Fresh Lemon Pepper Trout:

Trout can be prepared in a variety of ways, some taking more time and perfection than others. This recipe is simple and requires minimal items to bring along on your float if you’re tight for space. In my personal opinion trout are too bony to fillet out, a lot of meat is lost in the process and sometimes it’s hard to tell if all the bones were removed. This recipe can be done by even the most novice of fish cleaners. Here’s all you’ll need:

• Gutted whole trout, skin on

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic powder

• Butter

• Lemon

• Aluminum foil

First off you need to catch or purchase your trout. Make sure the section of water you are fishing allows for you to keep trout and what size it may need to be. Once you have your catch and are ready to clean your fish you’ll need a fillet knife and cutting board (or hard cooler top if you’re in a pinch).

This first step on cleaning your fish is optional, but I highly suggest it - cut the head of your fish off right behind the gills and lower fin (some people leave the head on and use the eyes to gage when it’s fully cooked). My mother always requests that we remove the head so she doesn’t feel like her meal is staring her down, and she’s not wrong! Alright so after removing the head, insert the tip of the knife into the belly of the fish and cut all the way to the anus while leaving the back in tact (see pictures below). Pull the guts out and thoroughly rinse the cavity. Once this is done, you will clearly see the dark spinal fluid. Remove the spinal fluid on the fish to avoid that strong fishy flavor - use your thumb to push from the anus toward the front of the body. This may take several times to remove most of the fluid. Rinse the cavity and fish off one last time before preparing and cooking. Leave the skin on your fish to gage when it’s fully cooked.

Use aluminum foil squares, big enough to completely wrap each fish. Season the skin and cavity of the fish with salt, pepper, & garlic powder. Squeeze lemon on the skin and cavity of the fish. Then lay the lemon slices inside the fish cavity. Lastly, lay butter slices inside the cavity to give your trout a flakey, buttery finish.

Next, fold the ends of the aluminum foil in towards the fish then wrap the fish up tightly. Your fish is now ready to be cooked or stored for a later meal (if freezing, put in zip lock bag to prevent freezer burn). Fire up the stove or grill, or prep the coals if cooking over an open fire. I don’t recommend slow cooking or smoking your trout with this method because the bones can become over cooked and mushy, making it hard for the meat to fall off the bone. The idea is to quickly cook the fish in a pan or over a grill at a high temperature while wrapped in the aluminum foil, which traps all the butter and juices in the fish similar to a dutch oven.

Heat a pan on the stove and then place your wrapped fish in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side. I usually try and cover the fish with an additional pan to help it cook through. If you are using a grill or grates over an open flame, go ahead and place the wrapped fish directly on the grates without a pan. When the fish starts to release steam, that means the fish has cooked through. Open the aluminum foil to test the fish to see if its cooked properly: if the skin easily peels off and the meat easily sides off the bone and looks white all the way through, your fish ready.

Eating a whole fish like this requires patience to avoid eating any bones. It allows you to savor every bite and enjoy more of the fish with less waste. To consume, slide the skin off the fish and run your fork parallel down the spine and slowly slide the meat away from the spine right off the rib bones. Once you eat one side of the fish you can pull the spine and all bones directly off to reveal a clean fillet on the bottom. This can be a delicate process; the longer the fish cooks, the harder it is to remove the bones. Chew slowly and carefully.

What I truly enjoy about this simple recipe is that it can be prepared with various seasonings. It’s always my family's go-to because of its simplicity and minimal ingredients needed. We’ve used this recipe for fresh catch right out of the water, as well as prepared and frozen to be eaten another time. Remember to share the harvest and introduce others to our great natural resources and opportunities that the Ozark region has to offer.

Ingredients

- Gutted whole trout, skin on

- Salt

-Pepper

-Garlic powder

-Butter

-Lemon

-Aluminum foil

Directions

1. Catch a trout (or buy one from the store)

2. Clean your trout by cutting off the head, then slicing the belly of the trout open to expose the guts

3. Remove the guts and spinal fluid by flushing it out with your hands

4. Rinse the fish thoroughly before applying seasoning

5. Make a square size aluminum foil piece large enough to wrap your fish in and place your fish

6. Season the inside and outside of the fish with salt, pepper, & garlic powder

7. Squeeze lemon throughout and insert lemon slices into the fish cavity

8. Slice butter and insert the butter slices into the fish cavity

9. Fold ends over then tightly wrap the fish inside the aluminum foil

10. Using a stove, thoroughly heat a pan and lay the wrapped fish inside the pan to cook. (If using a grill or grates over an open flame, lay the wrapped fish directly on the grates.)

11. Cook roughly 3-4 minutes on each side, until steam emerges

12. Open the aluminum foil and try peeling the skin off the fish - if it comes off easily, it’s cooked.

13. Enjoy and make sure to share the harvest!