Fish
Blue Catfish
B tier
Blue catfish is a large North American species (Ictalurus furcatus) prized by anglers and some commercial fisheries for firm white steaks from big fish. Flavour is mild to slightly sweet; very large specimens can be coarser and benefit from stewing or smoking rather than delicate frying. Cut steaks from the mid-body, remove the dark lateral muscle if pronounced, and grill, blacken, or braise. In the Chesapeake and other watersheds where blues are invasive, harvest for food is encouraged—use only from clean waters and proper processors.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Blue catfish supported river fisheries in the Mississippi and Ohio systems.
Stocking expanded blue catfish range, later creating invasive populations in some estuaries.
Chesapeake programmes promoted eating blue catfish to reduce ecological pressure.