The walleye is a freshwater fish that lives in the Great Lakes. It’s also known by other names, such as yellow pike and pickerel. This tasty fish is widely available in restaurants throughout North America and beyond. If you’re wondering whether you can eat walleye, read on to learn more about its nutritional value, potential health risks, and how best to cook this delectable dish at home!
Can You Eat Walleye?
Yes, you can eat walleye. The fish is nutritous and tasty to eat. With it mild and sweet flavor, the fish can be used in a variety of dishes. Walleye can be cooked in many different ways such as broiling, frying, baking, and grilling.
Are There Any Risks To Eating Walleye?
If you are thinking of eating walleye, you should know that it has a high mercury content. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that pregnant women and young children avoid consuming more than one serving per month of fish with higher levels of mercury.
Because walleye is considered a healthy source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D, it’s not likely to pose serious health risks for people who eat it infrequently or in small quantities.
However, if you’re concerned about the risks associated with eating too much walleye—or any type of fish—you may want to consider cutting back on other sources of mercury as well.
Benefits Of Eating Walleye
Walleye is not only tasty, but it is very nutritous as well. Here are some of the benefits of eating walleye:
High in Protein – Walleye contains 20 percent protein, which makes it an excellent source of this important macronutrient. Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue as well as maintain healthy hair, skin, and nails. It’s also needed for proper growth during childhood and adolescence as well as for energy production throughout life.
Low in Fat – Walleye has only about half the fat content of salmon or trout – making it a great choice for those looking to reduce their intake of unhealthy fats while still getting their daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids that help to promote cardiovascular health.
Low-Calorie Content – One serving (3 ounces) of cooked walleye contains about 120 calories, making it an ideal choice for anyone who wants to limit their caloric intake but still enjoys a healthy meal.
What Does Walleye Taste Like?
If you’ve never had walleye before, know that it has a mild flavor with a sweet and delicate taste. The fish itself has a flaky texture that’s similar to other freshwater species like perch and pike.
How To Clean Walleye
Cleaning your walleye can be a bit of a process, but it’s not too difficult. First, you’ll need to remove the gills and guts from the inside of the fish. You can do this with either pliers or your bare hands—just make sure you’re wearing gloves if you’re going for option two!
Once those have been removed, you should remove the head by simply cutting it off along with its eyes and mouth. You’ll also want to remove any remaining scales from around both sides of the fish’s body using a pair of sharp scissors or a fillet knife (or anything else that works well at removing scales).
Next up: filleting! This is where things might get tricky depending on how comfortable you are with knives and slicing up dead things in general; however, there are plenty of videos online that show just how easy this step really is when done correctly (and safely!).
How To Cook Walleye
There are many ways to cook walleye. It will depend on how you like the fish cooked.
Fried Walleye
Walleye can be cooked in many ways, but one of its most popular preparations is frying. Frying walleye is a great way to enjoy this mild-flavored fish with a crispy exterior and moist interior.
Preheat your frying oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Place fresh walleye fillets in the fryer basket and lower them into the hot oil. Cook them for about six minutes until they’re golden brown on both sides and flaky when you bite into them.
Remove the cooked walleye fillets from the fryer basket and drain them on paper towels before serving.
Baked Walleye
Baked walleye is a simple, delicious way to prepare this tasty fish. The mild flavor of walleye makes it an ideal choice for baking. Baking walleye also helps keep the delicate flesh intact and protects it against overcooking. This method requires only a few ingredients and little preparation time.
To bake walleye, start by placing the fillets in a greased baking dish. Rub them with oil, then season them with salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings if you like, such as paprika or cayenne pepper. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Grilled Walleye
Walleye has a light, delicate flavor that makes it a great selection for grilling. Grilling walleye provides a tasty alternative to fried fish or pan-seared walleye.
Grilled walleye can be prepared with a variety of seasonings and marinades. For the best results, use fresh walleye fillets that have been cleaned and dried thoroughly before they are grilled. Make sure that the fillets are at least 1 inch thick so that they will cook evenly on both sides while grilling.
Grilling Fish Preparation Tips
The following tips will help you prepare your fish for grilling:
1. Rinse the fillets under cold running water, then pat them dry with paper towels or kitchen towels until all excess moisture is removed from them. This will ensure that your fish does not become soggy or fall apart when cooked on the grill.
2. Season the fillets with salt and pepper before cooking them on your gas or charcoal grill to enhance their taste and add additional flavors to each bite of your meal as it cooks on the grill surface.
Can You Cook Walleye With The Skin On?
The short answer is yes, you can cook walleye with the skin on.
The longer answer is that it’s a matter of personal preference and how you like to prepare your fish.
If you’re going to be pan-frying or grilling your walleye, keeping the skin on will give you a crispy texture on top of the fillet. You can also remove the skin before cooking if you’d like.
If you’re going to be making fish tacos or another dish where the fish will be cooked in a sauce, it’s best to remove the skin because it can get soggy when cooked for too long.
Either way, keep in mind that there are some health benefits associated with eating walleye that have their skin intact. The healthiest fish are those that are low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids; walleye has both qualities!
Conclusion
As you can see, walleye is a fish that you can eat. They can be a great addition to any meal, whether you’re looking for something new or just want a more sustainable alternative to meat.
Kate has been in the food business for over 20 years. Worked as a cook at several buffets which include Old Country Buffet, Five Star Buffet, and Ichiban Buffet. Now, I’m mostly at home cooking for my family, caring for chickens and ducks, and tending the garden.
