Walleye Recipes

Cleaning a walleye is the first step after catching it. For the best results, clean the fish as soon as possible and keep it cold.

1. Rinse the fish: Start by rinsing the exterior of the fish with cold water to remove slime and debris.
2. Scaling (Optional): Walleye have relatively small scales. If you prefer to remove them, use a scaling tool or the back of a knife and scrape from the tail toward the head. However, because the skin is often removed during filleting, scaling is not strictly necessary.

With WalleyeDirect you generally don't need to do this because we deliver filleted frozen fish. But just in case.

Filleting is the most common way to prepare walleye, as it produces two boneless pieces of meat. You will need a sharp, flexible fillet knife.

1. Make the first cut: Place the walleye on a cutting board. Make a vertical cut just behind the gills and pectoral fin, down to the backbone, but do not cut through the backbone.
2. Cut along the backbone: Turn the knife blade flat and run it along the backbone from the head to the tail, using the bones as a guide. Use long, smooth strokes to separate the fillet from the ribs.
3. Remove the rib cage: Once the fillet is free, you will see the rib bones. Carefully slice them away from the flesh, being careful not to waste meat.
4. Repeat: Flip the fish over and repeat the process on the other side.
5. Skin the fillet (Optional): To remove the skin, lay the fillet skin-side down on the board. Hold the tail end tightly and run your knife between the skin and the flesh at a shallow angle, using a gentle sawing motion.

Walleye is a versatile fish that adapts well to several cooking techniques. The most common ways to cook walleye are:

• Pan-Frying: Cooking fillets in a hot skillet with butter or oil. This method creates a crispy, golden-brown exterior while keeping the inside moist. It is often done with a light dusting of flour or breading.
• Deep-Frying: Submerging battered or breaded fillets in hot oil (350-365°F). This results in a crunchy, thick coating and is the traditional method for "fish fry" dinners.
• Baking: Cooking fillets in an oven, typically at around 375°F. This is a hands-off method that can be used with minimal seasoning or with toppings like butter and herbs.
• Grilling: Cooking fillets over direct heat. Due to the delicate nature of walleye, a grill basket or a sheet of aluminum foil is recommended to prevent the fish from sticking or falling apart.
• Broiling: Cooking fillets with high heat from above. This method cooks the fish quickly and can create a lightly browned top surface.