehead yet? They got the thickest skull I have seen.

Actually Minh (M_Duong60) has officially pioneered Snakehead Masgouf! http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...akehead-6-1-13

And Yes, he had to use a cleaver to crack the head open! LOL

[Mmacro]

This style of cooking is an Iraqi style of cooking carp or other oily fish. How dry does perch and other less oily fish become? Do you keep basting it during the cooking process (in Iraq they just let it go and the oil cooked out).